Penfolds’s oldest bin wine is an austere, dense bottling. With time in decanter it squeaks out aromas of plum and currant fruit mingled with licorice, menthol and cedar. There’s a prominent vanillin coating of American oak. The palate is equally reticent and oak driven, with pointy-elbowed acidity and massive, raspy tannins. This should unwind with time, but for now, it’s a tough nut to crack








