Nose: Big nose of wild berry, black plum, vanilla, herbs, and tar. Palate: Viscous on the palate with sappy fruit. Loads of olive, black fruit, vanilla, herbs and an inner mouth sweetness that gets balanced with meaty notes. Finish: Slightly acidic and one note.
Overall this is great as the entry level offering from Penfolds. Lots of value for dollar, even if it has markers of a more mass production wine.
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Really great. This is very light on its feet for Penfolds, even with 100% of the wine coming from American oak. Medium bodied with good acidity, loads of fruit that leans towards Barosa. Totally delicious now but this wine is bulletproof and will handle a long rest in the cellar with ease.
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Boisterous fruit, vanilla, herbs, and intense on the nose. A lot less fruit upon tasting, instead cocoa, cherry, and a mild sappiness. Not super structured, but not flabby either.
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Nase: Pfeffer, Schokolade und Zimt. Geschmack: Opulent, Kirsche, schwarze Beeren, Pflaume und angenehm leicht marmeladig. Gut ausgewogene und mittlere Tanine.
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A Costco buy. I think it was $30 ish? This vintage seems jammier than past vintages. Past vintages had bigger tannins.
Color. Dark saturated purple red.
Nose. Stewed prunes, kirsch, blackberry compote, a little oak on the top.
Palate. Rich character up front. Mid palate is all fruit. Blackberry, blueberry, cherry. Finish is long and powerful. The finish is full of spicy oak and clove. Lasts 20-30 seconds. Very powerful and very smooth. No discernible tannins or out-of-balance acidity. Yummy!
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Last bottle of the lot. In these two years, this improved as tannins are not less grainy and more integrated, the fruit more balanced, secondary notes of menthol and cocoa have emerged, and the oaky ending is now more balanced. A very good wine for the price point. Only downside: the nose was quite muted, but I will live with that!
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Very dark and extracted, with lots of oak. Unfortunately the oak is overwhelming and ashy, and the fruit is subdued, so the flavors are out of balance. The aroma is better and more nuanced, and there is nice acidity, but the flavor is just not great.
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Beaucoup de fruits primaires, un peu de réduction. Fruits noirs, vanille et poivre. Les tannins sont assez fins et assèchants. Finale assez longue et saturante. Pour ceux qui aime le profil moderne en ce moment.
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First sip and my first impression - this wine is sweet! But wait - by the end of first glass the juice changed its "skin" completely. Acidity and opulence of flavors kicked in. Make no mistake - this wine is still on sweet side of dry wine ( something like Napa with CS), but because of balance and harmony, everything is in right place. The taste is simply "magnetic", with layer after layer from red fruits to black fruits. But wait - there is more: black coffee, minerals, blueberry. Long, velvety finish with constant acidity, chewy tannins ( lovely), tabacco ( nice surprise) and (mamma Mia) flowers. I didn't mention aromas... basically the same like flavors ( amazing). This is this kind of "miracle" wine, where whatever you name it, it's there and you are right!👍 Third glass and this wine is better and better. Loooong finish with strong tabacco taste and some spice.
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CellarDoor TWE Tasting (Langham Hotel, Kent Street, Sydney): Caramel and vanilla over slightly reductive ripe black fruit and a smidge of peppery spice. Palate a reflection of the nose, tannins are drying, slightly silky textured tannins. Okay.
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Beautifully full body on a young wine. Jammy nose with plenty of spice to back it up. More spice on the palate, with all the complexity you are looking for. More herbal on the finish, reminding me somewhat of green tea. Long finish. Truly a great value. Many users suggest pairing with BBQ beef, which sounds about right. I had it with a steak and it was just right.
Reliably great year after year. Ripe blackberry, black pepper, and tar notes commingle, with medium acidity keeping it feeling fresh. Excellent balance and a pleasure to drink.
A classic Shiraz with complex layers of fruit, smooth tannins, and a rich but not overwhelming mouthfeel. Paired with smoked beef brisket, the wine held up well to the fat and spice, but would also work with grilled steak or prime rib.
Second time having this wine over the past year and it was quite underwhelming this time around. I didn't have high expectations for a weeknight bottle, but it was quite closed and the oak never faded (even day 2). Day 2 the wine was much more approachable, but very oaky signaling that it wasn't ready to integrate. Maybe the bottle I had was a bit off, but for being in the top 100 wines of WS in 2020, this was a let down. Have 4 bottles left and will continue to try them over the course of the next several years, but probably won't touch another for at least 3-5 years so this can soften up (hopefully it will). My score was derived after day 2...
6 hr slow ox. Very dark, bold looking body. Nose has cherry, mint, aromatic vanilla spice, caramel, and with vigorous swirling damson plum and red currant. Dark and inky mouth feel, fruit forward with mint. Lots of vanilla oak, some malactic notes as well. Very California style. After several more hours of decanting, the wine gains more texture and flavors fill out. This overpowered wagyu steak. Overall, just a clumsy young wine. I do think it will improve once the oak integrates and have factored that into my score.
A medium viscosity, deep purple shiraz. Aroma Intensity is quite high Plum and blackberries, allspice, some vanilla, and even chocolaty notes. The structured and velvety tannins and angular acidity blend in your mouth dancing together, yet not as strong as a Barolo or cabernet. The balance is really nice, sometimes having the tannins in front of the acidity and switching this back and forth. Really long satisfying finish. leftover woody oak notes can be smelled clearly in the empty glass.
Mouth-filling Shiraz from South Australia. Gave 3h air. Deep purple color. Notes of black raspberry, chocolate, sawdust and sage. Full-bodied and velvety on the palate, with succulent and tart black raspberry flavor and plus tannins. Simple but with excellent balance.
Smooth is the defining characteristic. A rounded wine if that makes sense. Not as penetrating as Bedrock's Syrah or as complex as John Duval's Entity Shiraz, but a very pleasant wine. Top 100 Wines of 2020 - Wine Spectator.
Very well balanced and certainly not a fruit bomb. Very dark with blueberry/blackberry flavors. Thought the nose was a bit closed but wanted to give it a try. Ill definitely pick up a few more and give them proper aging time. Very pleased with this first one.
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Good as always but I think it needs a little more time. There’s a nice blue/black berry fruit there, but it’d take patience to let it come out. I didn’t decant, just a PnP. Will definitely get more & try again in a year or maybe just decant for a couple hours.
This needs extensive breathing for the bouquet to open up. Use a Bordeaux glass if you can. The top aromatic layer revealed the familiar dense and rich black fruits, the mid layer smell of smoked spices and sweet vanilla chocolate and base layer of undergrowth and dried green herbs. Not as fruit forward as the previous vintages. The veggie component added interesting tension and complexity to the wine. The palate showed upfront clove, aniseed, black pepper and toasted oak. Fruit is the supporting role. Huge and full-bodied structure with some bite and heat. Finish is energetic, deep and hot. Overall impression is this Shiraz still needed more time in the bottle, probably it will ‘taste better the next day’ type of young wine. Let it sleep for a while more before appreciating its depth and complexity. 91-93 pts.
Decanted for 45 minutes – but probably needed much longer. Deep purple with a ruby twinge to it. American oak is very much on the nose and reminds me a lot of Ridge. Blackberries, black currants, baking spices, tarragon, and black pepper on the nose. Medium heavy bodied and medium-high acidity. A bit lighter on the palate – black and red cherries, plums, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, cocoa, and a bit of espresso. Very smooth and round tannins. Finish has a burst of dark fruit followed by a long dusty cocoa, espresso, and slate finish.
Layered, spicy, and deep. Needs food to go along with it.
It’s been a while since I have had anything from Penfolds, and now I am asking myself why it took me so long to pick up a bottle. The QPR is great here.
Update: After having a second glass after dinner - it was a bit too much on its own. While a great wine - it is a wine that I really only want one glass of at a time.
Not your run of the mill Aussie Shiraz fruit bomb. Much more refined and balanced. Plenty of rich red fruit - plum, raspberry - and spice. Good acid, medium tannins, and very approachable with or without food, although pasta or grilled meat is a good pairing.
I thought this wine would be a 4 th cousin twice removed from the 389, but I was sooo wrong. Delightful,drank with a steak pie. Perfect. Biggest regret is that I only have one in the cellar. More complex( with reservation) than I expected. Notes are so palate specific so I won’t list what I tasted. But if you like a mild OZ Shiraz, this is a go to wine.
Ein “leckerer” Wein, hochpräzise und ausgewogen. Volle Kanne hedonistisch, durch die Saftigkeit und Intensität nicht langweilig, die ganz große Komplexität kann er aber nicht bieten.
Intensive dunkle Beerenfrucht, Brombeere, Schwarzkirsche, auch rote Frucht, Himbeere. dunkle, aber auch weiße Schokolade. Lorbeer, Zimt. Sehr schönes Tannin, etwas Salz, kompakte Säure. Auch im Mund Himbeere, dunkle Kirsche, Brombeere. Nettes Finish mit schönem Tannin.
An Tag zwei ist die Frucht etwas zurückhaltender. Cassis, Layers von Schokolade darüber, balsamisch, Graphit, weißer Pfeffer. Im Mund Süße ohne Zucker, Saft und Schmelz.
Nice Shiraz, lots of red berry, fresh acidity. Starts a bit flat, but like a hand full of wild berries at the end. Slight chocolate note as well. Lacks a bit of complexity to be a really great wine, but still very good
Very enjoyable Shiraz. Penfolds seems to hit the mark even at the lower price points. While not cheap at over $30, packs a good punch with notes of blackberry, tar, and mushrooms. Drink or hold.
Nose of cherry and oak. tastes of red fruits, like dried cherry and red currant, as well as blackberry. Fair bit of oak. Finishes with lingering fruit as well as some licorice and green notes. Medium acidity, medium+ drying tannins. Terrific intensity and balance.
I'm a long time fan of Bin 28, this vintage didn't disappoint. It had that subtle but distinct Penfolds flavor profile that's hard for me to put into words. Nevertheless, I liked it and there's value here.
Beautiful Aussie Shiraz. Dark fruit, violets and plum on the nose. Tannins are nicely integrated but still have some grip. Detected traces of iron on tasting. Long finish. If fruit is not your thing then stay away but if you want a big Aussie Shiraz that drinks well then this is delicious.
Decent BBQ wine, but need time to come together IMO. Still all over the place after a three hour decant. The heat from the alcohol is a concern as well...
Beautiful Shiraz!!!! Gave this plenty of time before serving (1.5 hours), with another 30 minutes for the second bottle. Really refined with a complex nose and palate representative of the best of the best in Aussie Shiraz...excellent!
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Mouth: Rich, packed in flavors of dried blueberry and black cherry, glide through on a lightly zesty edge, studded with various mixed/candied dried fruits that introduce themselves in the midpalate. Everything comes on a bed of fine grained tannins that give tug and drive from the edges of the palate.
Overall: Richer in feel, while keeping light on its feet, this shows playful accent flavors that intermingle nicely with the dense fruit. Flavors are stacked, but it never becomes overbearing, and good drive keeps everything moving along. Drink now - 2028.
Full body, medium intensity with spice, tobacco, hint of cedar, dense fruit of black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, tannins soft and integrated, overall enjoyable, smooth, good QPR.
P&p; ready to drink right away, but has gained some cohesion with a few hours of air in the bottle. Concentrated blueberry and spicy/cedar/dill oak, with fairly subtle vanilla. On the palate, it's big and oaky but with good balancing acidity and tannins. Doesn't come across as overly sweet or 'spoofed'. Not a fit for me stylistically, but for what it is it comes across as classic and well made.
Deep purple colour. Medium intensity aroma of leather, tobacco, cedar, clove, blackcurrant. Dry, medium acidity, medium tannin, medium alcohol. Medium body. Medium intensity flavour of blueberry, leather, earth, vanilla, black cherry, capsicum, liquorice. Short finish.
I'm normally a Pinot drinker, so this is a different wine for me. I was very surprised. It's extremely drinkable right now but it does seem to have the depth and body to age. I'm impressed. Everything seems integrated - tannins and acidity and flavor profile all work amazingly well for a wine priced in the $20s.
Deep purple. On the nose medium intensity blueberry, blackcurrant, cedar, black plum, mint. On the palate the wine is dry with medium + acidity, high ripe well integrated tannins, high alcohol, and full body. The flavor intensity is medium plus with blueberry, blackcurrant, cedar, black plum, mint. The finish is medium plus. The wine is very good, demonstrating balance, intensity, and length.
Dark, inky purple hue with aromas of plum, dried cherry, caramel, brown butter, dates and oregano. Dense mouth feel, grippy tannins and medium acidity. Notes of blackberry, blueberry, oak spice and espresso.
This is a BIG wine and not for the faint of heart. Know what you're getting into with this.
Nose is comparatively mellow, with violets, blueberry, and a hint of vanilla. Palate is full body with medium acidity, fairly smooth tannins, but somehow still feels nimble. Finish is a bomb of fruit. Dark cherry, blackberry, maybe some more oak flavors of tobacco and a hint of dark chocolate. Finish lasts a good 30 seconds.
I would not describe this as jammy in the some Lodi Zinfandel can be, but I think this is what some would describe as a "fruit bomb."
Personally, I liked this a lot. I was looking for a big and fruit-forward wine and this was exactly it. I think this could age well for 5-8 years and gain some complexity, though it is certainly approachable and drinkable now.
Day 2 edit: Left half the bottle on the counter with the cork in. The fruit has quieted down quite a bit, and some of the secondary and tertiary flavors are coming to prominence. Still very good, though a different style than when comparatively fresh.
Not bad-- Strong Vanilla on the nose for about 20 minutes after opening, almost couldn't smell anything else. Not surprised - knew it needed to breathe. It became vanilla with baked plums and blueberry, and a bit of sweetness of cherry hard candy. Smelled nice and inviting. Expected the nose to be put off a bit by the 14.5% alcohol - but wasn't at all.
Had tastes of dark cherries, dark cherry candy, with a bit of sweet tobacco tingle on the tongue.
Overall nice-- not totally sure it was worth the 28 bucks versus a solid wine from Paso at the same price point, but have a few more bottles so will be trying it a different times.
Very nice and powerful wine from Penfolds that allows easy entry into their stable of wines. Redolent notes of iris, blackberry, anise, tobacco. Chewy tannins are well integrated with the abundant fruit. Medium acidity and medium finish. The wine offers pleasure and structure in equal measure. WS 93 pts and WA 93 pts shine the light on this very good wine that has excellent QPR
Very good. Dark fruit. Smooth. No overt oak, roasted flavors, alcohol or excess concentration. Well -judged. Best Australian wine I’ve had in years. 90
Decanted for an hour. Jammy, spicy, some oak, smooth, nice finish. Thoroughly enjoyed sipping this over a couple of hours, where it only improved. Penfolds delivers again.
👍
Edit - second night the wine was nicely more mellow. Still had that restrained boldness but with some of the edge taken off. Really enjoyed this.
Very aromatic. Arrangement of violets. Dark berry flavors of blackberry and cassis. Good acidity. The tannins offer structure and some smoky hints of flavor on the medium+ finish.
Decanted this bottle for over an hour. Nose is blackberry syrup, black cherries, dark chocolate, sharp spice, peppercorn, and mild tobacco. Big body, bordering on the consistency of port. Palate is like blackberry syrup. Very young tannins that cling to your tongue, but not so much that it’s grating. Finish breathes life into the oakiness. Really quality buy. Goes great with mascarpone and berries gelato!
Decanted this sassy young thing for two hours and still she gave me a nice slap in the face with a blast of sweet red fruit on the nose, plus a distant blackberry and dark chocolate note. You can tell right away this was made with American oak. The mouthfeel is juicy and fresh, flavors of raspberries, sour cherry hard candy, pepper on the edges. This is not a sipping wine, folks. I paired it successfully with a goopy grilled Compte cheese sandwich. Medium finish, dusty earth, a little warm.
Last one I tried was a 2016, this was extremely similar, a great wine that's a little weighed down by oak but is still generally well-balanced and delicious.
Pop and pour. Once again a blast of oak on the nose, but it's really beautiful oak; cedar, sandalwood, smoke, very powerful but still allowing some waxy blueberry/blackberry pie character to poke through. The fruit is extremely dark and rich but not at all overextracted nor jammy, instead showing very cool and minty.
Palate is beautiful, pretty elegant dark fruit here as well with fine-grained tannin and enough acidity for the style. A fantastic example of a red that feels deep and powerful without becoming overdone, although wasn't quite as good on day 2 as the acidity dropped a little too low to feel fully balanced. I got this one for only $15, a QPR miracle. Still a very solid buy around $20-25. If closer to $30, it has some stiff competition. Could age in the short term but I disagree with some that this is too young to enjoy. Maybe a bit of a decant next time to help the fruit come out.
No formal note. Even decanting for two hours doesn't get this wine near to where it will eventually end up. Plenty of stuffing, just needs more time. Wait at least two years before opening. 89-92.
After the wonderful 2016 Two Hands Lily’s Garden enjoyed earlier in the evening, I was somewhat expecting to be disappointed with this. Lacks the shear power and depth of the “Two Hands”, but there’s something unique about this wine: plowed dried earth, infused with moist grassy hay, smoky blackberries, ground all spice, and black pepper. A bit unresolved at this juncture, but very good at this stage of development. Decant short term. Good upside potential here with additional cellaring.
Let it breathe a bit given MV6 note, and having Bin 28s in the past. There’s a lot of oak on the nose. It faded after an hour. Plum, red cherry, a little raspberr and blueberry. Mild spice and a little cocoa. Long finish. Can age and may improve in a year or two.
3/26/2024 - Lanum Wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Open and detailed
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1/28/2024 - Schroederjr Does not like this wine:
Not great
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1/14/2024 - rahul_d_chatter@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 91 Points
Amazing wine! One of the best QPR.
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12/29/2023 - joet626 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very tasty. Dark berry fruit
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12/25/2023 - Old Wine Maven Likes this wine:
Not bad
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12/21/2023 - HamoCamo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very solid, but mass produced. The 2018 suffers from significant sediment issues from the dozen or so I've had.
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11/10/2023 - rickycambier wrote: 85 Points
85
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10/23/2023 - RockinCabs wrote: 89 Points
Nose: Big nose of wild berry, black plum, vanilla, herbs, and tar. Palate: Viscous on the palate with sappy fruit. Loads of olive, black fruit, vanilla, herbs and an inner mouth sweetness that gets balanced with meaty notes. Finish: Slightly acidic and one note.
Overall this is great as the entry level offering from Penfolds. Lots of value for dollar, even if it has markers of a more mass production wine.
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4/6/2023 - ethanwade Likes this wine:
Really great. This is very light on its feet for Penfolds, even with 100% of the wine coming from American oak. Medium bodied with good acidity, loads of fruit that leans towards Barosa. Totally delicious now but this wine is bulletproof and will handle a long rest in the cellar with ease.
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2/27/2023 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Very dark red. Dark berries, vanilla, some oak, chocolate, laurel, mild acidity and round slightly sticky tannin. Good wine.
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2/27/2023 - Dohun Kim Likes this wine: 90 Points
급하게 뽕따로 땃지만 흑연, 바닐라, 오크, 블랙커런트, 딱 찝어 이것이라곤 알수 없었지만 어쨋든 복합적인 과일향, 시간이 지나면서 점점 부드러워지며 어느시점에선가 폭발적인 아로마가 인상깊었다. 가격대비 가성비 참 좋았음. 지난번에 마실땐 참 실망스러웠는데 이번엔 좋았음.
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2/21/2023 - Watty05 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Medium bodied. Nice fruit. Oaky. Some spice. Great value. Very drinkable.
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1/27/2023 - matt3taras Likes this wine: 89 Points
Red fruit, pepper, lightly gamey, and very light for a Shiraz, this is super easy to drink. Decanted for an hour before drinking
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1/3/2023 - arperrymd Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blackberry, savory herbs, black pepper. Mild tannins. Very drinkable.
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11/27/2022 - TBaylog Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bold and tasty. Really nice red for the price.
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11/26/2022 - mrkurtz Likes this wine: 90 Points
Boisterous fruit, vanilla, herbs, and intense on the nose. A lot less fruit upon tasting, instead cocoa, cherry, and a mild sappiness. Not super structured, but not flabby either.
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11/22/2022 - Icemn21 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Dark plum color. Dark Fruits, cherry nose. Jammy fruit. Tannin has settled down nicely since last time. Probably drinking in its window now.
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11/9/2022 - Stolle_CGN Likes this wine: 88 Points
Nase: Pfeffer, Schokolade und Zimt. Geschmack: Opulent, Kirsche, schwarze Beeren, Pflaume und angenehm leicht marmeladig. Gut ausgewogene und mittlere Tanine.
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11/3/2022 - kom22000 Likes this wine: 92 Points
도수는 높으나 부드럽고 꽃향, 오크향, 블랙커런트, 바닐라...산도도 적당하고 부드러운 탄닌
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11/2/2022 - RichardsEric1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
A Costco buy. I think it was $30 ish? This vintage seems jammier than past vintages. Past vintages had bigger tannins.
Color. Dark saturated purple red.
Nose. Stewed prunes, kirsch, blackberry compote, a little oak on the top.
Palate. Rich character up front. Mid palate is all fruit. Blackberry, blueberry, cherry. Finish is long and powerful. The finish is full of spicy oak and clove. Lasts 20-30 seconds. Very powerful and very smooth. No discernible tannins or out-of-balance acidity. Yummy!
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10/12/2022 - yuhyma@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nose of cassis, fried plum, and pencil shaving. Red cherry, chocolate, and dusty spices. Not bad
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10/7/2022 - wmccone54 wrote: flawed
Badly corked
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9/16/2022 - Moloko wrote: 86 Points
One dimensional Shiraz. Does open up a bit with some interesting tannin bringing a bit of complexity. But milk interests me more...
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9/7/2022 - Condrieu82 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Last bottle of the lot. In these two years, this improved as tannins are not less grainy and more integrated, the fruit more balanced, secondary notes of menthol and cocoa have emerged, and the oaky ending is now more balanced. A very good wine for the price point. Only downside: the nose was quite muted, but I will live with that!
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9/1/2022 - mjgkng Likes this wine: 88 Points
Medium body with lots of cherry and oak.
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8/27/2022 - NateR Does not like this wine: 86 Points
Very dark and extracted, with lots of oak. Unfortunately the oak is overwhelming and ashy, and the fruit is subdued, so the flavors are out of balance. The aroma is better and more nuanced, and there is nice acidity, but the flavor is just not great.
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7/24/2022 - Odedis.Wine.reviews Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep purple in color with a short purple rim.
Dry and very fruity on the palate with medium acidity.
Showing black currants, cooked plums, figs, spices, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, herbs and peppercorn.
Nice finish with fine tannins and bitter herbs.
This is a very tasty Shiraz from Australia. Still young and will drink better in 5 years.
Good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime.
Big, extracted and rich, with mild complexity.
A nice sipping wine, and good with BBQ Meats too.
Robert Parker 93 points.
100% Shiraz grapes were aged in American oak barrels.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
90 points.
$30.
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7/17/2022 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Beaucoup de fruits primaires, un peu de réduction.
Fruits noirs, vanille et poivre.
Les tannins sont assez fins et assèchants.
Finale assez longue et saturante.
Pour ceux qui aime le profil moderne en ce moment.
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7/8/2022 - Giggs wrote: 91 Points
Young and primary right now. Cabernet-like. Needs a couple years.
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6/2/2022 - Old Wine Maven Likes this wine:
Young! Day 4 it was beginning to show some depth and nuance. But overall a good wine.
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5/18/2022 - WojteG Likes this wine: 94 Points
First sip and my first impression - this wine is sweet! But wait - by the end of first glass the juice changed its "skin" completely.
Acidity and opulence of flavors kicked in.
Make no mistake - this wine is still on sweet side of dry wine ( something like Napa with CS), but because of balance and harmony, everything is in right place.
The taste is simply "magnetic", with layer after layer from red fruits to black fruits. But wait - there is more: black coffee, minerals, blueberry.
Long, velvety finish with constant acidity, chewy tannins ( lovely), tabacco ( nice surprise) and (mamma Mia) flowers.
I didn't mention aromas... basically the same like flavors ( amazing).
This is this kind of "miracle" wine, where whatever you name it, it's there and you are right!👍
Third glass and this wine is better and better.
Loooong finish with strong tabacco taste and some spice.
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5/18/2022 - chatters wrote:
CellarDoor TWE Tasting (Langham Hotel, Kent Street, Sydney): Caramel and vanilla over slightly reductive ripe black fruit and a smidge of peppery spice. Palate a reflection of the nose, tannins are drying, slightly silky textured tannins. Okay.
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5/11/2022 - Twinkles wrote: 90 Points
Excellent, elegant, a bit of leather. Drinks very well for its age.
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5/6/2022 - mjgkng Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice balance with blackberry and cassis notes. Long finish as it lingers on the tongue.
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4/30/2022 - Gkautry Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking really well for its young age. Should be better in 2-3 years. Will purchase more to cellar. 90
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4/26/2022 - @PachecoNY wrote:
Gostamos bastante!
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4/23/2022 - TXScott Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautifully full body on a young wine. Jammy nose with plenty of spice to back it up. More spice on the palate, with all the complexity you are looking for. More herbal on the finish, reminding me somewhat of green tea. Long finish. Truly a great value. Many users suggest pairing with BBQ beef, which sounds about right. I had it with a steak and it was just right.
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4/14/2022 - Twopawsup Likes this wine: 91 Points
Purple color with slow legs. New oak, cassis and blackberry on the nose. Plum black cherry and lead pencil on the palate. Long leathery finish.
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3/27/2022 - ziavino wrote: 92 Points
Reliably great year after year. Ripe blackberry, black pepper, and tar notes commingle, with medium acidity keeping it feeling fresh. Excellent balance and a pleasure to drink.
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3/23/2022 - bprosenberg wrote: 94 Points
A classic Shiraz with complex layers of fruit, smooth tannins, and a rich but not overwhelming mouthfeel. Paired with smoked beef brisket, the wine held up well to the fat and spice, but would also work with grilled steak or prime rib.
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3/2/2022 - Craigkammerman wrote: 88 Points
Second time having this wine over the past year and it was quite underwhelming this time around. I didn't have high expectations for a weeknight bottle, but it was quite closed and the oak never faded (even day 2). Day 2 the wine was much more approachable, but very oaky signaling that it wasn't ready to integrate. Maybe the bottle I had was a bit off, but for being in the top 100 wines of WS in 2020, this was a let down. Have 4 bottles left and will continue to try them over the course of the next several years, but probably won't touch another for at least 3-5 years so this can soften up (hopefully it will). My score was derived after day 2...
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3/1/2022 - StaceyK wrote: flawed
I'm not sure it was flawed but I couldn't drink it even after decanting for over 2 hrs. It was very bitter. Didnt Smell or taste any fruits.
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2/25/2022 - CheviotCellar wrote: 90 Points
6 hr slow ox. Very dark, bold looking body. Nose has cherry, mint, aromatic vanilla spice, caramel, and with vigorous swirling damson plum and red currant. Dark and inky mouth feel, fruit forward with mint. Lots of vanilla oak, some malactic notes as well. Very California style. After several more hours of decanting, the wine gains more texture and flavors fill out. This overpowered wagyu steak. Overall, just a clumsy young wine. I do think it will improve once the oak integrates and have factored that into my score.
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2/1/2022 - Max S. Does not like this wine:
Not my type of wine
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1/29/2022 - Maximob Likes this wine: 90 Points
A medium viscosity, deep purple shiraz.
Aroma Intensity is quite high
Plum and blackberries, allspice, some vanilla, and even chocolaty notes.
The structured and velvety tannins and angular acidity blend in your mouth dancing together, yet not as strong as a Barolo or cabernet. The balance is really nice, sometimes having the tannins in front of the acidity and switching this back and forth.
Really long satisfying finish.
leftover woody oak notes can be smelled clearly in the empty glass.
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1/21/2022 - daveyk39 wrote: 90 Points
Mouth-filling Shiraz from South Australia. Gave 3h air. Deep purple color. Notes of black raspberry, chocolate, sawdust and sage. Full-bodied and velvety on the palate, with succulent and tart black raspberry flavor and plus tannins. Simple but with excellent balance.
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1/18/2022 - RCaio wrote:
Delicious
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1/17/2022 - der Schmecker Likes this wine: 92 Points
Smooth is the defining characteristic. A rounded wine if that makes sense. Not as penetrating as Bedrock's Syrah or as complex as John Duval's Entity Shiraz, but a very pleasant wine. Top 100 Wines of 2020 - Wine Spectator.
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1/1/2022 - Jayarr wrote: 91 Points
Very well balanced and certainly not a fruit bomb. Very dark with blueberry/blackberry flavors. Thought the nose was a bit closed but wanted to give it a try. Ill definitely pick up a few more and give them proper aging time. Very pleased with this first one.
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12/31/2021 - Jobu wrote: 91 Points
Good as always but I think it needs a little more time. There’s a nice blue/black berry fruit there, but it’d take patience to let it come out. I didn’t decant, just a PnP. Will definitely get more & try again in a year or maybe just decant for a couple hours.
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12/29/2021 - Psdycp wrote: 91 Points
This needs extensive breathing for the bouquet to open up. Use a Bordeaux glass if you can. The top aromatic layer revealed the familiar dense and rich black fruits, the mid layer smell of smoked spices and sweet vanilla chocolate and base layer of undergrowth and dried green herbs. Not as fruit forward as the previous vintages. The veggie component added interesting tension and complexity to the wine. The palate showed upfront clove, aniseed, black pepper and toasted oak. Fruit is the supporting role. Huge and full-bodied structure with some bite and heat. Finish is energetic, deep and hot. Overall impression is this Shiraz still needed more time in the bottle, probably it will ‘taste better the next day’ type of young wine. Let it sleep for a while more before appreciating its depth and complexity. 91-93 pts.
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12/28/2021 - ChateauShiny Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for 45 minutes – but probably needed much longer. Deep purple with a ruby twinge to it. American oak is very much on the nose and reminds me a lot of Ridge. Blackberries, black currants, baking spices, tarragon, and black pepper on the nose. Medium heavy bodied and medium-high acidity. A bit lighter on the palate – black and red cherries, plums, currants, blueberries, cinnamon, cocoa, and a bit of espresso. Very smooth and round tannins. Finish has a burst of dark fruit followed by a long dusty cocoa, espresso, and slate finish.
Layered, spicy, and deep. Needs food to go along with it.
It’s been a while since I have had anything from Penfolds, and now I am asking myself why it took me so long to pick up a bottle. The QPR is great here.
Update: After having a second glass after dinner - it was a bit too much on its own. While a great wine - it is a wine that I really only want one glass of at a time.
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11/24/2021 - marcellevi Likes this wine: 91 Points
Not your run of the mill Aussie Shiraz fruit bomb. Much more refined and balanced. Plenty of rich red fruit - plum, raspberry - and spice. Good acid, medium tannins, and very approachable with or without food, although pasta or grilled meat is a good pairing.
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11/24/2021 - Saltiecroc Likes this wine: 92 Points
I thought this wine would be a 4 th cousin twice removed from the 389, but I was sooo wrong. Delightful,drank with a steak pie. Perfect. Biggest regret is that I only have one in the cellar. More complex( with reservation) than I expected. Notes are so palate specific so I won’t list what I tasted. But if you like a mild OZ Shiraz, this is a go to wine.
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10/28/2021 - Arsene Wengert Likes this wine: 89 Points
Ein “leckerer” Wein, hochpräzise und ausgewogen. Volle Kanne hedonistisch, durch die Saftigkeit und Intensität nicht langweilig, die ganz große Komplexität kann er aber nicht bieten.
Intensive dunkle Beerenfrucht, Brombeere, Schwarzkirsche, auch rote Frucht, Himbeere. dunkle, aber auch weiße Schokolade. Lorbeer, Zimt. Sehr schönes Tannin, etwas Salz, kompakte Säure. Auch im Mund Himbeere, dunkle Kirsche, Brombeere. Nettes Finish mit schönem Tannin.
An Tag zwei ist die Frucht etwas zurückhaltender. Cassis, Layers von Schokolade darüber, balsamisch, Graphit, weißer Pfeffer. Im Mund Süße ohne Zucker, Saft und Schmelz.
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10/26/2021 - Camsss Likes this wine: 88 Points
Classic Shiraz full body fruit and spice. Integrated tannins and medium-long finish. Enjoyable on its own and even along with Thai food.
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10/21/2021 - MC2 Wines wrote:
Penfolds 70th Anniversary of Grange Celebration (Eleven Madison Park): This is a wine that's meant to be more of the every day sipper and that comes through. Bit less complexity and bit less belief that the wine will age as well. Spicy and drinking alright if a little big.
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10/10/2021 - JohannesGlugla Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice Shiraz, lots of red berry, fresh acidity. Starts a bit flat, but like a hand full of wild berries at the end. Slight chocolate note as well. Lacks a bit of complexity to be a really great wine, but still very good
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10/9/2021 - pudding Likes this wine: 92 Points
Does not need to decant
Surprisingly fruity, dried cherry and red currant, and smooth. Full body. Drink now.
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9/30/2021 - mcromain1021 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very enjoyable Shiraz. Penfolds seems to hit the mark even at the lower price points. While not cheap at over $30, packs a good punch with notes of blackberry, tar, and mushrooms. Drink or hold.
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9/13/2021 - Philckw wrote: 91 Points
Deep garnet, rich full-bodied red. Deliciously smooth and ready to drink without decanting. Ripe berries, plums, some liquorice, cocoa, medium finish
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8/22/2021 - ralaspech wrote: 91 Points
Nose of cherry and oak. tastes of red fruits, like dried cherry and red currant, as well as blackberry. Fair bit of oak. Finishes with lingering fruit as well as some licorice and green notes. Medium acidity, medium+ drying tannins. Terrific intensity and balance.
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8/21/2021 - kristen.jomas Likes this wine: 89 Points
Mørk frukt, litt vanilje i nesa og pepper på tunga. Full og lang. Fin balanse
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7/10/2021 - JohannesGlugla Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice Shiraz. Lot of berry with some dark chocolate and licorice. A bit of acidity at the end to lighten the punch a little bit.
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7/9/2021 - wineotim wrote: 91 Points
I'm a long time fan of Bin 28, this vintage didn't disappoint. It had that subtle but distinct Penfolds flavor profile that's hard for me to put into words. Nevertheless, I liked it and there's value here.
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6/12/2021 - motuski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful Aussie Shiraz. Dark fruit, violets and plum on the nose. Tannins are nicely integrated but still have some grip. Detected traces of iron on tasting. Long finish. If fruit is not your thing then stay away but if you want a big Aussie Shiraz that drinks well then this is delicious.
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5/26/2021 - klg_at_large Does not like this wine: 75 Points
Fairly brutal tannins, did not find anything to commend it.
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5/22/2021 - Wulffila Likes this wine: 88 Points
Decent BBQ wine, but need time to come together IMO. Still all over the place after a three hour decant. The heat from the alcohol is a concern as well...
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5/22/2021 - GasperTheWineGuy Likes this wine: 88 Points
Cherry Cola, Red Liqurish, Round soft tannin upfront more astringent on the finish, can feel the alcohol.
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5/19/2021 - Chied Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful Shiraz!!!! Gave this plenty of time before serving (1.5 hours), with another 30 minutes for the second bottle.
Really refined with a complex nose and palate representative of the best of the best in Aussie Shiraz...excellent!
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5/17/2021 - phandel wrote: 88 Points
Surprisingly dry.
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5/4/2021 - RoyaltyCoins wrote: 93 Points
Deep purple
Nose: Tomato leaf, oolong tea, black pepper.
Mouth: Rich, packed in flavors of dried blueberry and black cherry, glide through on a lightly zesty edge, studded with various mixed/candied dried fruits that introduce themselves in the midpalate. Everything comes on a bed of fine grained tannins that give tug and drive from the edges of the palate.
Overall: Richer in feel, while keeping light on its feet, this shows playful accent flavors that intermingle nicely with the dense fruit. Flavors are stacked, but it never becomes overbearing, and good drive keeps everything moving along. Drink now - 2028.
93.
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4/30/2021 - curtex Likes this wine: 89 Points
Well balanced wine, with pleasant ripe berries and hints of tobacco, cedar, and oak. Great with food or alone.
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4/26/2021 - Phillip.Panda Likes this wine: 92 Points
Full body, medium intensity with spice, tobacco, hint of cedar, dense fruit of black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, tannins soft and integrated, overall enjoyable, smooth, good QPR.
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4/14/2021 - Beerzebub wrote:
P&p; ready to drink right away, but has gained some cohesion with a few hours of air in the bottle. Concentrated blueberry and spicy/cedar/dill oak, with fairly subtle vanilla. On the palate, it's big and oaky but with good balancing acidity and tannins. Doesn't come across as overly sweet or 'spoofed'. Not a fit for me stylistically, but for what it is it comes across as classic and well made.
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3/31/2021 - Wine in the Woods with Beth Likes this wine:
I don't drink a lot of Shiraz. Loved this one.
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3/20/2021 - mayakacz wrote:
Deep purple colour.
Medium intensity aroma of leather, tobacco, cedar, clove, blackcurrant.
Dry, medium acidity, medium tannin, medium alcohol. Medium body. Medium intensity flavour of blueberry, leather, earth, vanilla, black cherry, capsicum, liquorice. Short finish.
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3/6/2021 - Frumoose wrote:
H
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2/20/2021 - oakfig Likes this wine: 89 Points
Excellent value. Lots of fruit with some spice. More complexity than I expected. Value bottle for sure.
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2/19/2021 - jmrife wrote: 91 Points
I'm normally a Pinot drinker, so this is a different wine for me. I was very surprised. It's extremely drinkable right now but it does seem to have the depth and body to age. I'm impressed. Everything seems integrated - tannins and acidity and flavor profile all work amazingly well for a wine priced in the $20s.
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2/18/2021 - smenzies wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and tasted over 4hrs. Needs 3hrs before the fruit comes up .. but then lovely . Of course will develop over 10 yrs
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2/10/2021 - dbay Likes this wine: 91 Points
Deep purple. On the nose medium intensity blueberry, blackcurrant, cedar, black plum, mint. On the palate the wine is dry with medium + acidity, high ripe well integrated tannins, high alcohol, and full body. The flavor intensity is medium plus with blueberry, blackcurrant, cedar, black plum, mint. The finish is medium plus. The wine is very good, demonstrating balance, intensity, and length.
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1/31/2021 - ElJefeTX Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark, inky purple hue with aromas of plum, dried cherry, caramel, brown butter, dates and oregano. Dense mouth feel, grippy tannins and medium acidity. Notes of blackberry, blueberry, oak spice and espresso.
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1/25/2021 - Rbhan12 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours.
This is a BIG wine and not for the faint of heart. Know what you're getting into with this.
Nose is comparatively mellow, with violets, blueberry, and a hint of vanilla. Palate is full body with medium acidity, fairly smooth tannins, but somehow still feels nimble. Finish is a bomb of fruit. Dark cherry, blackberry, maybe some more oak flavors of tobacco and a hint of dark chocolate. Finish lasts a good 30 seconds.
I would not describe this as jammy in the some Lodi Zinfandel can be, but I think this is what some would describe as a "fruit bomb."
Personally, I liked this a lot. I was looking for a big and fruit-forward wine and this was exactly it. I think this could age well for 5-8 years and gain some complexity, though it is certainly approachable and drinkable now.
Day 2 edit: Left half the bottle on the counter with the cork in. The fruit has quieted down quite a bit, and some of the secondary and tertiary flavors are coming to prominence. Still very good, though a different style than when comparatively fresh.
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1/18/2021 - oakfig wrote: 89 Points
Not bad-- Strong Vanilla on the nose for about 20 minutes after opening, almost couldn't smell anything else. Not surprised - knew it needed to breathe. It became vanilla with baked plums and blueberry, and a bit of sweetness of cherry hard candy. Smelled nice and inviting. Expected the nose to be put off a bit by the 14.5% alcohol - but wasn't at all.
Had tastes of dark cherries, dark cherry candy, with a bit of sweet tobacco tingle on the tongue.
Overall nice-- not totally sure it was worth the 28 bucks versus a solid wine from Paso at the same price point, but have a few more bottles so will be trying it a different times.
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1/16/2021 - rahul_d_chatter@yahoo.com Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice and powerful wine from Penfolds that allows easy entry into their stable of wines. Redolent notes of iris, blackberry, anise, tobacco. Chewy tannins are well integrated with the abundant fruit. Medium acidity and medium finish. The wine offers pleasure and structure in equal measure. WS 93 pts and WA 93 pts shine the light on this very good wine that has excellent QPR
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1/16/2021 - swade wrote: 90 Points
Very good. Dark fruit. Smooth. No overt oak, roasted flavors, alcohol or excess concentration. Well -judged. Best Australian wine I’ve had in years. 90
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1/7/2021 - 69Voltage wrote: 93 Points
A 93 and #41 Top 100 of 2020 from WS
94 JS, 93 RP
14.5%
$30 at wine.com
Decanted for an hour. Jammy, spicy, some oak, smooth, nice finish. Thoroughly enjoyed sipping this over a couple of hours, where it only improved. Penfolds delivers again.
👍
Edit - second night the wine was nicely more mellow. Still had that restrained boldness but with some of the edge taken off. Really enjoyed this.
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12/22/2020 - Kayecheg Does not like this wine:
Very flat. Did not improve with airing.
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12/16/2020 - GeoCab wrote:
2020 WS #41
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12/12/2020 - Tym4wine wrote: 89 Points
Very aromatic. Arrangement of violets. Dark berry flavors of blackberry and cassis. Good acidity. The tannins offer structure and some smoky hints of flavor on the medium+ finish.
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12/11/2020 - andrewhaag Likes this wine:
Decanted this bottle for over an hour. Nose is blackberry syrup, black cherries, dark chocolate, sharp spice, peppercorn, and mild tobacco. Big body, bordering on the consistency of port. Palate is like blackberry syrup. Very young tannins that cling to your tongue, but not so much that it’s grating. Finish breathes life into the oakiness. Really quality buy. Goes great with mascarpone and berries gelato!
B+
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12/7/2020 - hfindlay wrote:
Decanted this sassy young thing for two hours and still she gave me a nice slap in the face with a blast of sweet red fruit on the nose, plus a distant blackberry and dark chocolate note. You can tell right away this was made with American oak. The mouthfeel is juicy and fresh, flavors of raspberries, sour cherry hard candy, pepper on the edges. This is not a sipping wine, folks. I paired it successfully with a goopy grilled Compte cheese sandwich. Medium finish, dusty earth, a little warm.
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11/26/2020 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 88 Points
Not my style in the least; very primary with red raspberries, blueberries, marsipan, and some heat on the tail end. The definition of New World.
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11/4/2020 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Last one I tried was a 2016, this was extremely similar, a great wine that's a little weighed down by oak but is still generally well-balanced and delicious.
Pop and pour. Once again a blast of oak on the nose, but it's really beautiful oak; cedar, sandalwood, smoke, very powerful but still allowing some waxy blueberry/blackberry pie character to poke through. The fruit is extremely dark and rich but not at all overextracted nor jammy, instead showing very cool and minty.
Palate is beautiful, pretty elegant dark fruit here as well with fine-grained tannin and enough acidity for the style. A fantastic example of a red that feels deep and powerful without becoming overdone, although wasn't quite as good on day 2 as the acidity dropped a little too low to feel fully balanced. I got this one for only $15, a QPR miracle. Still a very solid buy around $20-25. If closer to $30, it has some stiff competition. Could age in the short term but I disagree with some that this is too young to enjoy. Maybe a bit of a decant next time to help the fruit come out.
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10/29/2020 - Condrieu82 wrote: 90 Points
polished Shiraz, with good acidity and black fruits all over. medium finish.
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10/24/2020 - newsguy1 Likes this wine:
No formal note. Even decanting for two hours doesn't get this wine near to where it will eventually end up. Plenty of stuffing, just needs more time. Wait at least two years before opening. 89-92.
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10/24/2020 - wmccone54 Likes this wine: 90 Points
After the wonderful 2016 Two Hands Lily’s Garden enjoyed earlier in the evening, I was somewhat expecting to be disappointed with this. Lacks the shear power and depth of the “Two Hands”, but there’s something unique about this wine: plowed dried earth, infused with moist grassy hay, smoky blackberries, ground all spice, and black pepper. A bit unresolved at this juncture, but very good at this stage of development. Decant short term. Good upside potential here with additional cellaring.
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8/29/2020 - Jobu wrote: 92 Points
Let it breathe a bit given MV6 note, and having Bin 28s in the past. There’s a lot of oak on the nose. It faded after an hour. Plum, red cherry, a little raspberr and blueberry. Mild spice and a little cocoa. Long finish. Can age and may improve in a year or two.
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8/28/2020 - ajefferyhbd@gmail.com wrote: 89 Points
Big American oak, too young, very ripe, not a favourite right now
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