Winemaker Notes
Penfolds RWT Shiraz presents an admirable alternative to the multi-regional sourcing and American oak maturation that area hallmarks of Grange, expressing instead, single-region Barossa Valley Shiraz matured only in French oak. The initials RWT stand for 'Red Winemaking Trial', the name given to the project internally when developmental work began in 1995. Naturally, now no longer a 'Trial' !
RWT Shiraz was launched in May 2000 with the 1997 vintage. Its style is opulent and fleshy, contrasting with Grange, which is more muscular and assertive. RWT is made from fruit primarily selected for its aromatic qualities and fine texture rather than sheer intensity or power of flavour. The result is a wine that helps to redefine Barossa Shiraz at the highest quality level.
Color: Redefines 'black'! Certainly on 1/25/11,foreboding!Nose: An animated aromatic conversation with thedarker elements of Barossa Valley Shiraz... "itsmells black"! A coal-like blackness, replete withpeat.Brooding. Concentrated.Thankfully, redeeming & alluring perfumedhigh-notes ascend - blueberry and dark plum,wafts of a ristretto coffee.Palate: Dense & intense - with vibrance, unctuousness...delivering all the now-expected RWT cachets. "Ablueberry pie in a 750ml glass package!" And yetthe darkness prevails... inky, boot polish, freshlypolishednew black leather.Almost a glycerol/oily mid-palate - texturallyclose to a custard/chocolate eclair! A suggestionof oak and an avalanche of pronounced ripe &silky tannins complete the offer.A vinous 'Edge of Darkness'!
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2008 RWT Shiraz presents quite a lot of cedar over notes of pure blackberry and black cherry fruit with hints of cinnamon stick, toast and underbrush. Medium bodied, concentrated and taut in the mouth, it has firm, grainy tannins and crisp acidity, finishing long. A little disjointed at this stage, it needs time to marry and should drink best 2014 to 2023+.
93+ -
Wine Enthusiast
Full-bodied and richly textured, with Penfolds’ hallmark weight and structure on full display, the 2008 RWT shows a touch of the vintage’s characteristic warmth, but only a touch. The cassis and blackberry fruit is plush, velvety and superripe, ending with hints of tobacco, mint and vanilla. It should drink well for at least a decade.
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Wine Spectator
A bit shy on the nose but dense in the mouth, with brilliant blueberry, plum and white pepper flavors, coming together smoothly on the finish and lingering expressively. Drink now through 2020.
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Wine & Spirits
Made from Grange-level fruit fermented in French oak hogsheads (mostly new, rather than the 100% new American oak hogsheads used for Grange), RWT is a floral shiraz in 2008, with tension built into the fruit, acidity and tannins. Savory herb, tart cherry and mushroom earthiness vie for attention in the finish. The French oak gives it a clean, sleek line, sustaining the balance and potential for long aging.
Since 1844, Penfolds has been grounded in experimentation, curiosity and uncompromising quality. Their success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers. It began with Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold, the pioneers who dreamed big, inventing tonics, brandies, and fortified wines made from grapes and Australian sunshine. It continued with celebrated winemaking legends including Max Schubert, who pushed the development to extraordinary, bold new heights. It is this pioneering spirit and curiosity that still rings true after nearly two centuries, it is what has helped Penfolds become one of the most celebrated winemakers in the world today.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Historically and presently the most important wine-producing region of Australia, the Barossa Valley is set in the Barossa zone of South Australia, where more than half of the country’s wine is made. Because the climate is very hot and dry, vineyard managers work diligently to ensure grapes reach the perfect levels of phenolic ripeness.
The intense heat is ideal for plush, bold reds, particularly Shiraz on its own or Rhône Blends. Often Shiraz and Cabernet partner up for plump and powerful reds.
While much less prevalent, light-skinned varieties such as Riesling, Viognier or Semillon produce vibrant Barossa Valley whites.
Most of Australia’s largest wine producers are based here and Shiraz plantings date back as far as the 1850s or before. Many of them are dry farmed and bush trained, still offering less than one ton per acre of inky, intense, purple juice.