2021 Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay. Of special interest is the Tasmania fruit-sourced 2021 Penfolds Bin 23 Pinot Noir. If its provenance continues in this direction, expect this series to take off now. 2020 Penfolds Bin 138 is also delicious. I prefer the primary fruit in this style and recommend it for early drinking, although it should last for some distance. In addition to the strikingly beautiful 2020 Penfolds Yattarna, the 2021 Penfolds Reserve Bin A Chardonnay and the more modestly priced 2021 Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay are impressive reference styles, the latter being extremely good value. All of these chardonnay-based wines have been on form for years. This is largely the work of the modest yet highly skilled Kym Schroeter, who epitomises the art and science of winemaking in this very specialised space of precision white wine winemaking. 2022 Penfolds Bin 51 Riesling is a very good example of the modern Eden Valley Riesling style, where the fruit, acidity and alcohol are neatly balanced. There was no release of Penfolds Bin 707 in 2020, reflecting a challenging growing season in the South Estate of South Australia, and the difficulty of finding cabernet sauvignon material that could make the grade. In theory, the beneficiaries of these type of years are the lower ranking Bin numbers, especially Bin 407. But judging from the results, this is not really a particularly great Cabernet Sauvignon year. Even so, 2020 Bin 389, with a large proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, is one of the picks of the releases, highlighting the benefits of multi-regional sourcing. But no such luxury for the limited release single vineyard 2020 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz, which expresses the vintage in its highly individual way. 2018 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz South Australia G 100 Deep colour. Beautiful and classic, with intense blackberry, blackcurrant dark chocolate espresso aromas and wax polish, roasted chestnut, malt notes. Superbly concentrated wine with deep-set inky blackberry, blackcurrant, dark plum, dark chocolate mocha flavours, fine chocolaty/ velvety tannins, underlying espresso, malt, oak notes and hints of aniseed. Finishes chocolaty firm with superbly integrated acidity and mineral length. A glorious year for Grange. This will last 50 years at least. Wonderful. One of the greatest vintages of all time, highlighting a superb growing season, marvellous vineyard management, the fidelity of the Penfolds house style, and generations of imagination and effort. 97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. 18 months maturation in 100% new American oak hogsheads. Drink 2030–2060+. 14.5% alc
Penfolds Collection 2022
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