Penfolds RWT BIN 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz 2023

"RWT' – Red Winemaking Trial – has been the name of this wine since the premiere of the 1997 vintage in 2000. The idea: to showcase the finesse of Barossa Shiraz in an unusual style. The wine is aged 100% in French hogsheads, 69% of which are new. Overall, 2023 is considered a good but not great vintage in Australia, but the "RWT' exceeds expectations just as clearly as the "BIN 389'. This is a magnificent wine! In the glass, it displays a deep purple magenta colour, with oak present but not overpowering. Vanilla, toast, dark chocolate, espresso, mocha, aniseed, bay leaf, ripe raspberries and blackberries characterise the nose, complemented by spicy notes such as black pepper and nutmeg. It needs time when young, but five to six years of cellar ageing are worthwhile.