The story of Penfolds starts in 1844, when Dr Christopher Dawson Penfolds and his wife Mary purchased 500 acres near Adelaide, a mere eight years after the establishment of the colony of South Australia. Today Penfolds owns substantial holdings throughout South Australia’s most important wine regions, including the five hectare ‘Magill’ vineyard – now surrounded by housing in the city of Adelaide – from the original 1844 purchase. In the Barossa, Penfolds owns and draws from more than 600 hectares of vineyards, with the Kalimna vineyard the jewel in Penfolds’ crown. The 160 hectares (planted) Kalimna vineyard includes the famous ‘Block 42’ or ‘Golf Course Block’, planted in 1888, housing the world’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Penfolds also owns vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, Robe and Bordertown.
Penfolds, of course, produces a huge range of wines and styles, drawing on fruit from growers throughout Australia. Whilst its big reds from the Barossa are its best-known, a broad range of styles from numerous varieties are made. At the top of the tree is Grange (formerly Grange Hermitage), which is Australia’s best-known and most-beloved wine.
97 Points James Halliday
Dense red-purple; the typically rich and powerful bouquet has layers of dark berry fruit and integrated and balanced oak. What makes it unusual is the distinct hint of chocolate, which appears again on the silkily powerful palate. Here there is an array of all of the fruit flavours one could possibly expect, but once again that touch of dark Swiss chocolate adding an intriguing note. The oak balance and integration is better than any five-year-old Grange I can remember, the tannins perfectly balanced into the bargain.