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January 15, 2016
Sadly, Australian wine continues to struggle under the cloud of Yellow
Tail, which has undermined the quality reputation of the whole country’s
wine industry (at least among the impressionable and inexperienced…which
constitutes the majority of America’s wine consuming public).
Thankfully, hope springs eternal on account of producers like Penfolds.
Under the winemaking leadership of Peter Gago, this country makes
terrific wines at ever price level every single year, ranging from
affordable lines like Koonunga Hill ($12 or less) to Grange, which is
undoubtedly the single best wine of the entire southern hemisphere.
Fine wine drinkers should target the "Penfolds Collection" (a.k.a the
“Bin Series” wines) and higher-end bottlings, which aren’t all
expensive, but are all superb examples of their type. On the more
affordable end of the spectrum, Shiraz “Bin 28” South Australia 2012 checks in at 92 points and is a steal for $30. Riesling “Bin 51” Eden Valley costs a little more at $40 but scored 93 for now--with at least a decade of improvement ahead of it. Both Cabernet Sauvignon “Bin 407” 2012 (93) and Cabernet / Shiraz “Bin 389” (93)
are more expensive than in decades past at $69 suggested retail
pricing, but both now show even more concentration and age-worthiness
than in earlier years. At the higher end, Shiraz “St. Henri” South
Australia 2011 (94) is the most approachable of Penfolds’
big-ticket red wines, and yet it never seems to dry out or tire with
time in bottle, and can improve for three decades. Which makes a retail
price of $99 seem pretty reasonable. Shiraz Magill Estate 2012 earned
the same score of 94, and though it rings up for $130, it may
well surpass the St. Henri if given a couple of decades to unwind all of
its nascent complexities. In this price range, Shiraz “RWT” Barossa
Valley 2012 may be the best value of all at $150, earning 96
points thanks to almost unfathomable depth of flavor. This
ultra-concentrated wine has already soaked up most of its oak, and
though it is phenomenally powerful, there’s nothing chunky or obvious
about the wine.
Penfolds’ flagship white is Chardonnay “Yattarna” South Eastern
Australia 2012, assembled from top sites (including cool climate ones)
and showing a combination of penetrating fruit flavors, refreshing
acidity, and a multiplicity of complex accents from ultra-fine oak. It
is already thrilling to taste (96) but will unquestionably
improve for another two decades. Priced at $130, it is worth every
penny, and I’d trade almost any Burgundy producer’s Grand Cru
Batard-Montrachet straight up to acquire this bottle.
Cabernet Sauvignon “Bin 707” South Australia 2012 (97, $350)
won’t hit its apogee for at least 25 years, and though this is also true
of a top wine from Pauillac in an excellent vintage, the 707 will be
truly enjoyable in 5 years, whereas the Bordeaux will require 15. At
the very top end, Shiraz “Grange” South Australia 2010 ($850 suggested retail) was tied at 99
points (with Delas Hermitage “Les Bessards” 2012 as my choice for Best
Red of 2015. Grange 2010 is so dense, deep, penetrating and persistent
that it almost defies comparison with any other wine. Indeed, if it
were not also so beautifully balanced and proportional, it almost
wouldn’t seem like wine at all, but rather like something else
entirely. In light of the foregoing verbiage, it might seem silly to
score the wine at 99, and my only defense is that this is just a nick
shy of 1982 Cheval Blanc when I tasted that wine at 5 years of age in
terms of sheer gorgeousness. However, of those two wines, the Grange
has more latent capacity to improve over a very long span, so we shall
see. Let’s talk again in 30 years.
Posted by Michael Franz at 8:56 AM
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