Penfolds 'Koonunga Hill' Shiraz-Cabernet - $8.99

Wine Details

Price: $8.99
Producer: Penfolds Wines
Region: Australia
Varietal: Proprietary Blend - Red
Container Size: 750 ML
Flavors: blackberries, leather, licorice, pepper
  • Red Wine
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Product Description

  • A medium-bodied wine with flavours at release of stewed quince, rhubarb and ripe dark fruits with further black olive notes adding a savoury tone to the finish. The tannins are soft and fine and integrate well with the balanced background spicy oak.
  • Penfolds is an Australian wine producer, founded in 1844 by Dr. Christopher Rawson Penfold, an English physician who emigrated to Australia. It is one of Australia’‘s oldest wineries. Penfold was a believer in the medicinal benefits of wine and before emigrating to Australia, obtained some vine cuttings from France. Arriving in Australia, he set up in practice at Magill on the eastern outskirts of Adelaide, South Australia and planted vines around his stone cottage which he called The Grange after his wife, Mary’‘s, former home. Initially, Penfold produced fortified wines, for his patients in the style of sherry and port. As demand for the wines increased the winery was expanded. Mary Penfold assumed the running of the winery after the death of her husband in 1870. After Mary retired in 1884 her daughter Georgina and son-in-law Thomas Hyland took over the day to day running of the winery. The Penfold family continued to operate the business very successfully and although the company became public in 1962 the Penfold family remained in control until 1976. During the 1940’‘s and 1950’‘s the company changed its focus to table wines to accommodate changing tastes. This led to experiments by Penfolds’‘ chief winemaker, Max Schubert which would eventually lead to the production of Penfolds’‘ and Australia’‘s most famous wine, Grange Hermitage, later renamed simply Grange. Control of Penfolds passed to Tooth & Co, a brewer based in New South Wales in 1976, to the Adelaide Steamship Co in 1982 and then in 1990 to S.A.Brewing which became part of Southcorp, an Australian conglomerate. Since 2005, the Southcorp wine brands and wineries have been owned by the Foster’‘s Group. Penfolds currently operates two wineries; at Magill, near Adelaide and at Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley.

Expert Ratings

Ratings   Vintage Source Flavors
WineAdvocate - 91 Details: Penfolds has been producing the Shiraz/Cabernet Koonunga Hill for 30 years and it remains an excellent bargain (early releases cost about $1 a bottle). The 2004, an outstanding blend of 62% Shiraz and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, was aged in old 300 liter hogsheads. Its dense purple color is accompanied by scents of blackberries, truffles, old leather, licorice, and pepper. Heady ripeness, a fleshy mouthfeel, decent acidity, and a long finish suggest it should drink well for 10-12 years. Importer: Southcorp, PWG Vintners, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 258-8755 2004 WineAdvocate blackberries, leather, licorice, pepper
WineSpectator - 85 Details: Fresh and lively, a juicy mouthful of blueberry, blackberry and cedar flavors that remain crisp through the finish. Drink now. 140,000 cases imported. –HS 2004 WineSpectator blackberry, blueberry, cedar
WineSpectator - 87 Details: A gentle, nicely modulated style offers a welcome balance between ripe blueberry and black pepper flavors with a sweet leather note as the finish persists. Drink now through 2009. 140,000 cases imported. –HS 2003 WineSpectator black pepper, blueberry, leather
WineSpectator - 86 Details: Smooth, appealing for its lightly spicy mix of blackberry and toasty oak flavor, lingering on the fine-grained finish. Drink now through 2008. 14,000 cases imported. –HS 2003 WineSpectator blackberry, spicy, toasty oak
Tanzer - 87 Details: ($9) Deep red. Sweet cherry and red berry aromas, with suggestions of cured tobacco and mocha. Fairly lush and sweet, with a cherry flavor and gentle tannins. Those averse to minty, herbal cabernet should give this one a try. 2002 Tanzer currant, herb flavors, raspberry
Tanzer - 88 Details: Deep ruby-red. Sappy aromas of cassis, black raspberry, licorice, shoe polish and spicy oak. Rich, broad and layered in the mouth; not especially complex but suave and nicely concentrated, with a penetrating berry sweetness. Finishes with firm, ripe tannins and a hint of dryness from the oak. A top year for this bottling-not surprising in light of the vintage quality. 1998 Tanzer berry, cassis, licorice, oak, raspberry, spicy
Tanzer - 86 Details: Bright ruby-red. Spicy aromas of black raspberry, smoke and pepper. Sweet and supple, with enticing berry flavors and nicely integrated acids. Easygoing and nicely balanced; finishes with light tannins and good persistence. 1997 Tanzer berry, pepper, raspberry, smoke, spicy
WineAdvocate - 86 Details: The 1995 Cabernet/Shiraz Koonunga Hill (a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Shiraz) is subtle and restrained. Although it has some youthful tannin to resolve, it offers a dark ruby color, cedar, black currant, and spicy aromas, medium body, moderate tannin, and a clean finish. The wine is understated, and possesses an excess of tannin, but it should round out to provide good drinking over the next 5-7 years. This winery continues to turn out an insipid selection of white wines, but the reds are all noteworthy, and some are reasonably good values. Importer: Southcorp Wines North America, Monterey, CA; tel. (408) 655-4848 1995 WineAdvocate black currant, cedar, spicy
WineAdvocate - 87 Details: Most consumers associate the name Penfolds with the extraordinary luxury wine called Penfolds Grange Hermitage. However, Penfolds also produces a bevy of other wines, many of which are not only of high quality, but are also significantly less expensive than their Grange Hermitage. The 1988 Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon (78% Shiraz and 22% Cabernet) is a full-bodied, rich wine, with an attractive blackcurrant, subtle herb, smoky, licorice-scented bouquet, medium to full-bodied flavors, a soft, opulent texture, and a moderately long finish. It is ideal for drinking over the next 4-6 years. 1988 WineAdvocate

Food Pairings

Category Pairing
Vegetables Lentils, Mediterranean, Grilled, Mushrooms
Sauces Red Wine Sauce

Wine Terms

Name Value
Australia In the past few decades Australia’s wine industry has transformed itself into one of the most technologically advanced in the world. A combination of a generally warm, dry climate and a cultural affinity for creating, rather than following, tradition has resulted in wines that are soft and pleasant to drink from an early age. They are the epitome of user-friendliness. Australia’s wine regions are mainly in the southern, cooler part of the country, clustered mainly in the state of Victoria, the southern part of South Australia and the cooler parts of New South Wales. Syrah, or Shiraz as it is known there, is the top grape, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Semillon. The wines are generally listed with the name of their grape variety, which must constitute at least 85 percent of the wine. Although Australia’s winemaking region is vast, most labels indicate only that their contents come from South Eastern Australia. Flavor is indicated by the variety of grape used to make the wine. Australia’s classification system is generally lax when it comes to quality and labeling. Some bottles indicate a specific state of origin (New South Wales, Victoria, or South Australia), or a region within a state, but these smaller zones are still being decided.
Australia/New Zealand Besides producing Mel Gibson, this region can also produce some pretty intense wine. Australia has become the fourth largest wine export in the world. Australian labels are strictly labeled depending where the grapes where grown to make the wine. In New Zealand the sea moderates the weather producing cooler summers and milder winters. The effect of consistently cool nights is to produce fruit which is nearly always high in acidity.

Tasting Notes

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