x
  • Country ranking ?

    230
  • Producer ranking ?

    156
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    2020-2035
  • Food Pairing

    Lamb

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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Vintage 2018

AUSTRALIA: Very promising quality with the most optimistic reviewers declaring 2018 great in every region and for every variety. The more cautious view is that early frosts reduced yields, but that consistent good weather throughout the second half of the growing season actually resulted in great potential.

Barossa 2018 vintage to savor

The 2018 Barossa vintage was completed at the end of April 2018, with growers and winemakers satisfied with a high quality vintage and good yields.

“The flavors and colors of the reds are wonderful, and the natural acids in the Eden Valley whites surprisingly high, with early varieties this year including Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet,” said Louisa Rose, head of winemaking at Yalumba.

The growing season is off to a good start, with winter 2017 precipitation about 10% above average. However, spring rainfall was only 78% of average in the Barossa Valley (BV) and 98% in the Eden Valley (EV), and December rainfall was only 57%. % of average in BV (88% in EV).

Drier soils, combined with warmer than average days in October and November (October 2ºC above average in VB (1.8ºC in EV) and November 1.1ºC above average in BV (1.6 ºC in EV), allowed the vine canopies to grow quickly, to flower well and to form a good number of clusters.

January and February were hot and dry, with very hot temperatures in February slowing the rate of ripening. January was slightly above average (1.4°C during the day but closer to average at night) and February was about average during the day, but with nighttime temperatures significantly warmer than average. average in the Barossa Valley (5.8°C warmer).

With summer rainfall at 50% of average, growers with access to water, soil moisture monitoring, good irrigation management and healthy soils experienced less stress – and subsequently delivered healthy fruit and consistent yields.

The Indian summer of March and early April was “the icing on the cake”, with average temperatures, without extremes, perfect for ending the vintage. The 28-30mm of rain on April 14-15 did not cause any major problems for picking – and was a welcome post-harvest watering for most Barossa growers.

Overall, in 2018, Barossa Valley crushed 56,970 tonnes*, down 22% from the 2017 vintage, but 9% from the five-year average. In 2018, Eden Valley crushed 11,593 tonnes*, down 3% compared to 2017.

The total Barossa crush of 68,563 tonnes* represented 9% of the total volume and 25% of the total crush value in South Australia.

Average prices for Barossa Valley varieties remained stable in 2018, with Shiraz at $2252 per tonne, down 1% from last year. At Eden Valley, the average price of Shiraz increased by 11% to $2636 per tonne and Cabernet Sauvignon increased by 15% to $2354.

*Wine Australia estimates the response rate for wine grape crush in South Africa to be 85%, so the actual total Barossa crush is estimated at between 75,000 and 80,000 tonnes.

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

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Written Notes

A blend of Cabernet from Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway and Robe, which spent 12 months in French and American hogsheads. 21% of the French was new and 9% of the American.

I'm always keen to talk to Peter Gago about the 407 because it is the one Penfold's wine that I simply do not get. I fail to see the point and unfortunately, this release is no different. The inaugural release, 1990, was a superb Cabernet. 1996 also impressed, but other than that, I do not recall another 407 providing any excitement. Not that they are bad wines, but there is none of the thrill, the precision, the excitement that one finds with so many of the Collection wines.

Discussion of price is usually limited to the Grange and perhaps a few of the other elite red releases, but, and I say this in the full knowledge that Penfold's have no difficulty selling all the 407 they make and that they receive no complaints about the price, for me, that this wine has now edged higher than Bin 389 is utterly baffling. It makes as much sense as someone asking more for their Village Burgundy than one pays for La Tache. If wines like Bin 138 and 389 overdeliver for their prices, 407 is the reverse. 

The nose, slightly muted. Cherries, a little dusty and the integration of the oak is not as immaculate as we have encountered throughout the Collection. A hint of tomato bush, but overall, flavours are somewhat muddled. There is length but again, less so than one would wish. A touch clumsy and lacking focus. 87. It is possible that I am perhaps a little harsher on this wine than I would be if tasted in isolation, and that its perceived shortcomings are highlighted by the wealth of quality which surround it, but it does nothing for me.

 

  • 87p

Deep crimson. Fragrant lifted blackcurrant pastille, herb garden/ bay leaf/ mint aromas with mocha notes. Generous fruit sweet blackcurrant espresso herb aniseed flavours, persistent grippy fine tannins, mocha roasted walnut notes and long fresh underlying acidity, Finishes leafy firm with plentiful dark berry fruits. Neatly balanced wine. Seal; screwcap Drink 2024-2038 14.5% 94 points.
 
A robust but expressive cabernet with classical varietal definition, fruit complexity, richness and vinosity. Keep for a few years to allow the elements to fold into each other.
 
Coonawarra, Padthaway, Wrattonbully, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley Robe
 
12 months in 21% new French, 9% new American and 70% seasoned oak hogsheads

  • 94p
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Information

Origin

Magill, South Australia

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