Penfolds Bordeaux Collection – 2022 Release
The new French venture, in partnership with Dourthe, is particularly enlightened. Matthieu Chadronnier, managing director of negociant company CVBG Dourthe, is one of the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic supporters of the ‘Beyond Bordeaux’ category, which is making significant inroads into this very specialised and extraordinary fine wine distribution channel. Bordeaux wine merchants are massively effective and reach parts of the world of fine wine that many New World wine producers have been unable to crack. The promising Dourthe Penfolds collaboration takes the Beyond Bordeaux category to a new level. It is now 72 years since Max Schubert visited the region and imagined Grange. But now, generational ambitions are on an equal footing. This joint project is a team effort between Emma Wood and Dourthe’s Frederic Bonnaffous, both highly skilled winemakers, each bringing different perspectives. On the one side there is an ambition to amplify the Penfolds aesthetic, and on the other an aspiration to bring out the best of Dourthe’s terroirs in the Medoc. This push me–pull you type of winemaking has created a spirit of experimentation and open- mindedness. If both parties stay the course, and egos stay in check, this could lead to something meaningful and special. Chief Winemaker Peter Gago, who oversees the project and works with the team to select the final outcome, points out that the refined and practiced Penfolds classification tasting process is the final determinant of quality and style. But, of course, with Dourthe’s experience with Cabernet and the less well known varieties Merlot and Petit Verdot (from an Australian perspective), there seems to be very good technical exchange and mutual respect. Having known the actors on both sides of the equation for a very long time, I think this partnership has some real legs and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next! The 2019 Penfolds ‘French Winemaking Trial’ 585 is the first 100% Penfolds Bordeaux wine, and is based on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. This collaboration has yielded a very impressive first vintage. It offers regional authenticity with a subtle Penfoldsian look. While it’s a work in progress, it holds up against the Grand Cru circus, although the intent is not to frame it within this context. The technical exchange behind the scenes and new outlooks towards sourcing and winemaking – on both sides of the equation – make this wine the most fascinating of the Penfolds Collection 2022 release. The Franco–South Australian 2019 Penfolds II is self-described as ‘aspiringly lofty’. The complicated wine laws mean that it is labelled as Cabernet Sauvignon – France/ Shiraz – South Australia, putting it in the category of an international Vin de Table. The Shiraz parcel was vinified six months before the Cabernet parcels, and the final blends and bottling took place in South Australia. But, of course, like many ambitious projects, this wine would stretch the black-and-white minds of lawmakers. This first
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