Who has a wine they’ve bought fairly religiously for decades? Doesn’t have to be expensive, and not just a brand–a particular bottling they have visited for 10… 20… 30 years? Kalimna is one of those wines for me. Now–even though strong corporate situations have reached the brand and those in the back rows will point out the ® next to the vineyard name (the 1% know exactly what this spells, the 99 can figure it out)–I still buy these whenever I see them, and sometimes go to great lengths to seek out each vintage. Have they changed? I think so. I think you’d have to be quite myopic to believe differently.
Absolutely decadent nose. Gobs of rich berry tempered with spice and briar but also considerable restraint in how it is presented. It’s an even keel of beauty, nothing gob-stopping or over-the-top, just rich, evenly-dispersed beauty, no shallow chub, no fruity sugar-rush, rich and elegant throughout. Dark berry and gorgeous oak maintain a nice bass-line to a vibrancy of acid and balance you can SMELL.
In the mouth, more even-keeled beauty. Deep crimson pomegranate squirting stains on all the white carpet–stains the accompanying acid will etch into the recipient forever. Shockingly *un-massive* for an Aussie Shiraz, not a trace of warm over-workedness or any of the other sins inexpensive Shiraz can show in the glass. Surprisingly thin across the palate, the pureness of fruit and expressiveness of structure meld seamlessly together start-to-finish, a big wine done right.
I’m happy to report I am not disappointed with this vintage. I might even like it better than my last, a 2014 over a year ago. If there ever was a wine “accessible now and imminently age-worthy” (a phrase I cringe at on every label), this is it. A ridiculously gorgeous wine. And one–like most of my hap-hazard vertical going back 20+ years–I am POSITIVE I will enjoy in 10 or 15 years.
2018 PENFOLD’S Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz South Australia 14.5
Stephen McConnell 