Penfolds
Penfolds is one of the oldest wineries of Australia (since 1844) and was founded in Adelaide by Christopher Rawson Penfold and his wife Mary Penfold. Migrated from England and already graduated as a doctor, he had a firm belief in the medicinal value of wine. He planted vine cuttings, brought from France on their newly acquired “Mackgill (Magill) Estate”. The cottage they built on the property was named “The Grange”, after his wife’s home in England.
Dr. Penfold passed away in 1870, but Mary continued to own the vineyards and winery with success: It became the largest winery in the region of Adelaide. In the 1940’s Max Schubert gained more control of winemaking at Penfolds. He reduced the volume of the fortified wines and concentrated more on the dry table wines.
In 1951, after he visited Europe, Schubert produced the first experimental vintage of “Grange Hermitage” (later renamed “Grange”), a Shiraz dominated wine inspired by the great wines of the Rhône region in France. This wine became the most famous wine of Australia.
Besides “Grange”, Penfolds produces a whole range of other wines, including “Bin 707” (Cabernet Sauvignon), “Bin 389” (Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz), the “RWT – Bin 789” (Shiraz) and the white flagship wine “Yattarna” (oak aged Chardonnay, first released in 1998). Most of Penfolds’ vineyards are situated in South Australia, including Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Eden Valley and the Adelaide Hills.
The most important vintages for the legendary Penfolds Grange Bin 95 are: 1953, 1971, 1976, 1986, 1998, 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2012.
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