Some of the oldest wines that I have enjoyed the most, out of our collection at least, have been the Bin ranges from Penfolds. The wines have shown that they have an exceptional ability to carry bottle age and the wine develops exceptionally in the bottle, the problem now though is that the most of the reds in the Bin range start at a RRP of $40, a far cry from the sub $20 and $30’s of just over a decade ago.
The demand for the wines and the need to recoup the massive outlays that go into crafting the wines has been a couple of the reasons behind that steady increase. So the team at Penfolds decided they need to fill the gap in the market with something that would fall into that $20-$30 gap that the bins previously held, and while at it why not honour the man that was their first chief winemaker and in the mid 1950’s also happened to create a little wine called Penfolds Grange. That man was Max Schubert, (a name known well to all the cork dorks out there) and it’s his likeness that Penfolds have decided to put on their “Max’s” range.
Max was a true pioneer of Australian wine, he wasn’t afraid to back himself, and did more for Penfolds and Aussie wine than most people will ever know. It was his pursuit of excellence that paved the way for those that followed behind him and really started the ball rolling growing that status and heritage of Penfolds in the wine world. Most people have probably heard the story that Max was ordered to stop making grange because the early reviews were so scathing, but few will know that it was Max that improved every single wine that Penfolds made, or that he improved the output of every vineyard that Penfolds owned. He and his team pioneered major advances in yeast technology, the understanding and use of pH in controlling bacteria, selective picking of vineyards, cold fermentation and partial barrel fermentation.
Max passed away in 1994, twenty one years later Penfolds rolled out the first vintage of the Max’s range to commemorate the man, with the wines starting at $35 RRP and working their way up to $450RRP. The wines themselves show that there has been a good selection of fruit, with the depth of colour and intensity of fruit flavours across the range being quite exceptional, there’s been great use of oak handling, but in some cases the wines can come through a little thin in the mid palate and finish. They aren’t incredibly complex wines, but they are pretty interesting easy drinking wines, with the reds benefiting from a quick decant, if you don’t have a glass decanter try pouring it into a jug then back into the bottle.
However all these wines will have the ability to age well and it will be interesting to have a look at them in the next few years when they have a couple of years on them, and the plastic sleeve that adorns the 2014 Shiraz has awesome Christmas gift written all over it!
Three of the range:
Penfolds Max’s Chardonnay 2015 – here’s my pick of the Max’s range, all Adelaide Hills fruit. On the nose it shows grapefruit, white peach homemade nougat and some toasty nuttiness. On the tongue it shows that white peach, with apple and lemon curd. The oak work has given it a touch of spice and almond meal, a creamy softness, a great backbone of acid gives it a long finish. Will age well over the next five years, which will add some extra depth to the spice and almond meal. This is a quality wine. RRP $35
Penfolds Max’s Shiraz Cabernet 2013 – the new release isn’t too far from hitting the bottleo, but this is the one that is easiest to find. A great deep colour to this medium bodied wine, aromas of fennel, fig, liquorice and quince paste. Dark fruits on the tongue, with dry dusty herbs. Soft grainy tannins, low oak influence gives it a savoury finish. If Bin 389 has become the poor man’s Grange then this might be the poor man’s 389. RRP $35
Penfolds Max’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 – classic cabernet notes of tomato leaf, black olive and black currant on the nose, with dark chocolate in there around the edges too. Plenty of flavour, but it doesn’t follow through to be as long on the finish as I’d like for the $35 RRP, however bottleshop prices will be far better than that.
Penfolds Max’s Shiraz 2014 – we sat down to both the ’13 and ’14, with the ’14 taking the winners cheque on the day. Powerful full nose, plums, tar, cedar, dark fruits. It’s smells good and tastes good too, ripe and rich on the tongue, chock full of black fruits and liquorice, traces of violets and vanilla around the edges. It’s a little thin on the finish, light and a touch sweet, but it’s well rounded and mouth filling, straight forward and enjoyable. RRP $35, but will be good buying at sub $30, ageing well till 2025.
