2023 Penfolds Bin 798 RWT Shiraz, Barossa Valley

All plush fruit and textural nuance. This is a great release for the RWT Bin 798, Penfolds' finely tuned, contemporary rendition of Barossa Valley shiraz. Magenta-splashed crimson with fruit tones of satsuma plum, black cherry, blueberry and boysenberry along with hints of baking spices, chocolate cake, olive tapenade, dark chocolate, sandalwood, graphite, crushed rock, wood spice and cedar. The earthy and creamy flavours are beautifully balanced on the palate. The flow of fruit is long and true, with fine, powdery tannins poised perfectly as the wine trails off. This is a gorgeous drink now but will cellar beautifully over the next several decades.

97 points Dave Brookes winecompanion.com.au

Penfolds Bin 798 RWT Shiraz is one of Australia’s most celebrated luxury Shiraz wines, offering a refined, opulent expression of Barossa Valley fruit through the lens of French oak. First released with the 2000 vintage, RWT (short for “Red Winemaking Trial”) was conceived as an alternative to the more muscular, American oak–aged Grange, showcasing a different side of Penfolds’ Shiraz mastery. Where Grange is powerful and brooding, RWT is polished, plush, and silken, highlighting the generosity of Barossa fruit with a more elegant frame.

The fruit is sourced from carefully selected vineyards across the Barossa Valley, chosen for their ability to deliver intensity, richness, and fine tannins. The region’s warm Mediterranean climate and ancient red-brown loam soils over limestone produce Shiraz with remarkable depth and purity. After meticulous hand selection, the grapes are fermented in small open fermenters before the wine is matured exclusively in French oak hogsheads, around 70 percent new, for 14 to 16 months. This approach adds layers of spice, cedar, and fine structure while allowing the fruit’s plush character to shine.

In the glass, Bin 798 RWT is a deep, inky crimson. Aromas of blackberry compote, dark cherry, blueberry, licorice, and baking spice rise from the glass, interwoven with hints of cedar, mocha, and graphite. The palate is full bodied yet immaculately balanced, with waves of concentrated dark fruit supported by fine, silky tannins and well-integrated French oak. The finish is long, plush, and layered, carrying both power and elegance in equal measure. It’s a wine that epitomises modern Barossa Shiraz at its most sophisticated.

RWT is exceptional with rich dishes such as braised beef short ribs, lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic, venison with juniper, or aged hard cheeses. Its structure and depth also make it a prime candidate for cellaring; it will comfortably age for 20 years or more, developing savoury complexity and velvety texture with time.