World blends: Taking regional and varietal blends to a new level

Winemaker Andrew Baldwin, senior winemaker Steph Dutton and chief winemaker Peter Gago
in Penfolds' California vineyard. Picture: Penfolds

Penfolds have been blending different varieties and fruit from different regions for more than five decades. But they have taken it a step further with their latest venture, the California Collection.

There are four wines in the first release, 2018 Quantum Bin 98 Cabernet Sauvignon ($950.00), 2018 Bin 149 Cabernet Sauvignon ($220.00), 2018 Bin 704 Cabernet Sauvignon ($120.00) and 2018 Bin 600 Cabernet Shiraz ($90.00).

Bin 98 is a blend of 87% Napa Valley cabernet with 13% shiraz from Penfolds’ South Australian vineyards. While the price in Australian terms might seem excessive, it’s not uncommon for top Napa cabernets to cost hundreds of dollars a bottle, if not more. The wine was matured in new American (80%) and French (20%) oak before bottling.

Interestingly, all the oak used in making the wines was sourced from South Australian coopers AP John, who have been supplying Penfolds and many other Barossa wineries for years.

It’s not the only Australian influence involved in making the wines – they are fermented in open fermenters of the style used by Penfolds in the Barossa and are made using the same techniques, thus giving them a distinct Penfolds “house style”. 

Bin 149 is a blend of Napa Valley and South Australian cabernets, matured in French (80%) and American (20%) oak, while Bin 704 is pure Napa Valley matured in new French (40%) and one-year-old French oak and the Bin 600 is a blend of cabernet sauvignon (78%) and shiraz from the Napa, Sonoma and Paso Robles. The Paso Robles fruit has a distinctive Penfolds background, with the vineyards being planted in the late 1990s with cuttings from some of Penfolds’ best blocks from their famous Kalimna and Magill Estate vineyards.

Senior winemaker Steph Dutton and winemaker Andrew Baldwin have worked on the ground in California with chief winemaker Peter Gago to ensure the wines reflect that Penfolds style while incorporating the best of their local characters.

It’s an intriguing step for Penfolds, who naturally are looking to expand their presence in the United States following the virtual collapse of the Australian wine market in China. The wines will be available online (www.penfolds.com) at their cellar doors at Magill Estate and the Barossa and a selected fine wine outlets from March 4

Find out more at www.penfolds.com 

Good news from behind the smoke haze

Many New South Wales wineries had a dreadful time of it in 2020, with quite a few making no wine at all because of bushfires and subsequent smoke haze. Fortunately, some were spared and have managed to produce very good wines.

One that escaped the worst was Robert Stein at Mudgee, whose location at the end of a valley and an elevation of 600m meant the bushfire smoke did not settle over their vineyards. In particular, their prized riesling was spared and they were able to produce a 2020 version ($35). Just to make sure, though, the fruit was tested before and after fermentation and regularly taste tested to make sure there was no smoke taint. 

The winery plans to release some other reds and whites from the 2020 vintage and is looking forward to more normal conditions for the 2021 vintage, with the fruit looking exceptional at this stage.

More at www.robertstein.com.au