Penfolds RWT Shiraz offers a distinguished alternative to the multi-regional blending and American oak maturation that define Grange. Instead, it showcases Barossa Valley Shiraz aged exclusively in French oak. The initials RWT originally stood for 'Red Winemaking Trial,' reflecting the project's experimental beginnings in 1995. However, after its success, the RWT Shiraz debuted in May 2000 with the 1997 vintage. Its style is rich and plush, providing a softer, more luxurious contrast to Grange's more robust and assertive nature.
The palate is bold and powerful, as is typical of RWT, with remarkably smooth and velvety tannins for such a full-bodied wine. Huon Hooke describes it as "a grand, impressive wine."
RWT Shiraz is known for its deep, inky color, rich fruit sweetness, mouth-coating flavors, and subtle hints of spice, savory notes, and chocolaty tannins. Aged in new and seasoned French oak for 12 to 15 months, it exemplifies Barossa Shiraz at its finest.
The 2020 Penfolds RWT Shiraz is made entirely from Barossa Valley Shiraz, aged for 16 months in French oak hogsheads (49% new, 51% one-year-old). The palate is generous with dense yet silky tannins, creating a strong foundation for layers of blue fruits like boysenberry, plum, and mulberry. Hints of crème brûlée and panforte add sweetness, balanced by exotic spices and cedar oak. The wine is expected to peak between 2025 and 2050.
The vintage was marked by a cool, dry spring, followed by a challenging summer with heatwaves and drought, ultimately yielding a small crop of Shiraz with strong varietal expression.
Drinking Window: 2022 - 2045
