RWT Shiraz, Penfolds 2016

Bright purple. Sexy, high-pitched aromas of blueberry, smoky Indian spices, violet pastille and vanilla, with a vibrant mineral overtone adding urgency. Sweet, incisive and energetic on the palate, offering densely packed black and blue fruit, spicecake and cola flavors that gain weight with air. Hangs on with excellent tenacity on the finely detailed finish, leaving juicy, dark berry and floral notes behind.

The 2016 RWT Shiraz is Penfolds's embodiment of Barossa Valley Shiraz. Aged in French oak (72% new), it offers hints of vanilla and cedar, but more than anything, it showcases the region's bold berry and plum fruit. Full-bodied and rich, verging on decadent, yet firmly structured and long on the finish, it's a powerful yet elegant wine that is capable of being consumed young or aging up to two decades. Having embarked on a career in the wine business right around the time the first RWT was released, it's a treat to see how the latest version is showing. It's a relative bargain among the Penfolds upper echelon.