2020 Penfolds, Reserve Bin A Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, Australia
Critics reviews
The single-region 2020 Reserve Bin 20A Chardonnay comes almost entirely from Piccadilly this year (but always from the Adelaide Hills). It delivers scents of struck match and lingering campfire smoke, followed by almost peachy-ripe layers of fruit, all backed by vibrant notes of citrus and pineapple. It's medium to full-bodied and almost creamy in texture without being fat or lush, as it's drawn tight around a gentle spine of acid that lingers elegantly on the finish. Most tasters (myself included) wouldn't guess that this was aged in 86% new French oak.
Drink 2021 - 2030
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (Jul 2021)
James Suckling, jamessuckling.com (Aug 2021)
Drink 2022 - 2030
David Sly, Decanter.com (Jun 2021)
Translucent straw. Vibrant, mineral- and lees-accented citrus and orchard fruit scents show fine definition and are complemented by jasmine, vanilla and iodine accents. Displays firm tension on the palate, offering smoke- and mineral-accented Meyer lemon and pear skin flavors that are slow to unfurl. The mineral note repeats emphatically on the tenacious finish, which leaves behind sappy Meyer lemon and floral notes. Made in 86% new French oak.
Drink 2027 - 2038
Josh Raynolds, vinous.com (Jul 2021)
From fruit unaffected by the terrible fires here in 2020 presumably. Matured for eight months in French oak barriques (86% new, remainder one year old).
Pale greenish straw. A little richer on the nose than the current Australian norm. Hint of dried pineapple rings on the palate and quite a bit of chewy tightness on the end without that much in the middle for the moment. But it's clean as a whistle and ends on a short note of lime. Refreshing certainly!
Drink 2021 - 2024
Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com (Jul 2021)
About this WINE
Penfolds
Penfolds enjoys an iconic status that few New World producers have achieved. Established in 1844 at the Magill Estate near Adelaide, it laid the foundation for fine wine production in Australia.
The winemaking team is led by the masterful Peter Gago; it has the herculean task of blending the best wines from a multitude of different plots, vineyards and regions to create a consistent and outstanding range of wines. Its flagship wine, Grange, is firmly established as one of the finest red wines in the world.
Under Gago’s stewardship, the Penfolds range has evolved over time. Winemaking has moved away from New World heat and the sort of larger-than-life style that can mask individuality; the contemporary wines instead favour fine balance and typicity for the region or grape.
Adelaide Hills
Adelaide Hills, this up-and-coming South Australian region, may only be half an hour's drive from the city of Adelaide, spanning a 75km by 20km zone, but the change in topography is dramatic, the hot, dusty streets giving way to an elevated maze of verdant, twisting valleys of the Mount Lofty Ranges, offering varying aspects at between 350 and 700 metres.
Naturally, such a cool environment favours early ripening varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Soils are predominantly low, fertile grey loam. The total area is approximately 500 hectares, with a disproportionate number of single wineries. However high land prices deter all but the die-hards.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is the "Big Daddy" of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world. It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or.
Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
It is quantitatively important in California and Australia, is widely planted in Chile and South Africa, and is the second most widely planted grape in New Zealand. In warm climates Chardonnay has a tendency to develop very high sugar levels during the final stages of ripening and this can occur at the expense of acidity. Late picking is a common problem and can result in blowsy and flabby wines that lack structure and definition.
Recently in the New World, we have seen a move towards more elegant, better- balanced and less oak-driven Chardonnays, and this is to be welcomed.
Description
The single-region 2020 Reserve Bin 20A Chardonnay comes almost entirely from Piccadilly this year (but always from the Adelaide Hills). It delivers scents of struck match and lingering campfire smoke, followed by almost peachy-ripe layers of fruit, all backed by vibrant notes of citrus and pineapple. It's medium to full-bodied and almost creamy in texture without being fat or lush, as it's drawn tight around a gentle spine of acid that lingers elegantly on the finish. Most tasters (myself included) wouldn't guess that this was aged in 86% new French oak.
Drink 2021 - 2030
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate (Jul 2021)
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