Penfolds
Australia
Penfolds is one of Australia’s best known wineries with a rich history and pioneering philosophy.
After the success of early sherries and fortified wines, Dr Christopher Penfold and Mary Penfold founded Penfolds wine company in 1844 on the 500 acre Magill Estate near Adelaide, South Australia.
The first prominent wines from Penfolds were made from Riesling and in the style called Claret, a style comparable to the wines from Bordeaux. These wines laid the foundation for the rest of the estate’s success. In 1948, Max Schubert would become the company’s Chief Winemaker, propelling Penfolds into global success with his innovative experimentation of long-lasting wines – the creation of Penfolds Grange in the 1950s. Grange, a wine that rivals Chateau Latour, Harland Estate and grandiose Grand Cru Burgundy, was given a heritage listing in South Australia on the 50th anniversary of its birth.
In recent years, Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief winemaker, continues to experiment and progress forward, expanding with projects overseas in California and Champagne.
Penfold’s flagship wine, Grange, is crafted utilising fully ripe, intensely flavoured and structured shiraz grapes. Grange clearly demonstrates the synergy between shiraz and the soils and climates of South Australia in its balance, shape and complex flavours on the nose and palette.
Other wines from The Penfolds Collection include:
- St Henri Shiraz – is an alternative expression of shiraz, a counterpoint to Grange, and is unusual as it does not rely on any new oak. St. Henri is rich and plush when young, gaining soft, earthy, mocha-like characters with age.
- Bin 311 Chardonnay – reflects sourcing fruit from where it grows best. It exhibits lemon/lime aromas with a mineral acid backbone complemented by barrel fermentation and maturation in mostly seasoned oak.
- Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz – was often referred to as ‘Baby Grange’ and helped forge the Penfolds reputation with red wine. It combines the structure of cabernet sauvignon with the richness of shiraz and exemplifies the balance of fruit and oak.
- Bin 23 Pinot Noir – follows in the footsteps of the success of the Penfolds Cellar Reserve Pinot Noir and is a bold and dynamic wine.
- Bin 28 ‘Kalimna’ Shiraz – offers a showcase of warm climate Australian shiraz – ripe, robust and generously flavoured. Bin 28 is a multi-region, multi-vineyard blend with the Barossa Valley well represented.
- Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon – offers varietal definition and approachability, yet still with structure and depth of flavour. Penfolds multi-region, multi-vineyard blending is supported by sensitive use of French and American oak.
The Max’s range of wines is named for Penfolds first Chief Winemaker, Max Schubert, and celebrates his bold and passionate spirit. Each wine is polished and charming in the expression of its varietal.
- Max’s Chardonnay 2019
- Max’s Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
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