Inky black ruby. Intense and richly concentrated bouquet of pure blackberry and dark plum liqueur leads into a potent, opulent palate displaying layer upon layer of vibrant blackberry fruit, licorice and plums. Superbly integrated and beautifully balanced with a frame of ripe, supremely polished tannins, it is currently only showing a glimpse of its true potential; possessing the concentration and structure to reward long cellaring over many decades. Drink 2022-2050.
Andrea Pritzker MW, Langton’s.
Commemorating 170 years of Penfolds and made with grapes from vines around 100 years old, in particular the Kalimna 3C clone, which is a block that almost always makes it into Grange, the deep purple-black coloured 2010 Bin 170 Shiraz Kalimna Vineyard Block 3C absolutely 'wows' with intense creme de cassis and mocha aromas that are quite meaty and nutty plus accented by some earthy undertones, hints of baking spices, mint and touches of violets. Very concentrated and complex on the medium to full-bodied palate, the firm, fine-grained tannins and vibrant acid lend support to the very rich, long and layered finish. Drink it now to 2025+
98 points, Wine Advocate.
Penfolds
Penfolds is probably the most extraordinary of the world’s wine brands with an enviable reputation for quality at every price level. The original Penfold was an English doctor who, in 1844, planted grapes at Magill, now a suburb of Adelaide. However, it was not until the late 1940s that Penfolds began to forge a reputation for red wine.
The Penfolds house style emerged from a fortified wine producing culture and evolved as a winemaking philosophy which has had a profound effect on the entire Australian wine industry. Many of the techniques initially adopted to make Penfolds Grange would become part of the wider Penfolds winemaking culture. The number of techniques employed in the research and development of Penfolds wines is astonishing. Max Schubert and his team pioneered: major advances in yeast technology and paper chromatography; the understanding and use of pH in controlling bacterial spoilage; the use of headed down/submerged cap fermentation and the technique of rack and return; cold fermentation practices; the use of American oak as a maturation vessel and perhaps most critically, partial barrel fermentation. Nowadays, the use of American oak and barrel fermentation for instance is considered traditional Barossa winemaking practice!
Today, Penfolds house style embraces the concept of multi-regional blending, optimum fruit quality, the use of fine-grained American or French oak, barrel fermentation and maturation. Overall, the Penfolds style is about highly-defined fruit aromas, fruit sweetness, ripe tannins, richness, power and concentration. The number of iconic wines that have emerged from the Penfolds stable over the years is remarkable. Bin 389 a Cabernet Shiraz blend released in 1960 is now considered the quintessential Australian wine blend. Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz and Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz released in 1962 pre-empted the contemporary enthusiasm for regional definition by about 25 years. Improved vineyard management, site selection and winemaking brought about subsequent releases of Bin 707 and Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon. The Penfolds Wine Making Philosophy is the accumulation of more than half-a-century of knowledge and winemaking practice initiated by Max Schubert and subsequently refined by Don Ditter, John Duval and Peter Gago. Their collective commitment to multi-regional and vineyard blending contributed to a consistency of style and quality that has cemented Penfolds reputation as the foremost producer of premium age-worthy red wines in Australia.
