2019 Penfolds, Bin 798 RWT Shiraz, Barossa Valley

Longtime readers will know of my personal fondness for this wine, going back nearly to its first vintage, the 1997. That said, the 2019 RWT Shiraz Bin 798 continues this wine's impressive run, artfully combining hedonistic waves of mixed fruit with the balancing and structural effects of 18 months in French oak hogsheads (57% new, with the balance second-fill). Dark chocolate and vanilla notes join blackberries and plums on the concentrated, full-bodied palate, picking up hints of coffee, black olives and licorice on the long, silky-textured finish. This should easily age up to two decades.

Opaque violet. Deeply pitched cherry, blackcurrant, licorice and incense aromas are complemented by vanilla and woodsmoke flourishes. Shows outstanding clarity and power, offering densely packed black/blue fruit, candied violet, cola and spicecake qualities, along with a peppery nuance that builds with aeration. Chewy and energetic on the strikingly long, sappy finish, which features well-knit tannins, lingering vanilla and spice notes.