Penfolds RWT BIN 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz 2024

In the early 1990s, Penfolds started an experiment: Barossa Shiraz aged in French oak instead of the American oak that shapes Grange. Internally the project was called the Red Winemaking Trial. The first vintage, 1997, was released in May 2000. In the house hierarchy, it sits right behind Grange. The fruit comes entirely from the Barossa Valley, and the 2024 spent 14 months in French hogsheads, 82 percent of them new. Again fine-boned, dark in the fruit and cooler than the last few vintages. Blackberry and black cherry, black pepper, cedar, bittersweet chocolate. Finely grippy tannins, and behind them the freshness that RWT is known for. 96 points from Erin Larkin in the Wine Advocate, and Penfolds sees it going until 2050. We're putting a few bottles away ourselves.