Penfolds Bin 389 Magnum 2006

Grape Variety - 98% Shiraz and 2% Cabernet Colour - Deep blood-red, dense core. Nose - Very Penfolds, very Barossa, very Grange! Scents, now five years in the making, weave their charm - this aromatic quilt's first-noted brightest colours are panforte fig and quince paste alongside cured/smoked meats. Its fabric meshes with spice - cinnamon, vanillin pod, nutmeg and black pepper - tempered by teppanyaki sauces, amaretto/almond. A dark thread connects - black liquorice, olive and fresh Arabica coffee-bean and soy. Background nutty oak (Brazil nut) beneath, yet barely noticed. Palate - Freshness and balance are welcomed, yet confuse... a few sips remind me of the oft-used reference 'iron fist in a velvet glove'. All is not as it seems! Firm throughout and across the palate - reverent tannins and oak convey & propel flavours of slow-roasted lamb (Avec jus), dark chocolate, cola, maraschino, with a menthol/rosemary lift to the finish. Alluringly, a plush satin/cashmere mouthfeel compounds the initial confusion - accessible, yet poised to evolve and complex over many decades.