2009 Australia

Unusually this Graciano is made into a single varietal wine. When in its normal role in Rioja, Graciano could be viewed with regard to Tempranillo as Chewbacca is to Han Solo: necessary to the plot but pretty hard to work out what he’s saying. More subtle and fruity than other rare examples, the red fruits are spiked with Asian spices and dried flowers. Acidity and tannins sit closely, like teenagers on a third date, holding hands and are very unlikely to let go any time soon.
Richard Veal, Australian Wine Specialist

Made with Sousao/Graciano/Touriga Nacional/Tinta Cao/Tempranillo, the cooler, maritime climate of south west Western Australia has restrained these sun worshipping varieties. The flavours are dried cherry fruit with marzipan and cinnamon to smell and taste. Its fine tannins and gentle acidity make this the softest of Mazza’s red wines. An amenable texture and fruitiness to surprise the most reticent convert to ‘alternative’ grapes grown in Australia.
Richard Veal, Australian Wine Specialist

In contrast to Bin 707, Bin 169 is the expression of the fruit and terroir from one single region, Coonawarra, perhaps the region more closely associated with Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia than any other. Matured for 14 months in new French oak, contemporary style showing both regionality and maturation of Cabernet Sauvignon in fine grained French oak.

The nose is full of ripe Cassis and Blueberry, a hint of pencil shavings and szechuan pepper lies underneath.  The palate is medium plus bodied , a finer and more classically structured Grange with great composition and poise.  The mid palate is full of bramble fruit which leads gently into a finish of finely grained, integrated and savoury tannins and a cooling menthol acidity.
Stuart Rae, Private Account Manager

A full bodied wine with proven cellaring potential, Bin 707 is renowned as one of Australia's finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines and is Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon version of Grange. Full and rich fruit allied with American Oak, Bin 707 fully expresses Penfolds understanding of multi-vineyard, multi- region fruit sourcing. Bin 707 is a multi-regional blend, but the core of the fruit still comes from 150 year old pre-phylloxera vines from the famous Block 42 parcel in the Kalimna vineyards.

A very intense nose, the palate shows power yet poise and a real purity of fruit: concentrated mulberry and cassis. The 100% new American oak is perfectly integrated. Seriously refined this rivals the great wines of Bordeaux at a fraction of the price and will benefit from serious cellaring.

This single vineyard wine, located next to the winery. Planted by Dave Powell in 1994 with cuttings off old Run Rig vineyards - some of the oldest genetic material in Australia and the World. A blend of 92% Shiraz and 8% Viognier.
 
The two Descendant grapes are co-fermented with one another and the freshness is what impresses me most of all. There is a wonderful aromatic and spicy lift from the Viognier and a brooding, black punch of flavour and weight from the Shiraz. The wine is aged for 18 months in seasoned French oak and has a huge volume of fruit characters that lingers for more than a minute. This may only be a 19 year old vineyard but the precision and depth of flavour achieved already in the (relatively) young vines is admirable. There are only 5000 bottles of this incredible wine made so do your best to secure a case.
Laura Atkinson, Fine Wine Manager

An alternative expression of Shiraz, and an intriguing contrast to Grange. And unusual amongst top quality Australian red wines as it is made without the use of new oak. A distinctive style, St Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining soft, earthy, mocha-like characters as it ages. It is matured in old, 1460 litre vats that allow the wine to develop whilst imparting little, if any oak character.