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News
“Tannin impact is minimal – a fine & seamless Coonawarra package.”
“Different and yet still carrying a definitive Penfolds stamp.”
“Ready, already. Please save some for later! We will.”
- Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker
Colour
Deep mauve, purple at rim.
Nose
A carnivoric aromatic indulgence - raw red meat (tartare); air-dried/salt-cured Italian meats, carpaccio.
Spices infused, á la - pepper steak, Worcestershire garnish … with fruits not overtly prominent.
In its youth, steel-cut oats – fresh, not packaged? Yes, definitely oatmeal. And subtle oak.
Palate
Sage and bay leaf coupled with Indian spices (oak-derived) and dark-berried fruits.
Type of oak? Tell-tale French.
Velvety/viscous rather than manifesting the typical regional grip/attaque … shielded by an abundance of even, clay-like, grainy and slippery tannins.
Substantial! Coonawarra.
Wine Description
The Story
With each vintage release the cool-climate Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz provides an interesting counterpoint to the more opulent and richly concentrated warm-climate Kalimna® Bin 28 Shiraz.
Bin 128 comprises fruit sourced from the unique terra rossa soils of Coonawarra, a region that exemplifies the perfume, transparency and seductive nature of cool-climate red table wines.
Coonawarra has remained the source of Shiraz fruit for Bin 128 since the inaugural release of the 1962 vintage.
In order to further enhance the regional qualities of Bin 128, the wine is matured in a mixture of new and seasoned French oak hogsheads, a method that was refined during the 1980’s when the transition was made from American to French oak.
Wine Information
Vintage 2015 / Above-average temperatures were recorded in winter and continued throughout spring. Rainfall was below average throughout winter, due to a drier August, and dry conditions persisted through spring resulting in early vine growth.
The summer period saw rainfall over 10mm higher than the long-term average due to a high rainfall event occurring in January, pre-veraison. Moderate temperatures from early summer through to vintage meant that ripening was steady with the Coonawarra recording ten days over 35 degrees during the summer period.