Winery: Penfolds
Region: Adelaide Hills
Variety: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2009
Your Wine Guy says:
A brilliant wine. Fragrant combination of nectarine, white peach and citrus fruits with crafty use of oak and noticeable lees influence. Crisp acidity is held in check well with juicy stone fruit cool climate characters, high quality French oak and a delicate creaminess. Outstanding balance of intense fruit flavours and superior winemaking. This wine was matured for nine months in new (65%) and one and two year old (35%) French oak barriques. An elegant Chardonnay with a very lengthy finish that is a pleasure to enjoy now but will hold up to at least medium term cellaring.
Recent Trophy winner at the London International Wine Challenge 2011 for International Chardonnay Trophy, Australian Chardonnay Trophy, Australian White Trophy, Adelaide Hills White Trophy
98 Points YWG Drink to 2016+
Critics say:
Despite the significant winemaker thumbprints on this wine, it has superb finesse and focus. Pale quartz-green, the bouquet is super-fragrant and complex, with nectarine, white peach and apple blossom to the fore, oak spice to the rear; the tightly textured and structured palate has extreme length thanks to minerally acidity (even after full mlf) at 6.1 grammes per litre.
97 Points Drink to 2018 James Halliday Wine Companion 2012
The winemaker says:
Colour: Pale white gold with lime green hues.
Nose: In a word, complex. Nectarine, white peach, grapefruit pith - an armoury of Adelaide Hills fruits, combined with citrus blossom, fresh macadamia nut and lemon meringue. Exquisite struck match flintiness completes an irresistible aromatic sensory experience.
Palate: Less about familiar Chardonnay fruit flavours, everything about texture, with just a splash of artefact... Many flavours, Granny Smith apple, citrus fruits and lemon juice amid a layered yet linear palate, with mouth-watering wet-slate and chalk-like
mineral acidity. Contented oak and sedate phenolics present, yet not awoken/active.
"12 calendar months later - a wine not afraid to follow the highly acclaimed and awarded 2008 Bin 08A. Different vintage, same DNA. Relative qualities, preferred vintage? That's your job!" "Pinnacle Bin A Chardonnay!" Peter Gago