History of the estate
The determination of the First Lady of Penfolds
Convinced of the benefits of wine, the English doctorChristopher Rawsondecided to plant his own vines upon arriving in Australia with his wife, Mary Penfold. In 1844, they became owners of a 200-hectare estate in Adelaide (South Australia), on which they planted 25 hectares ofShiraz(Syrah). ThePenfolds companywas born. After a few years, as the doctor's medical reputation grew, he had to leave the management of the vineyard to his wife.
SoMary PenfoldShe was the only one who continued the activity, dedicating herself body and soul to the task. It must be said that this determination was rewarded, since in 1907Penfoldshad become the largest wine producer in South Australia. And, in addition to production, the Penfolds company also owned a third of the wine shops in the state of South Australia.
The brand remained in the family for 120 years before being bought byFoster's, a group of brewers and wine producers.
New World Winery of the Year
International prestige
In the 1950s, Australian viticulture was progressing and dreaming of international markets. The arrival ofMax SchubertThe appointment of Chief Winemaker marks a new turning point in the history ofPenfoldsSent to Europe to study technological innovations,SchubertHe returned dazzled by the wines of Bordeaux. Impressed by the elegance and aging potential of these Grands Crus, he set his mind on achieving the same quality in Australia. To do this, he used the grape variety closest to Cabernet Sauvignon:Syrah.
Despite setbacks, after standing up to his superiors and patiently enduring the hardship, the cellar master managed to produce a limited-edition vintage that was a real success:BarnIt was from this success that Penfolds began to conquer the international market. Today, the reputation and quality of theGrange vintagehave made it one of themust-havecollectors from all over the world. This certainly explains the title of "New World Winery of the Year”awarded to Penfolds in 2013 by the American magazineWine Enthusiast.
Grange & Bin
Rich and intense wines
The Penfolds propertynow spans 700 hectares across 4 vineyards located in several states. Its current range includes a few white wines inChardonnaybut it consists mainly of reds made from Syrah and grape varietiesCabernet Sauvignon.
The whole thing follows a common rule: no "single vineyards"At Penfolds. Indeed, the differences between the planting areas reveal complementary characteristics in the blending of wines from different vineyards or even from multiple regions. It is these precise blends that give these exceptional wines all their richness and intensity."
Thus, the first wine in the Penfolds range is theBarn(100/100 for the 2008 vintage by Team Parker). Its second wine, no less exceptional, is theBin 389 Cabernet ShirazThen, among others, come thePenfolds Saint-Henriand theBin 28 Kalimna Shiraz.
"Bin" refers to the number of the storage bin for a batch of bottles. This latter term, now part of its identity, is used byPenfoldsto designate many of its vintages.
