Winemaker Notes
The color is a dark garnet with a deep core. The nose is floral, perfumed, fresh. Boiled-fruitcake mix -nutmeg / cinnamon and mixed spices are lacedwith glaceed (Cointreau-like) citrus fruits. Subtle praline & liquorice trail on the finish. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied with an acid/tannin conveyance propelling flavor to the back-palate. Balanced yet taut, with a continuum of flavours -sarsaparilla, beetroot, lemon, blackcurrant. Nutmeg, red liquorice & pomegranate jump to the fore while juniper, bay leaf & menthol linger on the finish. Lot's happening! The finish? Lacy tannins. No oak.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Aromatic, complex and silky, slipping in its gorgeous blackberry, currant and plum fruit against a seething background of toast, spice, mineral and loamy earth. The texture is seamless, and the flavors just take off, sailing through the long, expressive finish. Best from 2011 through 2020.
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.
Though Syrah originated in the Rhône Valley of France, Australia is home to the oldest Syrah (called Shiraz here) vines on the planet. Found in Australia’s Barossa Valley, where phylloxera has never threated viticulture, these ancient vines are between 140 to 175 years old!
Having brought fame and merit to the country’s wine scene since the early 1950s, namely via the debut of Penfolds Grange, today Syrah (Shiraz) claims rank as the most widely planted grape in Australia. In fact, the amount of land dedicated to Shiraz in Australia is now almost equivalent to what it is in France. Australian Shiraz has its own personality with flavors and aromas of intense blackberry, fruitcake, menthol, tobacco leaf and umami. Conveniently one can find great Australian Shiraz at a variety of price points but the very best will be dense, gloriously complex and capable of long aging.