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Penfolds
2018 Penfolds Quantum Bin 98 Wine of the World Cabernet Sauvignon
$700.00
Bottle
Price
$700.00
$8,400.00
Case
(12)
Price
$8,400.00
Member Pricing
Tasting Notes
NOSE: The aromatic building blocks are clear; rich malt, bone marrow and a ripe berried core.A complex dark-berried spectrum commands immediate focus and with further attention blackberry, blueberry and boysenberry can be teased out.
Over time and with energetic swirls, the berries fuse with sugared pastry and cinnamon/apple bakes.
“Piquant punches” season the aromatic profile – mild horseradish cream and Dijon mustard.
Familiar markers can be identified, a formic stamp and a VA bounce, yet the northern hemisphere narrative requires sensory re-orientation.
PALATE: A blue-berried wash and glistening film covers the palate with conviction.
Viscous/marbled texture combines with suppleness and acid succulence.
Respectful acidity tightens the palate, clenching/compressing around a core of graphite and hazelnut:
Graphite confirms varietal and identity.
Hazelnut confirms oak maturation.
A plush texture which cushions the palate. Exotic intrigue.
Sweetness that dials up over time with air. All boxes ticked.
COLOR: Deep red, magenta brightness at the rim.
Technical Information
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Volume | 750mL |
| Appellation | America |
| Blend | 87% Cabernet Sauvignon,13% Shiraz |
| Oak Treatment | 16 months in American oak (80% new) and French oak (20% new) |
| Alcohol % | 14.5% |
| Enclosure Type | Cork |
| pH | 3.70 |
Scores & Accolades
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98
JamesSuckling.com
"What sticks with you about this global blend of Napa and Southern Australian wine is the intense and transparent purple and blue fruit. Lots of blackberry and blueberry aromas with some stones and flowers, such as violets. It’s a very layered and intense wine with very refined, creamy and chewy tannins. Full and very impressive. Very Penfolds. Mouth-filling texture. It’s made mostly from Napa grapes and predominantly from Oakville and Diamond Mountain. About one-fifth is from South Australia. Aged in 80% new American oak and 20% new French. Try after 2026." - James Suckling, February 2021
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97+
Wine Advocate
"The wine is made very much like Grange, in that it completes fermentation in new, mainly American oak barrels. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs a good amount of swirling to unlock slowly emerging scents of chocolate-covered cherries, plum preserves, blueberry compote and cassis with fragrant suggestions of vanilla pod, violets, coconut, crushed rocks, pencil lead and clove oil. Medium to full-bodied, the generously fruited palate explodes in the mouth with ripe, juicy black and blue fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and a lovely burst of freshness, finishing long and spicy. It is mostly all fruit and American oak at this youthful stage, but I imagine that like Grange, its real appeal comes with bottle age. I would give it at least five years to allow the oak to marry and tertiary nuances to emerge, then drink it over the next 20 years or more. To manage expectations—this doesn't taste like Napa or South Australia. It doesn't even taste like the 2018 vintage here in Napa. It really is its own thing, which I suppose is the point." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, February 2021
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97
Vinous
"The flagship wine in this range, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Quantum Bin 98 is 87% Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% South Australia Shiraz. Blackberry jam, bittersweet chocolate, espresso, licorice, cloves and gravel infuse the 2018 with tons of character and complexity. Dense and opulent to the core, the Bin 98 possesses tremendous intensity. I would give if a few years in bottle to fully come together." - Antonio Galloni, February 2021
Winemaking
Peter Gago - Chief Winemaker
Peter joined the winemaking team in 1989, initially in the craftsmanship of sparkling wines, before moving on to reds as Penfolds Red Wine Maker. In 2002 Peter became the fourth ever Chief Winemaker for Penfolds. Together with his fellow winemakers, Peter’s careful custodianship has ensured that Grange and the other ‘older’ members of the Penfolds family, have continued to set the benchmark for their style and quality, while new additions to the range push the boundaries ever wider.
