98 Points – James Halliday  |  97 Points – Robert Parker / Wine Advocate

Penfolds RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz 2018 is one of Australia’s most celebrated and prestigious red wines — powerful, complex and built with the extraordinary depth, concentration and French oak elegance that has made RWT one of the most critically acclaimed and sought-after wines in the entire Penfolds portfolio.

With 98 points from James Halliday and 97 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, the 2018 RWT stands at the very pinnacle of Australian Shiraz — Penfolds’ flagship single-appellation Barossa Shiraz, aged in the finest French oak rather than the American oak used for Grange, delivering a wine of extraordinary elegance, complexity and longevity that sits just below Grange in the Penfolds hierarchy and above it in refinement.

My Wine Man

This is for someone who wants one of Australia’s greatest red wines — Penfolds’ most refined and elegant Barossa Shiraz, crafted with French oak and the full weight of one of the world’s most celebrated winemaking teams.

RWT — Red Winemaking Trial — was first produced in 1997 as Penfolds’ experiment with French oak maturation for Barossa Shiraz. The result was so extraordinary that it became a permanent fixture in the Penfolds portfolio and one of Australia’s most celebrated icon wines. Where Grange uses American oak for its signature bold, vanilla-driven style, RWT uses French oak for a more refined, complex and Burgundian-influenced expression of Barossa Shiraz that many consider the more complete wine.

At HK$888, this is exceptional value for a Penfolds icon wine of this quality, prestige and ageing potential.

In my view, this is one of the greatest Australian red wines available — powerful, refined and built to last for decades.

What makes this wine stand out

This is all about French oak refinement and Penfolds’ mastery of Barossa Shiraz at its most elegant.

Dark blackberry, blackcurrant, plum and dark chocolate sit at the core, with cedar, fine French oak spice, mocha, leather and the characteristic savoury complexity that defines great Penfolds Shiraz. The palate is full-bodied with extraordinary concentration, ripe well-integrated tannins and a finish of remarkable length and persistence that speaks to the quality of the Barossa fruit and the precision of the French oak maturation.

The defining feature is the French oak influence — where American oak gives Grange its bold, opulent character, French oak gives RWT a refinement, complexity and elegance that is immediately distinctive and completely compelling.

Powerful, refined and completely compelling.

Style / drinking window

Full-bodied with dark blackberry, blackcurrant, plum, dark chocolate, cedar and fine French oak spice.

Extraordinary concentration, ripe tannins and a finish of remarkable length and persistence.

Drinking beautifully now with extended decanting (2+ hours), with a peak drinking window extending well into the 2030s and beyond.

Why this is a must-buy

If you want one of Australia’s greatest red wines — Penfolds’ most refined Barossa Shiraz — at an accessible price, this is exceptional value.

It delivers:

• 98 James Halliday points and 97 Robert Parker / Wine Advocate points — among the highest scores ever awarded to an Australian Shiraz
• French oak refinement and complexity that sets RWT apart from every other Penfolds Shiraz including Grange
• genuine Penfolds icon status and extraordinary ageing potential at a very honest price

Ideal for aged beef, lamb, game, hard cheese or a landmark occasion. Decant for a minimum of 2 hours.

Explore the Penfolds icon range

• Elderton Command Barossa Valley Shiraz 2017 → peer-level / 100+ year old vines / 97 Halliday points
• Henschke Mount Edelstone Eden Valley Shiraz 2015 → peer-level / 110+ year old vines / 98 Halliday points
• Penfolds Grange Bin 95 Shiraz 2010 → the ultimate / Australia’s most iconic wine / 99 Parker points

Life’s too short for bad wine.