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More wines available from Penfolds
Pre-Arrival
Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 169 2018
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$176.70
A very elegantly complex nose with meticulously fresh aromas that range from red florals to violets, blueberries,...
Pre-Arrival
Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 1998
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$434.17
Firm in texture, with an open feel--a transparency--to the red berry, cherry and herb flavors. Has an aristocratic...
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Winery
Penfolds
Vintage: 2011
The year 2011 was an interesting year for many northern and central European countries, as the weather was more than unpredictable in the spring and summer. However, in most countries, the climatic conditions thankfully settled down in the late summer and fall. The result of this slightly difficult year of weather in France was a set of surprisingly small yields, but overall, these yields were of a higher quality than those harvested in certain previous years. A fantastic set of wines was also made in Italy and Spain, and the Rioja wines - when released - are set to be very good indeed. Austria also had superb year in 2011, with almost fifty percent more grapes being grown and used for their distinctive Gruner Veltliner wines than in the year before. Possibly the European country which had the finest 2011, though, was Portugal, with wineries in the Douro region claiming this year to be one of the best in decades for the production of Port wine, and the bright, young Vinho Verdes wines.
In the New World, the Pacific Northwest saw some of the best weather of 2011, and Washington State and Oregon reportedly had a highly successful year, especially for the cultivation of high quality red wine grapes. Chile and Argentina had a relatively cool year, which certainly helped retain the character of many of their key grape varietals, and should make for some exciting drinking. South Africa had especially good weather for their white wine grape varietals, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and many South African wineries are reporting 2011 as one of their best years in recent memory.
Varietal: Chardonnay
For most people, the Chardonnay grape varietal is one of the quintessential white wine grapes. It isn't difficult to understand why; Chardonnay may well have started off in regions of France (where it is still used widely today in both single variety white wines as well as sparkling Champagne wines) but it is now grown in every wine producing country in the world. Indeed, it was the New World that took Chardonnay to some exciting new extremes – this relatively neutral grape has the fantastic ability to carry much of its terroir in the bottle, resulting in a fascinating range of flavors and styles. Furthermore, Chardonnay is one of the few white wine grapes which is well suited to aging, as can be seen in some of the excellent produce consistently coming out of Burgundy, and elsewhere in the world. With everything from buttery, creamy characteristics to vibrant tropical fruit notes, Chardonnay will never cease to surprise and impress.
Region: South Australia
The enormous wine region of South Australia covers a huge area, and is bordered by all other mainland Australian states. The region itself is split into six key sub-regions, Barossa Zone, Far North Zone, The Fleurieu Zone, Mount Lofty Ranges Zone and the Limestone Coast Zone. All have a range of climatic conditions within them, and as such, produce a wide variety of wine types and styles using a range of different grape varietals. South Australia holds the country's oldest wineries, with a viticultural history which dates back to the mid 19th century, when the country was first being properly established. Early settlers noticed that, with the help of some irrigation, the higher altitude areas of the region and the valley sides were ideal for vineyard cultivation. Today, the region produces an enormous amount of wine, including Australia's famous Shiraz and Chardonnay examples, which are enjoyed all over the world.
Country: Australia
With over sixteen thousand hectares of Australian land now under vine, Australia has become something of a world leader in regards to wine production. One of Australia's key attributes to their success has been their willingness to leave traditional vineyard practices to one side, and develop techniques which are perfectly suited to a New World country. Modern Australian wineries take into consideration the climate and the unique soil types which cover much of their country, and have had fantastic results from cross-breeding programs and blending practices which make the most of the grape varietals which thrive most successfully there, notably the Shiraz and Chardonnay grapes. In recent years, Australia has been lauded as the 'most influential' wine producing country in the world, and the rest of the New World is looking down under for inspiration, and the ability to produce comparable fine wines on their own terrain.