Critic tasting note: "(2006) RWT stands for "Red Winemaking Trial", though in fact this has been a regular in the premium portfolio since the 1997 vintage. Only around 1000 cases are produced from all Barossa fruit (whereas Grange is a normally multi-regional blend) and the wine spent 15 months in French hogsheads, 70% of which were new. It has a bright, full, almost minty nose of extremely ripe fruit, with plenty of pencil-shaving oak and a glossy sense of depth and richness. It has a solid, smooth, muscular yet composed character in the mouth, with a lively blackcurrant-skin tang of bittersweetness and masses of fruit. Ther are supple tannins supporting a long finish, and a cedary, savoury balance." - 91/100, Tom Cannavan
Producer Notes
Penfolds RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz, first made in 1997, was released after several years of red winemaking trials from which the wine takes its name. In the Penfolds tradition of trial and innovation our winemakers embarked on a project in 1995 titled 'RWT' - meaning 'Red Winemaking Trial' - to create a new Australian Shiraz integrating the rich, generous flavours of Barossa Valley Shiraz with the finesse of tightly-grained French oak. The result is a fine wine of great elegance and depth of flavour. RWT is second only to Grange in the Penfolds Shiraz hierarchy, although the two wines are stylistically different. RWT expresses Shiraz more openly than Grange. This is partly a function of the grapes themselves and partly a result of maturation in French oak, rather than stronger, sweeter-flavoured American oak. RWT is opulent and voluptuous, and fleshy where Grange is muscular.
Vintage Notes
An outstanding Barossa Valley vintage that began late due to cool spring weather, although conditions were generally frost and disease-free. Warm summer weather led to an early vintage, with excellent fruit quality. Joins 1996, 1990 and 1986 as one of the best vintages of the past two decades.
Ageing: 15 months in new French oak
