Wine Article
2018 Penfolds Shiraz RWT Bin 798
Last edited on 9/22/2020 by LindsayM
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TASTE DESCRIPTION
Color
Great depth of crimson. Lustre, brilliance
Nose
Blueberry RWT markers thrust ahead of goji berry and loganberry fruits.
An aromatic swirl of choc/hazelnut/liquorice propels all that is RWT style and class.
Thereon, lifted scents of just glazed crème brûlée and wafts of icing sugar.
Barrel-ferment and ferric overtones gently bring all back down to ground level – Barossa iron/earths no less.
Palate
Viscous and lush. An immediate supple fleshiness, liveliness.
At release, during this primary fruit stage – berried ice-cream and black forest cake fruits unfold – redcurrant and blackberry.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Origin: Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Maturation: 16 months in French oak hogsheads (64% new and 36% 1-y.o.)
Wine Analysis: Alc/Vol: 14.5% Acidity: 6.7 g/L, pH: 3.59
Variety: Shiraz.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
Rainfall in autumn was below average, a trend that continued into the early weeks of winter with only 25% of the long-term average achieved in June. Increased rainfall occurred in the second half of winter, with vines entering the growing season with moisture profiles well into the root zone, down to one metre. Conditions favoured canopy development in spring, initially dry before plentiful rainfall in November. Temperatures warmed substantially through spring boosting vine growth and rushing the vines through flowering.
Summer was dry, with no recorded major rain events. This carried into January with a heat spike around veraison causing vines to stall, pushing the start of vintage out by a week or so. The warm, dry weather carried into autumn, setting up an Indian summer with favourable conditions for ripening grapes.
A very strong vintage for Barossa Valley shiraz.
SCORES
99 Points - Andrew Caillard MW
98 Points - Ken Gargett, The World of Fine Wine Magazine
98 Points - Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
19+/20 Points - Matthew Jukes
98 Points - Huon Hooke
97 Points - Tony Love
18/20 Points - Jancis Robinson
96 Points - Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com
96 Points - David Sly, Decanter Magazine
Color
Great depth of crimson. Lustre, brilliance
Nose
Blueberry RWT markers thrust ahead of goji berry and loganberry fruits.
An aromatic swirl of choc/hazelnut/liquorice propels all that is RWT style and class.
Thereon, lifted scents of just glazed crème brûlée and wafts of icing sugar.
Barrel-ferment and ferric overtones gently bring all back down to ground level – Barossa iron/earths no less.
Palate
Viscous and lush. An immediate supple fleshiness, liveliness.
At release, during this primary fruit stage – berried ice-cream and black forest cake fruits unfold – redcurrant and blackberry.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Origin: Barossa Valley, South Australia.
Maturation: 16 months in French oak hogsheads (64% new and 36% 1-y.o.)
Wine Analysis: Alc/Vol: 14.5% Acidity: 6.7 g/L, pH: 3.59
Variety: Shiraz.
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
Rainfall in autumn was below average, a trend that continued into the early weeks of winter with only 25% of the long-term average achieved in June. Increased rainfall occurred in the second half of winter, with vines entering the growing season with moisture profiles well into the root zone, down to one metre. Conditions favoured canopy development in spring, initially dry before plentiful rainfall in November. Temperatures warmed substantially through spring boosting vine growth and rushing the vines through flowering.
Summer was dry, with no recorded major rain events. This carried into January with a heat spike around veraison causing vines to stall, pushing the start of vintage out by a week or so. The warm, dry weather carried into autumn, setting up an Indian summer with favourable conditions for ripening grapes.
A very strong vintage for Barossa Valley shiraz.
SCORES
99 Points - Andrew Caillard MW
98 Points - Ken Gargett, The World of Fine Wine Magazine
98 Points - Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
19+/20 Points - Matthew Jukes
98 Points - Huon Hooke
97 Points - Tony Love
18/20 Points - Jancis Robinson
96 Points - Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com
96 Points - David Sly, Decanter Magazine