2016 RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz

R-rated RWT in 2016 – not for the meek!

Never averse to clichés so willing to concede that this wine certainly packs a punch; takes no prisoners.

Yes, be warned. Charm abounds, so this wine's 'excesses' surely can be forgiven?

Confirming: a formidable 2016 combination of the best of site/variety – Barossa/Shiraz.

The twentieth RWT release! But who's counting…! Don't tell the collectors.

Peter Gago, Penfolds chief winemaker

97/100

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.

Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, www.robertparker.com

96/100

Anthony Rose, Decanter, www.decanter.com

95/100

Jeremy Oliver, www.jeremyoliver.com