August 2007 and the Noble Rotters gather for the bi-annual Penfolds evening.
nv Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut (Champagne) [cork, 12%]
A suppressed nose. Chardonnay/cheesy aromas, but muted somehow. The palate is quite weighty, solid with bread flavours; not a subtle wine. Despite the power evident in the medium-sized aggressive bubbles and medium-full body, the length of finish is disappointingly short. A good wine, but perhaps not at it’s best?
2001 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz (Adelaide) [cork, 13.5%]
Garnet red, the youthful nose is strongly infused with vanilla/coconut oak. It’s apparently aged in a mix of oaks, but the nose says the French is in the minority. The palate is better, there’s some presence of warm spicy shiraz fruit, and the oak is adding texture rather than flavour. In fact, the tannins are rather soft, and the combination of mid-palate weight and general warmth of the fruit give it a medium length dry finish. All up, though I think it’s at peak now and for the next few years.
1998 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon (South Australia) [cork, 13.5%]
Due to a horrible co-incidence, we had three bottles of this, all cellared differently since release, and reflecting that. The first smelt mostly of seasoned oak, and the black fruit perceptible underneath wasn’t especially cabernet-like. The second was a cooler temperature, and much more olive-drab on the fruit spectrum. The third was somewhere between the first two, but significantly richer, with identifiably cabernet fruit, of a rich character. The first bottle was all chocolate and vanilla flavours, with acidity more prominent, and generally the most advanced of the three. The second was much leaner and more astringent, with strong tannins, but the fruit was a bit hollow. The third was similar to the second, although not quite so tannic – probably the best of the three, but even here the fruit falls away from the front palate. A fair wine, but at peak now I believe.
1997 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz (South Australia) [cork, 13.5%]
Liquorice & chocolate aromas, with a touch of tar. Very much a house nose. The outstanding feature of the palate is the medium-high dusty tannins; these dominate the slightly fading stewed red fruit; although the wine is nearly full-bodied with a medium length finish it just feels a bit cobbled together somehow. Unarguably a good result from a mediocre year, this wine is at peak now but will probably hold for another few years, although at the expense of the fruit I suspect.
1996 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz (Padthaway, Barossa, McLaren Vale, Bordertown) [cork, 13.5%]
1996 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz (Barossa, Mclaren Vale, Adelaide Hills) [cork, 14%]
1996 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz (Adelaide) [cork, 13.5%]
If anyone ever had doubts, this trio confirms the greatness of Penfolds’ 1996 offerings. The Bin 389 is now in a developing phase, although the rich Barossa-type fruitcake/date/raspberry fruit is only just moving away from primary characters. Yes, there’s vanillan oak but it’s not intrusive, just a component part of the whole. The palate is dry, with medium powdery tannins, terrific intensity, and a rising tide of spicy extracted cinnamon fruit weight which coats the tongue all the way to the back palate. I find the acidity a little pokey at the moment, but that’s a minor quibble in the scheme of things. A long life ahead of it; this can safely be left another ten years, I reckon. The St Henri is a clear ruby colour. Absurdly, the nose is still youthful, lush with spicy velvety fruit, of a more darkly burnished character than the preceding wine. It’s a multi-layered bouquet, reeking of sophistication. On the palate, this lavishly rich fruit is infused with dust and charcoal, the warm texture easily supported by medium dusty tannins. Full-bodied but not overblown. Unobtrusive acidity prevents flabbiness, the balance is wonderfully even right to the back palate, and the finish is long and polished. The only thing this wine lacks is about another 15 years of bottle age. Stunning stuff, and a hard act to follow, which the Magill Estate does by being of a different character entirely. Clear garnet, the nose is showing plenty of development and appears quite stalky, spicy and peppery; these cooler climate notes are a bit out of the Penfolds mainstream, although I’m aware that the preceding wine is probably exaggerating the effect. This is quite a medium bodied wine in all respects; moderate chalky tannins coat a palate which is far less voluptuous than St Henri; in comparison it’s much more earthy. The balance is still good along the palate, and there’s a decent length finish of medium intensity. But this wine is probably somewhere near its peak now, I think.
1992 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz (South Australia) [cork]
1992 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz (South Australia) [cork]
This Bin 389 is warm mid-garnet, with only the smallest fading in colour at the rim hinting at its age. The bouquet is as you’d expect at fifteen years, with aged blackberry and currant aromas, with a smattering of characteristic Penfolds blurred vanilla oak. The fruit remaining on the palate is a little sweet and confected, the chalky tannins have softened out nicely; the wine is medium-full bodied. Nicely balanced; lacks ultimate excitement but remains a good wine from an average year drinking at peak right now. The 92 St Henri has always I think been regarded as a fairly short-term wine, and this example confirms the view, although it’s still a very acceptable effort. There’s plenty of development on the nose, although still a trace remains of jubey, confected fruit. The palate is semi-rich, but not at all heavy; indeed there’s a kind of transparency to the fruit flavours. Nearly medium-bodied, with soft dusty tannins, the shortish finish and one-dimensional lack of complexity betray the vintage origins. But the wine still works, largely because it’s not puffed up to be something it never was. Still, drink in the new few years for best effect.
1992 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon (Padthaway, Coonawarra, Barossa) [cork]
Still ruby in colour, with little appreciable fading at the rim. It’s surprisingly underdeveloped, with some sweet red fruits underpinned by plenty of vanillan oak. The palate is blueberry-tinged, with coconut; it’s plenty ripe enough, although hardly exhibits much cabernet typicity. Powerful chalky tannins remain; although it’s quite intense and full-bodied, the finish only really struggles to medium length, perhaps a reflection of a fast-disappearing back-palate. Not a bad wine, but never seems destined to develop any great complexity. Will likely hold for a few years yet though, before the fruit fades. Perhaps the fact that the chief geographic region contributing to this wine was Padthaway tells you all about the vintage.
1990 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra, Barossa, McLaren Vale) [cork]
A clear rich garnet, solid right to the rim! It seems almost ludicrous to say that this wine still smells young at seventeen years old, but only in comparison to newly-bottled vintage could you call it ‘developed’. Liqueur-rich blueberry/blackberry nose. Less an expression of pure cabernet than of the richness of ripe South Australian fruit. The palate remains as absurdly fruity as the nose suggests, the texture is luscious and silky, despite the presence of strong powdery tannins. It’s weighty through the palate, but not clumsy – rather intense and concentrated. The oak is absorbed better than in the 92 – or should I say there’s enough fruit to carry it in this wine. The balance is lovely now, although development of complexity lags behind a bit still; that’s a function of time, in this case, rather than quality; for now it remains a plush sybaritic effort whose potential has still to be fulfilled. Generally acclaimed as Wine of the Night – although I reckon the 96 St Henri is a serious chance to trump it in the long run.
2000 Hétszőlő Tokaji Aszu 4 Putts [500ml, cork, 12%]
Bright lemon in colour; the aromas are of fresh and clean apples and citric fruits. Zippily acidic on the palate, with medium intensity, the apple/tangerine fruits creep around the edges of the palate. The flavours are a little burnished with some age, the botrytis is discreet. The wine lifts nicely on the mid-palate, and finishes clean, with a little sweetness. Might almost do as well as an aperitif. Drink soon or in the next few years.
cheers,
Graeme