Penfolds releases its first-ever Bordeaux/Oz blend

By James Bayley

Published: 21 July, 2022

Australian wine brand Penfolds has released its first-ever Bordeaux/Australian blend - and the first French wine to be included in its annual collection release.

The new release was made in partnership with Dourthe Bordeaux, one of the region’s most respected winemaking houses.

The new wine spans the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, blending grapes from Bordeaux (71%) and South Australia (29%) thanks to the work of Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe Chief Winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous.

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Made from the 2019 vintage, the Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot was blended and bottled in South Australia by Penfolds winemakers.

Peter Gago, Penfolds’ chief winemaker, said: “This is the start of our French winemaking journey. Our main objective? To remain true to the winemaking ethos of both wineries, to deliver the best blend possible, and to ideally make Bordeaux and South Australia proud. This wine is not about bigness or boldness, or assertion. Instead, it is blended to convey an ethereal lightness, subtlety on the palate - sensitively binding two hemispheres, Old World and New.”

A second French wine will also be released in August, the 2019 Penfolds FWT 585: A trial Bin wine made of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The trial wine was made at Cambon la Pelouse Winery with Penfolds senior winemaker Emma Wood on the ground, in the cellars and the vineyards.

Meanwhile, following the inaugural release of Penfolds Californian wines in 2021, the next iteration will launch as part of the 2022 Collection – a continuation of an endeavour started over 20 years ago when Penfolds winemakers first started exploring Californian soils. This year’s release includes the 2019 Bin 149 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bin 704 Cabernet Sauvignon and Bin 600 Cabernet Shiraz.

Penfolds MD, Tom King, said, “Penfolds is building a global ambition, not just on paper but with our feet in vineyards across two hemispheres. We are focused on making Penfolds wines from the best winemaking regions globally…We started this journey with our partnership with Champagne (Thienot), then brought to life a 20-year endeavour with the California wine release, and now, we proudly introduce a partnership with a leading Bordeaux winery and reveal our own 2019 Trial Bin wine in France.”

The Penfolds Collection 2022 wines are available from Thursday 4 August 2022 at Penfolds Cellar Doors (Magill Estate Winery and Barossa Valley Cellar Door) in Australia and select fine wine stores globally.

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