2014 Australia
Showing 1-17 out of 17 items
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Penfolds,
Ready, but will improve,
Brighter, fresher and more restrained than I remember previous releases: this has real freshness on the nose with bright citrus fruit and subtle complexity, with hints of freshly crushed almond. Cool, glossy and textured on the palate, underpinned by tangy citrus acidity; this is balanced, racy and fresh, closer to the style of Yattarna in previous releases, but with a softer, more generous mouth-feel. The wine is fermented in 80 percent new French oak, but this is so well-integrated you wouldn’t know. It would be fun to taste blind.
Adrian Brice, Fine Wine Buyer
Adrian Brice, Fine Wine Buyer
Penfolds,
For laying down,
The 2014 is a very true representation of St Henri which is, for me, the absolute sweet spot within the Penfolds Icon range. The large oak vats used impose almost no oak-derived character at all. The nose is lifted, generous and graceful with lots of redcurrant and cherry. It is deliciously silky, with ripe, fine tannins and freshening acidity. Certainly no shrinking violet, there is plenty of fleshy fruit here, but this is refined and classy. The word “pure” appears in my tasting note again and again. Notes of eucalypt, star anise and bacon fat linger across the long finish. Drink 2020-2045+.
Martyn Rolph, Private Account Manager
Martyn Rolph, Private Account Manager
Penfolds,
For laying down,
Fully ripe, intensely flavoured and structured, this is a magnificent wine. A blend of 98 percent Shiraz and two percent Cabernet Sauvignon from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Wrattonbully, Clare Valley and Magil Estate, it has been aged for 20 months in 100 percent new American hogsheads. Deep plush garnet, the wine has an unmistakable fragrant Grange nose of dark fruits, spices, coffee bean and gamey notes. On the palate there is a backbone of firm tannins and great lifting freshness; savoury, meaty and earthy with a fruit profile reminiscent of black plums and blueberries. Grange has an amazing power, with complexity and persistence shown on the very long finish which allows all the flavours to coat the palate beautifully. Drink 2020-2045.
Javier Perurena - Private Account Manager
Javier Perurena - Private Account Manager
Penfolds,
Ready, but will keep,
A classic, well-delineated Australian Chardonnay bouquet of ripe fruit with a hint of toasty oak from its eight months in used French oak barriques. This is dangerously easy to drink on the palate, plenty of ripe fruit, hints of nuts and citrus, a little touch of oak and nicely judged acidity. This is drinking very nicely now, but will keep for keep for three to four years.
Chris Pollington, Fine Wine Department
Chris Pollington, Fine Wine Department
For laying down,
RunRig has often drawn comparison with the beautifully fragrant & tautly structured wines produced from the steep slopes of the Northern Rhône Valley’s Appellation of Côte Rôtie.
98.5% Shiraz, 1.5% Viognier – beautifully intense nose, needs a few minutes (at least) to open up – aromas of damson, kirsch, clove, olive tapenade fly out of the glass – powerful, but elegant. There’s plum, cherry, liquorice on the palate – a silky but spicy tannic structure. Incredibly deep and complex, the finish goes on, blackberry and even fresh stone fruit - this could take a decade or more to reveal itself fully. This is a wonderful example of Barossa Shiraz, as good as it gets.
Ben Grosvenor, Private Account Manager
98.5% Shiraz, 1.5% Viognier – beautifully intense nose, needs a few minutes (at least) to open up – aromas of damson, kirsch, clove, olive tapenade fly out of the glass – powerful, but elegant. There’s plum, cherry, liquorice on the palate – a silky but spicy tannic structure. Incredibly deep and complex, the finish goes on, blackberry and even fresh stone fruit - this could take a decade or more to reveal itself fully. This is a wonderful example of Barossa Shiraz, as good as it gets.
Ben Grosvenor, Private Account Manager
Ready, but will improve,
The Factor is Torbreck’s “hommage” to the great old Shiraz vines of the Barossa Valley. This is a big, brooding wine that will keep exceptionally well.
The 2014 The Factor is intensely scented of wine with a dominance of crème de cassis, baked plums and blueberry pie. There is prominent tannins and acidity which would suggest buying this with a long-term plan. I drank the 2000 last summer, and WOW, a wine that definitely benefited from patience in the cellar.
Hugo Thompson, Private Account Manager
The 2014 The Factor is intensely scented of wine with a dominance of crème de cassis, baked plums and blueberry pie. There is prominent tannins and acidity which would suggest buying this with a long-term plan. I drank the 2000 last summer, and WOW, a wine that definitely benefited from patience in the cellar.
Hugo Thompson, Private Account Manager
Ready, but will improve,
Lifted nose of Lemongrass and citrus lime, with a background of wet stone. A lovely swathe of white stone fruit, crisp cox apple and lime extends across the palate. The acidity is powerful and bodes 5 - 10 years aging easily but it is extremely well integrated into this lovely dry Riesling from South Australia.
Stuart Rae - Private Account Manager
Stuart Rae - Private Account Manager
Penfolds,
For laying down,
RWT, now also known as Bin 798, is so much more than a classic Barossa Shiraz. Deep ruby with a slight purple hue, the nose has an abundance of red plum, damson, crunchy ripe redcurrants and cranberries – everything you’d expect from Barossa fruit, but then you are treated to a wonderful floral lift with a touch of spice and freshly ground black peppercorns. Peter Gago describes the 2014 as “arguably more Syrah than Shiraz” and this added aromatic elegance makes you think just that. The palate is smooth and velvety, the oak (100 percent French, 70 percent new) is beautifully integrated with the fleshy ripe fruit, laced with spice and liquorice and some herbal, star anise characters adding extra complexity. Start drinking this in a couple of years’ time and see how it evolves over the next 20 years. This is one for the long haul which will develop a fascinating, rich, savoury complexity.
Stephanie Barlow, Fine Wine team
Stephanie Barlow, Fine Wine team
Penfolds,
Ready, but will improve,
With notes of forest-fruit yoghurt on the nose, this is very attractive and ripe, but nicely tempered by a hint of graphite in the background. Serious and savoury on the palate, with lots of matière, the wine is full-bodied and cream with layers of mouth-filling blackcurrant fruit and nuances of graphite, all kept in check by good acidity and fine tannins. Excellent depth, concentration and balance; this is an excellent Bin 407 with cool-climate fruit from Coonawarra and warmer climate fruit from the Barossa.
Chris Pollington, Fine Wine team
Chris Pollington, Fine Wine team
For laying down,
Vanya Cullen’s low-cropping, 28-hectare, dry-grown estate is a riot of colour and biodiversity. She is convinced that biodynamic principles have shaped the quality, character and consistency of the fruit. Her devotion to “quality, integrity and sustainability” in both the vineyards and winery has resulted in something extraordinary and special.
This is a masterclass on Margaret River Cabernet. As always, it’s elegant on the nose with cassis, mocha, espresso bean and finely sharpened pencil. Medium-bodied, the palate presents small-berried fruit with a clean acid structure, balanced by fine graphite tannins. The finish is mesmerizingly long, concentrated and yet lifted on the palate. This is pulsating with life. Drink to 2025.
This is a masterclass on Margaret River Cabernet. As always, it’s elegant on the nose with cassis, mocha, espresso bean and finely sharpened pencil. Medium-bodied, the palate presents small-berried fruit with a clean acid structure, balanced by fine graphite tannins. The finish is mesmerizingly long, concentrated and yet lifted on the palate. This is pulsating with life. Drink to 2025.
Showing 1-17 out of 17 items
This wine is a bin-end, discounted by 20%.
Classic Coonawarra Cabernet, cool blackcurrant fruit with a hint of mint. Lovely intensity. Tannins are fine and well-integrated, good depth across the palate with an attractive ‘juiciness’ to the fruit. Silky and feels very complete already, the benefit of releasing to the market with some bottle age. This is a very fine but generous Cabernet, simply a very impressive wine which will age beautifully (but there’s no need to wait!) Drink 2019 – 2026+
Martyn Rolph, Private Account Sales Manager
The aromas immediately announce the variety, displaying intense characters of blackcurrant, red berry, black olive and a subtle hint of menthol. Combined with the nutty oak aromas, this wine delivers a complex yet elegant bouquet.
The palate of this wine has a perfectly aligned structure, weight and intensity creating a backbone for longevity. The aromas on the nose follow through onto the palate and these full bodied, spicy flavours combined with pin point acidity and firm, grainy tannins deliver a wine of stature and grace. This wine will continue to develop in complexity and interest for as long as you can manage to cellar it.
Winemakers Note