Penfolds Bin 798 RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz 2024

Maturation is in French oak hogsheads, 82% of them new, for a period of fourteen months. The fruit is entirely from the Barossa Valley. An opaque, dark blood red colour, the nose reveals aromas of chocolate, plums, smoked meats, superbly integrated oak, leather, cocoa powder, florals, blueberries, spices and a touch of vanilla. This is absolutely seamless and so beautifully balanced that there is not a hair out of place. Quite juicy acidity and a long persistent finish, there is good energy here and a pleasing freshness. The wine finishes with abundant, powdery tannins. To be enjoyed over the next twenty to thirty years.

by Jeni Port

Ripe, intense and generous on the oak – which is the RWT way – and many lovers of the style wouldn’t have it any other way. Fourteen months in French oak hogsheads (82% new) is at the heart of the wine, sweeping up the fruit, the spice, the earthiness and hints of savouriness and taking all on one supple, dense, dark berried long ride. Still in building mode, gathering weight and pace with a heart of concentrated flavour lifted in hints of sweet blackcurrant pastille notes and peppery seasoning. Plush across the middle palate and sleek in tannin, an RWT with plenty of polish and big in personality. 2026 – 2044. 96 Points

by Tom Kline

Barossa Valley Shiraz selected for aromatic qualities and fine tannins; 14 months in French oak hogsheads (82% new, 18% one-year-old). Quite an arresting aroma melding blackberry, lavender, graphite, black olive and violets before cedar spice, dark chocolate and black liquorice begin to emerge. The fruit has a lovely sense of purity, while the oak sits confidently behind it adding shape rather than dominating. The palate is rich yet composed, carrying blackberry, black cherry, dark plum, lavender, black olive and dark chocolate through the core. Fine, powdery tannins provide structure without heaviness, while fresh acidity keeps everything moving through a long, confident finish. This is powerful without excess, balancing Barossa generosity with impressive composure. 95 Points

by Lisa Cardelli

An intriguing tomato leaf/bush leaf salt character leapt out of the glass at first, before descending into an exotic realm of ylang-ylang, boysenberry and blackcurrant compote, with plenty of vanilla, plenty of nutmeg and plenty of oak (82% new French). The palate speaks oak language too, but the quality of the fruit is underneath, and it glows, emerging into a velvety and voluptuous format, almost like a distilled expression of its essence. It needs plenty of time to integrate the prominent oak, resolve the bulky tannins and allow the length to run free, as at the moment it feels slightly held back- but it is all there, in its glorious form. 2027 – 2052. 95 Points

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