Penfolds RWT Shiraz

The screwcapped 2004 Penfolds RWT Shiraz still displays a youthful purple colour. This is a full-bodied wine with intense blueberry and blackberry, rather than plum flavours. The wine is concentrated and dense, similar to a premium Torbreck wine in this sense. It is not overripe. Primary fruit characteristics still dominate. The main and remarkable achievement of this wine is that it is very smooth and quite elegant despite its slight heaviness. What the screwcap has done is that it kept the fruit fresh (no air exchange), while the firm tannins have softened somewhat (no air required). This makes for an attractive combination.

The RWT (Red Wine Trial) was developed in response to some criticism about the usage of American oak in Grange and the overt vanilla flavours in that wine. Therefore some saw the RWT as a Grange, but with better oak. This is not appropriate. This wine does not have the uniquely huge body and length of Grange. But what it does have is oak in a support role and good drink-ability.

Score: 96/+++