Sipping on Rare and High-End Penfolds Wine

The Penfolds Recorking Clinic is a masterpiece in customer service.

The senior winemaking team, along with chief winemaker Peter Gago, travels around the world assessing Penfolds red wines that are 15 years or older. For no charge, they will pour a little of your wine and assess it with you to certify whether it is sound.

For serious collectors, it is a chance to find out the status of your wine — should I have enjoyed it already, should I drink it now or should I keep cellaring? The clinic helps consumers answer the perennial question about cellaring wine — when to drink it.

The Penfolds Recorking Clinic came to Calgary for the first time ever a few weeks ago. I wasn’t able to attend the clinic due to other commitments, but I was thrilled to attend the Collectors Dinner at Willow Park Wines and Spirits with Peter Gago.

This dinner was something special. Guests were encouraged to bring a vintage or current release of a Penfolds luxury wine, such as 707, Grange or RWT, and share it with Gago and the team.

The ever-charming Gago was a passionate and enthusiastic ambassador for the brand. He tirelessly answered all questions about the wines and offered insight into cellaring and enjoying premium wine.

Penfolds Wines at the Willowpark Collectors Dinner

The evening began with a glass of Penfolds 2010 Eden Valley Riesling and the first course featured the 2008 Yattarna Chardonnay, with a lobster and fennel sausage — a delicious match.

The second course is when it got really interesting — beef tenderloin with a collection of cellared wines. Each table had a slightly different mix of wines, which allowed the wines that the collectors had brought to be enjoyed at their own tables (though a little passing around happened as well).

Our first red was a magnum of Penfolds 1967 Bin 7 Connawarra Cabernet and Kalimna Shiraz. Only about 400 to 500 cases were made and it is still showing some power, with tea, coffee, prune, earth, wet fruit and smoke notes. While lean on the palate, it still had some life and magic, but it was getting a little tired.

We then enjoyed the 1998 St. Henri Shiraz, which was rich and spicy, with chocolate, prune, leather and pomegranate notes. Wonderfully intense on the palate; a standout, beautiful wine.

The 1997 RWT appeared next, with huge cherry and cassis fruits and incredible spice character. This was the first release of RWT, no wonder it is so popular.

The 2000 Grange wandered in next, with mint, cherry, tar and too many aromas to note. At 11 years of age, it showed plenty of spice, earth, smoke, berry, liquorice, cola, violets and bitter chocolate. Fantastic.

With no time to breathe or finish a glass, the 2004 Grange emerged with a massive note of blackberry, accompanied by cola, raspberry, spice, cedar, crushed berry, mint, eucalyptus and tobacco flavours. Sweetish tannins went perfectly with the last bite of tenderloin.

Torn between feverishly writing notes on these incredible wines and reaching for the last sip of the 2004 Grange, the 1994 Bin 707 poured was poured into my glass next. It had power and grace from smoke and spice notes, with huge fruits and big, earthy flavours. All I could do was simply enjoy this stunning example.

And finally, a 1983 Grange wandered by my seat. It’s dusty and perhaps a little tired, but the wine still shows good fruits, with mushroom, cherry, cedar and tea leaf. There was much more in the mouth, with chocolate, tea, dried cherry, spice box and a long finish. If you have a bottle lurking at home, wait no more, round up some good friends and enjoy.

A near sense of relief washed over me when the dessert course arrived — cheese and figs with a glass of the Penfolds Grandfather Tawny. Richer and sweeter than most tawny ports, it was the perfect close to a near-perfect evening.

As I staggered out the door and met my ride, I immediately wondered, “What will next year’s dinner be like?”

See you there!