Penfolds RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz 2023

Retains that new oak smell and feel. Indeed, 14 months in French oak hogsheads (69% new) is towards the higher end of oak for RWT (but not as high as 83% in the 2015), and has contributed not only a healthy dose of cedary, woody spice aromas, but helped emphasise the sweetness of ripe Barossa blueberry, red berried, cassis fruit accompanied by a whiff of earthy savouriness. Arrives fresh and lively, offering a warm Barossa welcome. This is one engaging RWT, on the full charm offensive with its ripe plums and dark fruits, heady spices, chocolate pan forte qualities and oh so smart – and expensive – vanillin, cedary oak qualities. It comes framed in fine pencil lead/graphite tannins that turn a little dry on the finish and remain steadfast throughout. RWT always has further ageing on its mind, especially so as a two-year-old.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic