1985 PENFOLDS COONAWARRA BIN 128 Wholesale Price: $60.58 Recommended Retail Price: $9.24 Penfolds’ only Coonawarra wine is a soft, medium-bodied red made in the traditional Penfolds manner using 100% shiraz. The lightness of the 1985 vintage (it is only 12.2% alcohol by volume) make it a particularly approachable young red of considerable elegance and charm. This is not one of the fuller-blown mulberry jam Coonawarra wines – instead it is restrained, elegant, not too dominant and therefore able to complement food quite easily. Its drink-now characteristic means that it’s ready for the consumer today. Shiraz is certainly returning to popularity in Australian red wine. Following the disastrously low yields of the recent 1988 vintage there is a nationwide shortage of red wine, and with the ever-increasing prices of cabernet sauvignon and its blends, the claret styles made by shiraz become a more attractive alternative for those on a budget. And as this wine ably demonstrates, you don’t have to skimp on quality when you choose shiraz. 0Coonawarra’s shiraz is some of the country’s best. Rouge Homme, Zema Estate and Bowen Estate, to name just two, are others who have regularly released excellent wines from this grape. This Penfolds Coonawarra red has retained a lower profile. Its colour is a moderately deep fiery red, with excellent clarity. Rich, spicy and earthy, the nose is clearly enhanced by well-integrated oak characters which lend definition and complexity. The palate is soft and supple, very approachable and elegant, with a typically Australian breadth of fruit and drying tannins which don’t intrude too much. Bin 128 can be expected to be available throughout the year, and makes a good restaurant wine for its drinkability at the present time, not-too-intrusive nature and sheer quality at a price. Food suggestions: Cuts of lamb and beef, drier and acidic cheeses. Goes wonderfully with pepper sauces. I would drink it over the next five years.
