Penfolds Grange release

Penfolds Wines Luxury & Icon Release.

Last week we attended the Penforld Wines release of their top-of-the range wines. The event was at Bel Mondo restaurant in the Rocks, Sydney and the chief winemaker, Peter Gago was there to introduce the wines. When we arrived they served Chardonnay and Riesling, and then we sat down for the "serious" stuff.

First up were two Chardonnays - the Reserve Bin A Adelaide Hills Chardonnay and the Yattarna Chardonnay. Both were sourced from Adelaide Hills only which is a first for Penfolds, and they were outstanding, especially the Yattarna. Tip from Peter Gago: Any Chardonnay that they source from all over Australia that doesn't get used in Yattarna, as well as what's left over from the Bin A goes into their Thomas Hyland Chardonnay. So at just over $20 per bottle this is excellent value!

Then on to the St Henri Shirazes. We tasted the 1998 and 2004. 98 was rated as one of the best years ever, and the wine is great. No wood (other than well used Sherry vats which impart very little flavour) and made from grapes sourced from the Barossa, Padthaway and McClaren Vale, I thought the 98 was brilliant. The 04 was also great with 4% Cabernet added and sourced from Barossa, Langhorne Creek (which gives it the earthy flavour), Adelaide Hills, McClaren Vale and Padthaway.

The RWT's we tasted next were the highlight for me. We had the 2005 and 2001, both from Barossa and it was the first time that I really completely got the chocolate flavour especially in the 05. That's what excites me about wine - that a grape can be transformed into something so great and it delivers the smell of chocolate! Great wines if you can afford to pay close to $150 per bottle!

Cabernet is something which I personally have always found takes the back seat to Shiraz in Australia, but the two Bin 707's we tasted didn't disappoint. We had the 2002 and 2005. Apparently some of the fruit is sourced from their Koonunga Hill vineyards (not to be confused with the wines with the same name) which is becoming better than the more famous Kalimna vineyards, according to Peter.

And then on to the star of the show - the new release Grange. We had the 2003 and tasted the 1996 as well. Beautiful plum colour and spicy nose, and a length appropriate to the best wine in Australia. The 96 is rated as one of the best ever vintages and was great.

The evening ended with a glass of Grandfather Port, and we left for a cleansing ale and some food at a local German restaurant. Great evening with my mates Chris and Dirk!