Once upon a time, Australian wines - reds in particular - took up a lot of shelf space in US wine shops. But that was a couple of decades ago. Since then, thanks in part to the Yellow Tail effect (the impact of the ubiquity of that brand on the general public's perception that all Australian wines should cost eight dollars or less,) there's less and less of it around. China's tarrifs didn't help the industry, either. But none of that has had an impact on the quality of wine being made down under.
Case in point is the 2021 Penley Cabernet Sauvignon 'Phoenix' Coonawarra ($20) Though I've had this wine before, it's been ages since I've seen it. Imagine my surprise to find it at Costco retailing for the same price it was a decade ago. Take that, inflation! The packaging has been revamped, but this cab remains focused, precise, and delicious without being overblown or over-oaked. Delicious. Will have to grab more soon. 92 points.
