The 2018 Penfolds Superblend 802 A is a proprietary blend composed of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Shiraz. Sourced from various South Australian regions including the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, Robe, and the Clare Valley, this wine showcases the best of Penfolds' winemaking prowess. With a 14.5% alcohol content and matured for 22 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads, this red wine is a robust and complex offering.

Halliday Wine Companion awarded it an impressive score of 98, describing it as a wine of "stature, power, and might." The review elaborates, "It is as if all the grandeur of 707, Grange, and 389 have been united in one dramatic whole," highlighting its structural endurance and monumental fruit. The wine is noted for its dramatic palate depth and intrigue, making it a standout.

Vinous also gave the wine a high score of 96, noting its "inky ruby" color and a bouquet that is slow to open but displays powerful dark berry, cherry-cola, pipe tobacco, and savory herb qualities. The review emphasizes the wine's superb depth and energy, describing the flavors as densely packed with bitter cherry, mocha, black cardamom, and fruitcake. The long finish is striking, with floral and cola notes echoing emphatically.

James Suckling's review, which also scored the wine 96, points out its very oak-forward style with rich red berries, chocolate, and vanilla. The palate is bold, featuring dark plums, blueberries, and blackberries in abundance. Suckling suggests giving this wine time, recommending to try it from 2026.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave it a score of 94, mentioning a "huge rush of cedar and vanilla" on the nose, followed by cassis and boysenberry fruit. The wine is described as full-bodied and lush, with driving tannins and a long, velvety finish. However, the review notes that it might not be as seamless or elegant as its counterpart, the 802.B.

Wine Spectator rated the wine 93, describing it as "dense and taut, with a mouthful of cedary tannins." The review highlights flavors reminiscent of kirsch, framboise, and huckleberry jam, with a hint of black walnut liqueur on the finish. The tannins are noted to clamp down further, yet the intense flavors persist.

Overall, the 2018 Penfolds Superblend 802 A is a complex and powerful wine that has garnered high praise from critics, with excellent reviews highlighting its depth, structure, and bold flavors.