Cork. Cellared from release. Good. Mid-red. Astounding for what it is and several got it wrong on the blind. Some plum notes. Not overly tertiary. Not a complex wine, but for a 16yr old sub-$10 wine this is a great curiosity.
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Color: medium to light red & cloudy Nose: funky upon opening but clears with air, cigar, with some red fruit but porty after a while, not great Palate: still some life still, plumy, red cherry, decent taste & finish, as others have said for its price this wine did well Rating: 87
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Found at the back of the store. Good colour and depth still with a short-lived tar and cigar fragrance on the early nose. Dark berry, cherry skin and plum fruit still holding their own against the vanillic oak but the body of fruit has dropped below the levels of its youth. Still shows reasonable balance and some complexity with a little eucalyptus on the late palate. Still a nice wine - just shows how good the cheaper Penfolds wines of this era actually were. perhaps it should have been drunk earlier but it still pleases, especially with food. 8h later, it was gorgeous - typically rich and luxurious Penfolds and superb with soft blue cheese.
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Interesting to drink at 13 years old. Obviously thin, bit still retaining an fine line of red berry, and impressively integrated secondary characteristics. Not something that should be aged this long, but it didn't fall apart at this age either.
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Amazing how such a realatively cheap bottle of wine has aged and matured into a fantastic experience. Could probably last a few more years in the cellar if you have any
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Had with roast pork - delicious before as well. Never ceases to amaze me how well cheap penfolds wine can last - a £6 bottle from 10 years ago! Clear rim but plenty of deep colour, warm and gentle spice on the nose, shiraz dominanting the cabernet on the palate. Great value, and still a few years to go on the basis of this bottle.
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Not one of the very best vintages of Koonunga but impressive how strongly it is still going. I remember this as a wee babe on release back in 2002 (when I first started taking wine seriously), so it's pretty cool tasting this as an aged wine. Interesting nose of matchsticks, salted plums and mushrooms but with no high notes. Uneven mouth of leather and violets with a touch of stemminess. The highlight is the generous finish of marmalade and dried apricot lasting 45 seconds. Definitely worth saving and will keep for a few more years yet.
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I was planning to pour this wine into a Bouef Borginione but it has matured really nice so I had a glas and Im impressed that a cheap wine like this can mature and still be really nice after 9 years!
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Drank immediately after corking. Very robust and fruitful. Nose was abundant with berry and oaky flavours. Drank surprisingly smooth. Not too over the top. Finish was better than expected.
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Full bodied, rich flavoured with notes of black fruit, warm spices and hints of leather and mint. Very nice balance and good structure. Long and spicy aftertaste. Godd Value!
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Warm Spices, full-bodied and rich flavoured. Traces of Berry and Earthy toast, smooth finishing. Taste even better after more than 1-2 hours. Won't disappoint in any event.
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Deep crimson, Cherrys abundance of alcohol & a touch of mint; ripe dark fruit, tannic, woody, and peppery menthol finish. Full bodied good balance and lengthy finish.
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Inky, black color with a dark purple rim. Expressive nose of blackberry, dark fruits, menthol, and oak. In the mouth, this fruit-bomb explodes with abundant ripe blackberry, cassis, and oak. The wine is full-bodied with a plush mouthfeel and low acidity. The finish is moderate with gobs of fruit and no noticable faults. Overall, a fun, fruit-forward wine that does not require a lot of analysis but is a hedonistic pleasure.
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<Hualalai> No Formal Notes. Nice when you can outclass another bottle at 1/4 -1/5th the price. Nice QOR Fresh, young berries and plums. Spicy black pepper and Anise gives way to nice tannins.
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Very nice blend (74% shiraz, 26% cabernet). Terrific Value at under $15. Clear dark rubi color. After 1 hour it opened nicely revealing some black fruit, spices and a notes of leather and mint. Very nice balance and good structure. Long and spicy aftertaste.
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Exactly what Kramer was talking about when he wrote about "wines of fear" This was a fine bottle, with berry and pepper taste that softened after breathing for awhile. But it could have been any number of wines, nothing to make itself different or rememberable. Not bad for $10 though......
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2/12/2024 - NoelB Likes this wine: 90 Points
yum. good age.
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11/24/2022 - SFortier Likes this wine: 87 Points
Same tasting notes as those of 2015-2016. Not a great wine, but no defect, 21 years later. Still some fruits, good length. Better than I thought
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10/3/2019 - Aremeeus Likes this wine: 80 Points
Still drinking OK but don’t leave any longer
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4/19/2016 - sjw_11 wrote:
Cork. Cellared from release. Good. Mid-red. Astounding for what it is and several got it wrong on the blind. Some plum notes. Not overly tertiary. Not a complex wine, but for a 16yr old sub-$10 wine this is a great curiosity.
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12/18/2015 - HarrryR65 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Really good.
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5/1/2015 - Claret & CdP Gang wrote: 87 Points
Color: medium to light red & cloudy
Nose: funky upon opening but clears with air, cigar, with some red fruit but porty after a while, not great
Palate: still some life still, plumy, red cherry, decent taste & finish, as others have said for its price this wine did well
Rating: 87
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4/5/2015 - johnrm Likes this wine: 89 Points
Found at the back of the store. Good colour and depth still with a short-lived tar and cigar fragrance on the early nose. Dark berry, cherry skin and plum fruit still holding their own against the vanillic oak but the body of fruit has dropped below the levels of its youth. Still shows reasonable balance and some complexity with a little eucalyptus on the late palate.
Still a nice wine - just shows how good the cheaper Penfolds wines of this era actually were.
perhaps it should have been drunk earlier but it still pleases, especially with food.
8h later, it was gorgeous - typically rich and luxurious Penfolds and superb with soft blue cheese.
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8/16/2014 - robertshepherd wrote: 90 Points
Interesting to drink at 13 years old. Obviously thin, bit still retaining an fine line of red berry, and impressively integrated secondary characteristics. Not something that should be aged this long, but it didn't fall apart at this age either.
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2/8/2014 - empire80 Likes this wine: 87 Points
On a gentle downhill slope - but hey it's a cheap wine from 13 years ago! Surprisingly enjoyable, warm spice, leather, quite earthy.
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11/12/2011 - Bisse Likes this wine: 89 Points
Amazing how such a realatively cheap bottle of wine has aged and matured into a fantastic experience. Could probably last a few more years in the cellar if you have any
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5/13/2011 - Winecat wrote: 87 Points
Nice berry and oak nose with
Smooth flavor, not too berry.
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4/8/2011 - Jhearne wrote:
For a 10 year old wine that was only worth 10 bucks to begin with this is still drinking OK..
Surprising really.
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1/16/2011 - empire80 wrote: 88 Points
Had with roast pork - delicious before as well. Never ceases to amaze me how well cheap penfolds wine can last - a £6 bottle from 10 years ago! Clear rim but plenty of deep colour, warm and gentle spice on the nose, shiraz dominanting the cabernet on the palate. Great value, and still a few years to go on the basis of this bottle.
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12/20/2010 - tenorselbow wrote: 86 Points
Not one of the very best vintages of Koonunga but impressive how strongly it is still going. I remember this as a wee babe on release back in 2002 (when I first started taking wine seriously), so it's pretty cool tasting this as an aged wine. Interesting nose of matchsticks, salted plums and mushrooms but with no high notes. Uneven mouth of leather and violets with a touch of stemminess. The highlight is the generous finish of marmalade and dried apricot lasting 45 seconds. Definitely worth saving and will keep for a few more years yet.
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11/28/2010 - MWiking wrote: 87 Points
I was planning to pour this wine into a Bouef Borginione but it has matured really nice so I had a glas and Im impressed that a cheap wine like this can mature and still be really nice after 9 years!
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4/1/2009 - txfireman wrote: 88 Points
Drank immediately after corking. Very robust and fruitful. Nose was abundant with berry and oaky flavours. Drank surprisingly smooth. Not too over the top. Finish was better than expected.
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3/27/2008 - jagangjee wrote: 86 Points
Another great bottle from Penfolds. Color Red Ruby, Red Berries to the nose. Starts sharp to the nose finish smooth and sweet.
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11/11/2007 - lestat39a wrote: 88 Points
The bottle I opened today was quite better than the ones before - at least according to memory. Well structured, nice fruit, complex. Good value!
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10/30/2007 - lestat39a wrote: 86 Points
Full bodied, rich flavoured with notes of black fruit, warm spices and hints of leather and mint. Very nice balance and good structure. Long and spicy aftertaste. Godd Value!
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8/14/2007 - Neandergrant wrote: 86 Points
Very decent, especially the 2nd half of the bottle the next evening
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1/26/2007 - efthimios wrote:
Had a very sharp taste to begin with but mellowed by the second glass.
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7/13/2006 - LungDoc wrote:
As noted by others, improved with some breathing. Nice table wine at very reasonable price
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5/13/2006 - jskuek wrote: 84 Points
Warm Spices, full-bodied and rich flavoured. Traces of Berry and Earthy toast, smooth finishing. Taste even better after more than 1-2 hours. Won't disappoint in any event.
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2/2/2006 - grapist wrote: 86 Points
Very pleasant. Good value
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1/21/2006 - timhg wrote:
Deep crimson, Cherrys abundance of alcohol & a touch of mint; ripe dark fruit, tannic, woody, and peppery menthol finish. Full bodied good balance and lengthy finish.
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10/22/2005 - Meerlust wrote: 87 Points
Inky, black color with a dark purple rim. Expressive nose of blackberry, dark fruits, menthol, and oak. In the mouth, this fruit-bomb explodes with abundant ripe blackberry, cassis, and oak. The wine is full-bodied with a plush mouthfeel and low acidity. The finish is moderate with gobs of fruit and no noticable faults. Overall, a fun, fruit-forward wine that does not require a lot of analysis but is a hedonistic pleasure.
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3/26/2005 - lorenzo wrote: 88 Points
<Hualalai>
No Formal Notes.
Nice when you can outclass another bottle at 1/4 -1/5th the price.
Nice QOR
Fresh, young berries and plums. Spicy black pepper and Anise gives way to nice tannins.
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2/14/2005 - cousteau wrote: 89 Points
Very nice blend (74% shiraz, 26% cabernet). Terrific Value at under $15. Clear dark rubi color. After 1 hour it opened nicely revealing some black fruit, spices and a notes of leather and mint. Very nice balance and good structure. Long and spicy aftertaste.
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1/30/2005 - mpickett2000 wrote: 84 Points
Exactly what Kramer was talking about when he wrote about "wines of fear" This was a fine bottle, with berry and pepper taste that softened after breathing for awhile. But it could have been any number of wines, nothing to make itself different or rememberable. Not bad for $10 though......
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12/9/2004 - DianeR wrote:
Not bad - good basic wine. Berries noticeable - a little acidic on first taste but better after an hour.
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5/13/2003 - peternelson wrote: 86 Points
My House: Great fruit forward fresh wine with some fun spice, too. Some hi notes; a little tart; pretty good.
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3/4/2003 - Jason wrote: 84 Points
Nose-a little acid fruit, deep dark berry pie Initial taste: Smokier than I would have thought, not a lot of body, decent for $10
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