Penfolds Superblend 802-B Cabernet Shiraz 2018
- 97
- $900
- Drink by: 2025-2050
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19 months in French hogsheads, 54% new and 46% one-year-old. The blend is 55% Cabernet and 45% Shiraz. These components were combined immediately post vintage. This is more like it. Black fruits, soy, spices, beef stock, chocolate and more importantly, the oak is far less dominant. The wine benefits from this and the texture is more supple, the wine more seamless. It is fresher, more finesse and better balanced. Good intensity and length. Good acidity here and very fine tannins. This should age and improve for two decades at least. This is by far the most convincing of the pair.
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.
