By: AJ McClellan
We had Matt Lane, the ambassador to Penfolds, come in to taste us through a great lineup of Penfolds labels. Matt was a character larger than life with a warm welcoming personality that made you want to sit down and have a bottle of wine with him. The tasting was fantastic with a few great surprises from the lower end labels and, of course, the Grange was drinking like a champ.
2008 Penfolds Bin 407 – A great example of Australian Cabernet, plush and massive with velvety tannins. Surprisingly easy drinking for a young Aussie cab. Black cherries, big plums, and blackberries on the nose with notes of tobacco and big spice on the palate.
2005 Penfolds RWT – This is Penfolds new up-and-coming wine, Matt suggested that in 10 more years this wine will be on par with the highly sought after Grange label. I can see how this might grow up to be a world class bottle; the nose was complex with notes of cedar and big mint, black fruits, and huge spice box. The palate was massive but with well integrated tannins and a great potential to age.
2005 Penfolds St Henri – A cult wine from Penfolds. I am suspect of the 05, the nose was muted and the palate did not have a lot going on for me. That being said, this wine takes some time to come around so there is no telling how this will be drinking in another 10-15 years.
1991 Penfolds St Henri – I was very impressed with this wine. Out of magnum this wine was a pleasure to drink with a nose of mint, lavender, jasmine, and jammy dark fruits. The palate was in perfect sync showing great fruit with subtle earth and nice mellow spice. The tannins were soft as silk and the wine was drinking like a champ.
2004 Penfolds Grange – This is a monster wine. The nose was bellowing out of the glass sowing blueberry, blackberry, plum, black liquorish, and a chocolate dusting. The palate was huge with black inky tannins and massive blue and black fruits. This wine was surprisingly drinkable now but really needs 30 years in the bottle to reach its prime.
2002 Penfolds Grange – Out of Magnum the 02 was very tight as well. Tobacco, dark chocolate, black ripe fruits and compost soil on the nose. The palate was full bodied with huge teeth staining tannins and a massive fruit backing.
1982 Penfolds Grange – When I first opened the bottle I had some doubts, the wine seamed slightly cooked with roasted notes. After sitting in the glass for an hour, the wine opened to show burnt plums, roasted blueberries, and a handful of pencil shavings covered with mint jelly. This wine is in its prime and should be drunk soon.
1972 Penfolds Grange – I felt this bottle was tired and on its way out, coming from a year that was less than perfect I am surprised at how well the wine was hanging on almost 40 years later. There was still a remnant of fruit with old dusty wood flavors and hints of spice.
1968 Penfolds Bin 707 – Old and dried out but there was still some nice fruit lingering in the background with a woody spice and layers of old dusty leather and barnyard.
1996 Guigal La Turque – Smoke, meat, bacon, earth, leather, tobacco…. Classic Guigal…
1996 Guigal La Landonne – the La Turque and la Landonne were close competitors but I felt that the La Landonne was drinking slightly better with a minutia more complexity…
2000 Groffier Bonnes Mares GC – This bottle was fantastic. The more I drink Bonnes Mares the faster it becomes one of my favorite Grand Cru’s. The Groffier jumped out of the glass to attack the nose with supple red cherries and big earthy tones. The palate was broad and complex with crisp cherry cola, warm spices, and a finish of a recently used pair of gardening gloves.
2000 Nicolas Potel Clos de la Roche GC – I was very impressed with this wine as well. Bright and lively on the nose with seductive fruits and a great backing of limestone minerality. The palate was complex and well integrated with the tannins and acidity.
