The Joke's on Who?

Who's right? Mr. Cork or Mr. Screwcap? I like the romance of the cork, but appreciate the bulletproofness and convenience of the screwcap. In the case of tonights wines, the cork gives a clue as to the easy winner...that black stain bodes only good things...

First up though, is another marketing ploy. The Mitolo, Jester, Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale, 2006 is beautifully packaged. They even throw a twist into the winemaking - 20% of the grapes are air dried before fermenting to boost alcohol and add some body (at least that's the theory) amarone style. Well, it kinda works a little bit. The nose is tart (certainly not amarone-like) leading into a sweet, almost fizzy palate attack with a bright, tart cherry finish. There is a hint of amarone depth, but just a hint. There is a surprisingly medium bodiedness about this wine. It's "OK", and a complete waste of money at $23 a bottle. I have another bottle (woe unto me!!) so I'll keep it 3-4 years and see if it shows anything later.
Now for the competition. The Penfolds, Bin 28, Kalimna Shiraz 2004 is sooooo much better than the Jester (so, the jokes on him...er, make that me coz I bought the damn bottle). Dense purple in the glass, this has a creamy, lush mouthfeel. No over-oaked monster here, this is pure blackcurrant fruit in perfect balance with silky tannins. Long, dark chocolate finish. Wow. A steal at $27 per bottle (we had a 10% off sale this weekend at our wine monopoly- woo hoo!!).
Now then, I can't wait for our Penfolds bin taste-off (28, 128, 389 and 407 - can't afford the 707 or 64). Jimmy, Joel, Joe, Carlo - are you in??
Cheers!!