2006 Wines from Penfolds

Bright, deep-red, with an impenetrable core. A complex amalgam of fresh mulberry/blueberry/ blackberry fruits laced with soy and malt, and slices of fresh fig and dates. A later residual whiff of pan- juices, rosemary and sage. Ripe, yet not overripe with stylish oak! Textbook structure: tannin, acidity, balance. Up- front, Cabernet and Shiraz fruits intertwine for collective attention, a sweet middle meshed with tea-leaf/olive tapenade flavours. Rounded, ripe and lush tannins and integrated spicy oak usher a finish bereft of any rough edges. Please note: **Like all our wines over 5 years of age, this bottle is sold as is. No returns or refunds accepted.**

Colour: Deep blood-red, dense core. Nose: Very Penfolds, very Barossa, very Grange! Scents, now five years in the making, weave their charm - this aromatic quilt's first-noted brightest colours are panaforte fig and quince paste alongside cured/smoked meats. Its fabric is meshed with spice - cinnamon, vanillin pod, nutmeg and black pepper - tempered by teppanyaki sauces, amaretto/almond. A dark thread connects - black liquorice, olive and fresh Arabica coffee-bean and soy. Background nutty oak (Brazil nut) beneath, yet barely noticed. Palate: Freshness and balance are welcomed, yet confuse... a few sips remind of the oft-used reference 'iron fist in a velvet glove'. All is n...

Colour:Radiant, deep red. Bouquet:The bouquet is distinctive and different - as has been this blend's raison d'etre for the past 15 vintages. Higher aromatic notes are achieved, not quite floral, but of crushed petal, fennel, caraway and juniper berry. Wafts of freshly kneaded dough (pumpernickel bread) and glaceed fruits develop with minimal, if any, oak influence. Glossy, exuberant and fleshy, the palate is rich and full with an excellent weight afforded by the vintage. Berried Barossa Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvedre fruits each bring their own varietal flavour and structure imprint to the blend, as integrated, ripe tannins align comfortably with covert oak.

Colour:Pale Straw. Nose:The nose shows aromas of fruit, leaning towards the citrus spectrum, complimented by a nougat and almost ethereal, marzipan character. An elegant wine with a strong core of primary fruit running across the palate. Intense grapefruit and granny smith apple flavours are supported by a backbone of mineral acid, leading to a full mid- palate induced by aging in old French oak barriques.

Colour: Deep red with a brick-red transition to the rim. Nose: At once, unmistakably Penfolds - i.e. Penfolds first, Cabernet Sauvignon second! Red-fruits spectrum replete with a hybrid layer of glaceed / conserve / (fruit) pastille. Barrel-ferment roasted coffee / nut (pecan?) & chocolate ascend, camouflaging any suggestion of the intrusion of overt oak. An adornment of Indian spices (curry / paprika), clove. Surely a fleeting recognition of Asian fish oils serves only to intrigue. Palate: Expansive - a flavour explosion in the mouth, propelled by dark fruits with Tomato puree / paste - olive - chocolate and lots more! Round & soft tannins completely engulf the palate, extru...

Deep and dark with a black core. The nose is at once Sangiovese, almost belying its country of origin. Aromas of anchovy, Chinese fish-sauvignons and a skerrick of soy meld with a mixed offering of citrus rind/zest coupled with dark liquorice/aniseed/marzipan. Very different, yet very Sangiovese! The palate is varietal with ripe fruit flavours of fig, raspberry and a secondary suggestion of dried white stone fruits (peach and apricot). A nutty, almond-like, lingering finish completes this wine's textural offering. This wine is savoury, offering mouth-watering acidity and grip, with counter-balanced poise and fine yet noticeable tannins.

Colour: Pale Straw with fluorescent white hues. Nose: The nose shows aromas of white stone fruit, a touch of lifted citrus fruit and a subtle complex oak/yeast derived character that draws you in. Palate: A fine, elegantly styled palate with refreshing citrus acidity. The mid palate offers generosity of flavour consisting of white nectarines and nougat/ creme caramel. A wine that begs you to drink more!

Deep dark red. Fragrant scents of praline and dark chocolate immediately conveyed, followed by blackberry, powdered violet and lavender (talc). Beneath, fresh green tobacco and lively spices, cold meats / pan juices fuse together. The result: a youthful, benchmark St Henri aromatic package. Medium-bodied and relatively 'elegant'. A palate stand-off / divide - Kirsch and dark fruits versus pomegranate / cranberry and desiccated Chinese plums. Cold meat flavours - corned beef or poached silverside? Please note: **Like all our wines over 5 years of age, this bottle is sold as is. No returns or refunds accepted.**

Inky, deep violet / magenta. Brooding and boldly concentrated - almost a 'dark Cabernet paste'. A 'Blackcurrant concentrate' descriptor has been mentioned at more than one tasting! Barrel fermentation cues, yet little overt oak evident - a nuttiness (almond, Amoretti biscotti) and char/toast coupled with a flash/ anointment of formic and volatile acidity, and malt. Pomegranate/mulberry pip meshed with rhubarb & spice. Firm, full-bodied. Intense, replete with a rigid tannin structure, grip. Barrel fermentation characters gilded/framed by espresso & bitter chocolate masking any suggestion of the use of 100% new oak. Truly complex - a continuum of dark ripe fruits giving way to an impressi...

Shimmering purple hues. The nose is youthful and fresh with a rush of stylish fruits - raspberry, Satsuma plum - to the fore.A cedary oak background is in balance with the cooler climate spices and earthy, meat complexities. The palate is defined, tight and focussed. Integrated, stylish oak fuses effortlessly with a compote of expressive, red-berried fruits. Fine, persistent tannins comfortably convey a long and lingering finish, signing off and providing closure for this medium-weight Bin 128 package.

The humblest of the Bin series in number, this is huge in Asia, being the number one selling red in Thailand. It is tight fruited and has no oak showing blackberry, olive and fennel and is a ball of fruit on the front palate. Shows the mourvèdre earth after the very soft tannins turn grainy and tarry to finish.

Deep, dense crimson with a black core. A glaceed, ethereal layer hovering above - Asian sauvignons - dark sweet soy, Hoisin plum sauvignon - over a diverse pool of traditional South Australian Shiraz plummy fruits. Immediately measured and poised. Spiced, dark liquorice and chocolate and liberally fruited with appealing cranberry acidity on finish. Generous and multi-layered and enriched by ripe, solid tannins brazenly reaching out from the back palate. A dry-grown, low-yielded Shiraz assertiveness - with balance, vivacity.

Colour: Very pale straw with emerging green hues. Nose: Lifted rose petal aromas with subtle exotic spice notes are complimented by the lime aromatics, typically seen from the Eden Valley. Palate:Flavours of golden delicious apples come to the fore with citrus (lime and grapefruit) providing structure and luscious, mouth- watering acid.

Deep crimson red (unfiltered). The nose is evocative and attention seeking with complex varietal notes meshed with scents of charcuterie, Xmas ham and spices. A slight, barely discernible oak char sits well with the Kirsch, beetroot and rhubarb aromatics and a background whiff of ripened (canned Italian) tomato pulp. The palate shows darker Pinot Noir elements; complex olive, soy and ink. Dark cherry, chocolate, smoked meat and liqueur cherry flavours arise in the glass with air. This wine will have a long life, implied by the tightly structured and focussed palate underpinned by an excellent acid backbone...and firm, yet fine and even, integrated tannins.

Plenty of relatively soft fruit; the flavours are indeterminate, with bits of everything from mineral to tropical, but none drop out.

Positive varietal character, but not as dramatic as that of '05; nonetheless, has strong spice, lychee and ripe apple varietal fruit, and a long, dry finish. A rare breed in Australia.

Colour:Plum red. Nose: The nose shows fresh fruit aromas of red currant and varietal leafy notes. There are more complex aromas of apple and rhubarb pie integrated with smooth, vanillin oak and some spicy, charry overtones. Palate: A medium bodied wine with flavours of plum and earth across a succulent mid-palate that finishes with fresh minerally textured tannins. The finish is mouth filling with cedary, creamy oak.

Colour:Deep, dark, rich red. Nose:The nose shows obvious varietal character, with subtle leafy notes, cassis, rhubarb and minty nuances. Background aromas of earth gain a lift from cedary, balanced oak. Palate:A tightly structured palate of dark fruits - blackcurrants, cherries, black olive and a mouth- watering crisp acidity leaves the palate wanting more. Obvious, up-front Cabernet tannins fill the palate with balanced, well integrated cedary oak adding to the finish.

Colour:Brilliant pale straw. Nose:Aromas of lifted stone fruits and freshly crushed nectarine are surrounded by a subtle spicy (freshly ground nutmeg) oak. A honey character, from lees contact, gives the wine depth. Palate:A full flavoured wine with fruit - rockmelon and yellow peach - at the fore. A vanilla and malt creaminess deepens the palate, and provides complexity. The acid is subtle and ensures a refreshing finish.