2008 Penny's Hill The Skeleton Key Shiraz

This is a new offering from Penny’s Hill that has been sourced from the estates original vineyard plantings. The wine has been given extended barrel aging (21 months in French and American oak barrels, of which approximately 30% were new, with the balance 1 year old) as well as additional bottle ageing to ensure that it’s looking at its optimal best upon release.

An outstanding McLaren Vale Shiraz from Ben Riggs, that’s in limited supply with a total production of around only 400 dozen.
The wine displays excellent colour with a totally opaque inky black crimson colour and deep black crimson hue. Perfumed aromas of blackberry, dark plum and liquorice allsorts followed by a spice and confectionary end note. Full bodied with mouthfilling opulent flavours of blackberry, dark plum and spice fully encompassing the palate followed by some dark chocolate bullets, confectionary and pepper on the back palate. The wines velvet smooth tannins in combination with the volumes of succulent ripe fruit provide the wine with a soft fleshy texture. Impressive depth and concentration with long aftertaste of blackberry, spice, liquorice allsorts and blackpepper.
Cellar 3-4 years (2013-2014).
Alc 14.5% 

Other Reviews...
By a considerable margin, the most profound of the Penny's Hill shirazs, built on a precise 92 weeks in barrel and 37 weeks in bottle prior to release; the aromas and flavours are all in a black fruit range with strong licorice and dark chocolate notes adding complexity to the structure of the full-bodied palate. Screwcap.
14.5% alc. Drink 2028; Date Tasted Jan 10
Rating 95
James Halliday - Australian Wine Companion