Kym Tolley The Last Emperor Cabernet Shiraz 2022

Kym Tolley is one of Australia’s more experienced winemakers and he most especially made a great impression during his time at Penley Estate. He is now making just one wine, this ‘great Aussie red blend’ of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. He also blended fruit from three of our great red wine regions – Coonawarra, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. Fans of Penley Estate will undoubtedly know that this is a wine they should be chasing. Others will miss out if they don’t grab the chance. The Last Emperor was Kym’s nickname while he was with Penfolds. And if you are wondering about Kym’s connection to Penfolds, he did not just work there, although his time did include as an apprentice with the legendary Max Schubert. Kym is the great-great-great-great-grandson of the founder of Penfold Wines (which took place in 1844) on his mother’s side. Maturation is for two years in French oak, and the blend is intended to contain around 50 to 60% Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon for each release. As well as this wine and the 2021, Kym has every subsequent vintage already in the cellar for release in the coming years. The colour is a near black/maroon. On the nose we have aromas weaving through chocolate, plums, mocha, cocoa powder, blackberries and cassis. There is deft oak handling here and the wine has a seamless structure with great length, through to fine satiny tannins, though they are certainly still noticeable at this early stage. It is well balanced, youthful, and the finish does linger attractively. A wine with at least twenty years ahead of it.

Ken Gargett

Contributor at Winepilot

Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.

Wine writer and critic