Penfolds II

Penfolds met du vin australien dans ses premières cuvées médocaines L’étendard du vignoble australien propose une relecture des terroirs de Bordeaux entre assemblages inattendus et élevage marqué par l’expérience du nouveau monde.   Les nouvelles cuvées étaient présentées cet été à Bordeaux, marquant l'implantation de Penfolds dans le vignoble girondin.   Marque australienne emblématique (groupe Treasury Wine Estates), Penfolds montre avec le lancement de ses premiers vins tranquilles français (ayant suivi les rachats de 4 châteaux en 2019 et 2021) qu’il est possible d’innover dans la gamme des vins rouges de Bordeaux. Haut-Médoc 2019, la cuvée FWT 585 témoigne d’une vision iconoclaste de l’élevage, avec des tonneaux français et américains, et du goût pour les noms cabalistiques. Demandant de l’attention dans l’ordre des lettres : la nouvelle cuvée FWT signifie "French Wine Trail" et ne doit pas être confondue avec un autre acronyme, WTF, dont la vulgarité serait hors de propos, mais dont l’exclamation pourrait être pertinente face à l’approche innovante prise par la marque sur son autre cuvée : Penfolds II.   Reposant sur un partenariat avec les vignobles Dourthe, cette édition limitée millésimée 2019 allie un vin de carbernet sauvignon du Haut-Médoc et une syrah australienne de Penfolds (Nuriootpa Winery, Australie Méridionale). Assemblé et embouteillé en Australie, ce vin boucle une relation d’échange avec les vins de France entamé il y a 70 ans par Max Schubert, qui a eu l’idée de créer la cuvée Grange après une visite à Bordeaux.   Ces premiers vins tranquilles français de Penfolds seront mis en marché en Europe et en Asie avec un prix de vente de 500 dollars australiens pour Penfolds II et 120 AUD pour le FWT 585 (respectivement 340 et 80 €). Le partenariat avec la maison Dourthe n’est pas une première pour Penfolds, qui a lancé en 2019 un champagne conçu avec Thiénot. Le millésime 2013 de Penfolds x Thiénot sera mis en marché en fin d’année.   Présent en Australie (Adelaide Hills, Barrossa Valley, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, McLaren Vale, Tasmanie…), Penfolds a mis en marché ses premiers vins californiens en 2021 (Napa Valley, Paso Robles, Sonoma…).

There are two wines in this release, Dourthe II and FWT (French Winemaking Trial). The Dourthe II is a Cabernet-Shiraz blend, as we can reasonably expect from Penfolds—this time straddling two international regions: Bordeaux and Barossa Valley. The FWT 585 is 100% from Bordeaux—grown and bottled—made by Emma Wood, Penfolds’s Senior Winemaker in Bordeaux. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, the wine is matured in a blend of French and American oak. While the fruit profile here is unmistakably French, the construction is inimitably Penfolds.  

Dourthe II stands for two hemispheres, two wineries, two cultures,two worlds (new and old). The 2019 Dourthe II is a blend of 59%Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Shiraz (from South Australia) and 12%Merlot and was bottled in Australia due to the Australian fruitcomponent. Penfolds has a disruptive streak that is clear—bottlingwine in other countries, taking the iconic and idiosyncraticAustralian blend (Cabernet/Shiraz) to foreign shores and backagain... Here, the American oak emerges through the finish andprovides a familiarity in the context of Penfolds—it grounds it. Thetannic structure is fine and tightly knit; the fruit speaks of cassis,blueberries, graphite, black olive, licorice and star anise, andthere's an injection of tobacco leaf and cigar box too... a melding oftwo worlds. It seems to me that this wine still has a way to go;combining Australian Shiraz and Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon(and Merlot) creates something of a stylistic clash in the wine, butthe construction—the winemaking—knits it all back together. Weknow nothing about how this wine will age, but all the components—regional and winemaking—suggest a comfortable couple ofdecades.

Penfolds releases its first-ever Bordeaux/Oz blend Australian wine brand Penfolds has released its first-ever Bordeaux/Australian blend - and the first French wine to be included in its annual collection release. The new release was made in partnership with Dourthe Bordeaux, one of the region’s most respected winemaking houses. The new wine spans the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, blending grapes from Bordeaux (71%) and South Australia (29%) thanks to the work of Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe Chief Winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous.

Penfolds launches two inaugural French wines Penfolds has launched two French wines as part of its annual collection release in August, for the first time in the company’s history. Penfolds launches two inaugural French wines.   The annual collection release in August will comprise three country of origin portfolios – Australian, Californian and the inaugural French release. Penfolds has partnered with Bordeaux winemaking house Dourthe to produce one of the two French offerings. Peter Gago, chief winemaker at Penfolds, and Dourthe chief winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous came together for the collaboration, blending grapes from Bordeaux (71%) and South Australia (29%) to develop the wine. The result – Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019 – made from the 2019 vintage, was blended and bottled in South Australia by Penfolds winemakers. Penfolds chief winemaker Gago said of the partnership: “This is the start of our French winemaking journey. Our main objective? To remain true to the winemaking ethos of both wineries, to deliver the best blend possible, to ideally make Bordeaux and South Australia proud. This wine is not about bigness or boldness or assertion. It is blended to convey an ethereal lightness, subtlety on the palate – sensitively binding two hemispheres, Old World and New.” Patrick Jestin, Dourthe CEO, commented that the wine had “surpassed all our expectations”. The wine benefitted from the integration of traditional French winemaking techniques and time-honoured Australian winemaking methods, staying true to “the culture and style of our respective countries and houses”, according to Jestin. He added: “To push the boundaries and craft such a blend was an unexpected and utterly fascinating concept. Collaborating and cultivating firm friendships with the Penfolds winemaking team in blending such an exceptional wine was a dream come true. For us, thiswas ground-breaking, resulting in a totally original, innovative wine – Penfolds II.”

Why a Penfolds Franco-Aussie wine blend is just the beginning Behind the classic look of Penfolds is a brand that’s constantly innovating, with its impending release of an Aussie-Bordeaux wine blend being just one of several creative range extensions either recently-launched, or soon to come from the business…  

Deep, vibrant purple. Perfumed black fruit dominating red fruit and spice on the nose. Plush, rich, deep palate with milk chocolate and cappuccino creaminess nicely freshened by black pepper spice; fine, transparent tannins and a reassuring freshness to the finish. Very polished. More Australian than French at present, but we’ll see how it develops. I expect it to be long-lived.  

Fresh and crunchy with red fruit, red cherries and underripe English strawberries, peppered and sour – radically different from the other blends we have tried today – fairly angular in the way of a fine young oaked Nebbiolo but with much texture and promise of future greatness. There is sweetness in the blackcurrant and woodsmoke, the tannins are fine and silky, the texture too is light like diaphanous silk on the tongue. A deliciously subtle ghostly bat’s squeak of mint wafts about the blend.

I remain somewhat confused about this wine, and the price is nothing short of colossal. I admire the intention, the aspiration and the amount of effort that has gone into its construction. It was bottled in Australia after having been transported back in 1m square steel cubes. This is ambition on a global scale, and the French partners in this project, Dourthe, have stepped up to the mark and joined forces with Penfolds for a truly fascinating project, and I am told that there is a 2000 vintage in the pipeline, too. As we all know, 2019 is a firm, tannic vintage and the component parts here are stern, square cut and youthful while the 29% Shiraz adds gloss, it does not yet soften the whole. This may well come in time, but at the moment, this is a wine with Aussie gloss over a stalwart Bordelais core. Given time, as with all structured 2019s, it is likely to come around, but what will result from this experiment? I am intrigued to find out.

There’s an attractively fresh bordeaux start to this wine that then goes on to contrast with the much riper, warmer, slightly heavier, dustier Oz Shiraz. And then at the moment there’s a rather dry, sudden finish.

Penfolds’ partner in Bordeaux is the estimable CVBG Dourthe, at whose Ch Belgrave Gago poured 2010 St Henri at the launch of their brace of Bordeaux-inspired wines – ‘and the French went crazy’, he assured us. Doubtless because of my European roots, I actually enjoyed the much cheaper all-bordeaux wine made at Ch Cambon La Pelouse, now owned by Treasury, to the trans-hemispherical blend. Here’s Gago’s quote about their Bordeaux adventure: ‘This is the start of our French winemaking journey. Our main objective? To remain true to the winemaking ethos of both wineries, to deliver the best blend possible, to ideally make Bordeaux and South Australia proud. This wine is not about bigness or boldness or assertion. It is blended to convey an ethereal lightness, subtlety on the palate – sensitively binding two hemispheres, Old World and New.’ I’m not sure it shows ethereal lightness yet, but it may do with time. Patrick Jestin, CEO of Dourthe, commented on the Bordeaux–South Australia blend: ‘To push the boundaries and craft such a blend was an unexpected and utterly fascinating concept. Collaborating and cultivating firm friendships with the Penfolds winemaking team in blending such an exceptional wine was a dream come true. For us, this was ground-breaking, resulting in a totally original, innovative wine – Penfolds II – which far surpassed all our expectations, while remaining true to the culture and style of our respective countries and houses.’ It certainly must have been fun, though heavy on the carbon footprint as the Bordeaux component was air-freighted to Adelaide for blending and bottling.

In making its own classic Bordeaux blend (53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 13% Petit Verdot) from Haut-Médoc grapes, Penfolds pays due homage and respect to the home of claret in this French Winemaking Trial (FWT). It’s a pretty wine – the Petit Verdot and Merlot fragrance dances...

Penfolds II, a partnership with Dourthe The first release is made in partnership with négociant house Dourthe Bordeaux,overseen by both Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe technical director Frédéric Bonnaffous. A surprise in one way, as it blends grapes from Bordeaux (71%) andSouth Australia (29%), but in keeping with the recent global expansion of Penfolds. Thecompany now has winemaking ventures in China, California, Australia and France –including a partnership with Thiénot Champagne that saw the release of three cuvéesunder the Thiénot x Penfolds label in 2019. The inaugural vintage here is Penfolds IICabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019, blended and bottled in South Australia, but with the name ofboth partners on the label, and taking a similar approach to the Bin 149, which is a blendof Barossa, Coonawarra and Napa grapes.

For the first of their two upcoming releases out of Bordeaux, Penfolds has partnered with the large negociant/producer Dourthe. The wine, Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot, is a true hybrid of the two countries, blending wines from Bordeaux and South Australia. The Dourthe/Bordeaux portion of the wine is 59% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot, made at Dourthe’s facilities in Bordeaux. This is blended with 29% Australian/Penfolds Shiraz, mainly sourced from the Barossa and Coonawarra, and made at Penfolds Nuriootpa Winery. Both countries’ components were blended and bottled in South Australia.

A global approach Australian winemaker Penfolds' latest collection features the taste of different continents Last week marked a ground-breaking new chapter in winemaking. The Australian wine producer Penfolds officially released its annual collection that comprises, for the first time in its 178-year history, three countries of origin: Australia, the US and France. The 2022 repertoire showcases the company’s house style with its “Wine Of The World” global approach.The highlight of the collection was Penfolds’ inaugural French release led by a wine made in partnership with Dourthe, one of Bordeaux’s most respected wine-making groups. Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019 is the fruitful result of the open-minded vision, creativity and year-long endeavour of Penfolds’ chief winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe’s chief winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous. The red wine reflects the viticultural graces of the Northern and Southern hemispheres, blending grapes from Bordeaux (71%) and South Australia (29%).Complementing traditional French winemaking techniques with Australian expertise, the wine is made from Bordeaux 2019 vintage, and blended and bottled in Adelaide, Australia. Château Belgrave, the home of Dourthe Bordeaux. At the official tasting event for the collection in Bordeaux, Dourthe chief executive officer Patrick Jestin said that Penfold II far surpasses all his expectations, and “to push the boundaries and craft such an innovative blend was an unexpected and utterly fascinating concept”. “We were hoping people would be amazed or curious. Some people would say, ‘Wow this is different’. ‘This doesn’t taste like Penfolds’. ‘This doesn’t taste like Dourthe’. Or, ‘It doesn’t look French’. But that is the point. It is not supposed to look like French. It’s supposed to be a good confusion.”    

Penfolds: nouvelle collection aux accents (un peu) français L’envie d’associer le savoir-faire de 2 augustes Maisons presque bicentenaires (Dourthe créée en 1840, Penfolds en 1844).  « Tout le travail avec Peter a été de trouver le meilleur équilibre entre ces 2 cépages », explique M. Jestin. « Nous souhaitons montrer le meilleur des deux mondes avec un respect de la tradition de chaque pays » poursuit-il. Le vin est impressionnant avec une robe très foncée, des notes de fruits noirs bien mûrs rafraichis par l’eucalyptus. La complexité est là avec quelques élans vers le pudding, des notes tubéreuses, un fin moka ? La bouche très concentrée révèle une extraction importante qui affiche une acidité bienvenue équilibrant l’ensemble. Outre cette cuvée, Penfolds vient également de révéler son tout premier vin 100% français. 

Say ‘Bonjour’ to Penfolds’ New Collection (...) The first of these French wines has been made in collaboration with Dourthe Bordeaux, one of France’s most prestigious winemaking houses. Dourthe was established in 1840 – four years before Penfolds itself came into being – giving the two winemakers a total of 360 years’ worth of experience between them. The culmination of all this skill and knowledge accrued across generations is the Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019. A blend of grapes from Bordeaux and South Australia, this landmark wine brings the northern and southern hemispheres together in perfect harmony, as guided by Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe Chief Winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous. Named “Penfolds II” in recognition of the coming together of two great winemaking forces, it was created by combining traditional French and time-tested Aussie winemaking techniques, before finally being bottled by Penfolds’ skilled team in South Australia. You might think that two of the wine world’s heavyweights joining forces in such a way might result in a wine that’s big, bold, and looking to assert itself, but according to Gago this couldn’t be further from the truth: “It’s blended to convey an ethereal lightness, subtlety on the palate – sensitively binding two hemispheres, Old World and New.” (...)

Penfolds launches two inaugural French winesPenfolds has partnered with Bordeaux winemaking house Dourthe to produce one of the two French offerings. Peter Gago, chief winemaker at Penfolds, and Dourthe chief winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous came together for the collaboration, blending grapes from Bordeaux (71%) and South Australia (29%) to develop the wine. The result – Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019 – made from the 2019 vintage, was blended and bottled in South Australia by Penfolds winemakers. Penfolds chief winemaker Gago said of the partnership: “This is the start of our French winemaking journey. Our main objective? To remain true to the winemaking ethos of both wineries, to deliver the best blend possible, to ideally make Bordeaux and South Australia proud. This wine is not about bigness or boldness or assertion. It is blended to convey an ethereal lightness, subtlety on the palate – sensitively binding two hemispheres, Old World and New.” Patrick Jestin, Dourthe CEO, commented that the wine had “surpassed all our expectations”. The wine benefitted from the integration of traditional French winemaking techniques and time-honoured Australian winemaking methods, staying true to “the culture and style of our respective countries and houses”, according to Jestin. He added: “To push the boundaries and craft such a blend was an unexpected and utterly fascinating concept. Collaborating and cultivating firm friendships with the Penfolds winemaking team in blending such an exceptional wine was a dream come true. For us, this was ground-breaking, resulting in a totally original, innovative wine – Penfolds II.”

Iconic winemaker Penfolds breaks new ground as it releases two new blends made from both Australian and French grapes Penfolds made the wine in collaboration with respected French vintner Dourthe which owns a number of leading chateaux throughout Bordeaux including the Bordeaux Supérieur, Château Pey La Tour, Classed Growth Château Belgrave and La Garde in Pessac-Léognan. The Dourthe wine company was founded in 1840 - four years before Penfolds. Gago describes the partnership as “a beguiling alliance fated to happen”. Gago said the Penfolds II French component was made at two Dourthe wineries in Bordeaux and shipped to Australia where it was blended and bottled with the Australian component at Penfolds’ Nuriootpa headquarters.  

Australia’s Penfolds debuts their first French wines Australian wine conglomerate Penfolds is taking on the old guard with the introduction of their first French wines from Bordeaux.Launching globally next month, the South Australian-based winery is releasing two red wines, one made entirely in Bordeaux, and the other blending Bordeaux-grown grapes with an iconic Australian variety. The second wine is the more audacious 2019 Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot. Working with renowned Bordeaux winemaking house Dourthe, the wine is composed of French cabernet sauvignon and merlot, which were shipped Down Under, blended with Australian shiraz, and bottled there. Matured in both French and American new oak, it evokes lively flavours of plum, anise, and toast, capped off by a bright mineral finish. “This is a wine of the world,” Gago said.

How do two new Penfolds French wines fit into 2022 Collection ? This is a nod to the classic Australian Cabernet Shiraz (claret) with the French components being made at two Dourthe (Penfolds’ Bordeaux partner) owned wineries and the Australian components made at Penfolds Nuriootpa Winery in South Australia. The French and Australian components were then blended and bottled in South Australia. Shiraz is currently at the fore, a dark brooding wine, full of excitement, freshness and a classic Aussie blend style, the Bordeaux element certainly gives it tannin and depth, a hint of fine cedar, nutty, white pepper, fresh violets and juicy dark fruit. Umami and exciting, this will develop superbly over decades… a new dawn!

Penfolds goes French, following in some Illustrious Footsteps The 2019 Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot – produced in partnership with the negociant firm, Dourthe - is an assemblage of Bordeaux and South Australian wine, bottled in Penfolds’ cellars in Australia and priced at AU$599 ($347). Penfolds first move into transnational blending came last year with the release of Bin 600 Cabernet Sauvignon and Bin 149 Cabernet Shiraz, both of which combined Napa and South Australian fruit at prices of $90 ($62) and AU$225 ($156) respectively.

What happens when you blend grapes from Australia and France? An audacious wine that's a world's first The wine universe consists of two realms: The Old World and the New World, each governed by its own precepts that define its parameters, which, in turn, set consumer expectations. Most people would not fault an Aussie Shiraz for being big and jammy. Few would dismiss a young Bordeaux for not drinking well now as it needs to be cellared.  Last month, a select group of international media, which included CNA Luxury, got a preview of the new wine in Bordeaux. Gago and his team kept the identity of their collaborative partner in Bordeaux secret till the final moment – we had no idea which chateau we were heading to till our bus pulled into the gravelly driveway of Chateau Belgrave, a stately property located in Haut-Medoc, an appellation on Bordeaux’s Left Bank. Chateau Belgrave belongs to Dourthe, a wine producer with a history that dates back to 1840 (four years before Penfolds was established). The company owns nine properties in Bordeaux, including Chateau La Garde, Chateau Le Boscq and Chateau Reysson.  

Penfolds launches two inaugural French wines For the first time in its history, Penfolds annual Collection release in August will comprise three country of origin portfolios, Australian, Californian and the inaugural French release. The launch of two French wines showcases Penfolds ‘House Style’, exploring viticultural regions internationally, as it takes a global approach to winemaking.The new French release, Penfolds II, is led by a wine made in partnership with Dourthe Bordeaux, using the vision of Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe chief winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous. The two houses collaborated to craft a wine that spans Northern and Southern Hemispheres, blending grapes from Bordeaux (71%) and South Australia (29%) as Patrick Jestin, Dourthe CEO said: “For us, this was ground-breaking, resulting in a totally original, innovative wine, which surpassed all our expectations, while remaining true to the culture and style of our respective countries and houses.”  

PENFOLDS LAUNCH TWO INAUGURAL FRENCH WINESTHE PENFOLDS COLLECTION 2022 – ONE COLLECTION, TWO HEMISPHERES For the first time in Penfolds history, the annual Collection release in August will comprise three country of origin portfolios – Australian, Californian and the inaugural French release, showcasing Penfolds enduring 'House Style' in a global context. Penfolds 'House Style' allows and embraces the freedom to explore premium viticultural regions across Australia and the world, with a global approach to winemaking – unrestricted by region or vineyard. Penfolds ambition to make wine outside of Australia started decades ago, and over time, skills, interest, and experimentation has grown. A rich tradition of research, curiosity and wine trial continues to guide Penfolds winemaking endeavours in Australia, Champagne, Napa, Paso Robles California and now Bordeaux France. The new French release is led by a wine made in partnership with one of Bordeaux's most respected winemaking group, Dourthe Bordeaux. Combining the creativity, direction and vision of Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe Chief Winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous, the two houses collaborated to craft a wine that spans Northern and Southern Hemispheres, blending grapes from Bordeaux (71%) and South Australia (29%). The result delivers Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019. The name "Penfolds II" represents two winemakers coming together, to express quality through a harmonious blend of traditional French winemaking techniques and time-honoured Australian winemaking methods. Made from the 2019 vintage, the final wine was blended and bottled in South Australia by Penfolds winemakers. "This is the start of our French winemaking journey. Our main objective? To remain true to the winemaking ethos of both wineries, to deliver the best blend possible, to ideally make Bordeaux and South Australia proud. This wine is not about bigness or boldness or assertion. It is blended to convey an ethereal lightness, subtlety on the palate - sensitively binding two hemispheres, Old World and New." said Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker.

Penfolds’ French connection The first of the 2019 Bordeaux wines is Penfolds II – a partnership with Dourthe. Another Wine of the World designate, Dourthe provided the CabernetSauvignon (59%) and Merlot (12%) from its Château Belgrave and La Garde properties. The first of the 2019 Bordeaux wines is Penfolds II – a partnership with Dourthe. Another Wine of the World designate, Dourthe provided the Cabernet Sauvignon (59%) and Merlot (12%) from its Château Belgrave and La Garde properties. Vinified in Bordeaux, these components were then shipped to South Australia in stainless steel tanks, blended with Shiraz from the company’s Barossa Valley vineyards and matured in French and American oak barriques and hogsheads for 18 months. The Penfolds II name represents the two winemakers, chief winemaker Peter Gago and his counterpart at Dourthe, Frédéric Bonnaffous, ‘coming together to express quality through a harmonious blend of traditional French winemaking techniques and time-honoured Australian winemaking methods’.

Penfolds Collection 2022 Further expansion continued this year with the launch of a Haut-Médoc blend under the Penfolds label as well as the 2019 Penfolds II Bordeaux Barossa blend. While important within Penfolds, these additional projects remain a sideshow to the yearly Australian Bin and Icon releases.

Penfolds launches two French-blended wines in new collection In a brand first, Australian winery Penfolds has launched a collection that comprises wine from three countries of origin – Australia, the US (California) and France. The French wines were made in partnership with Bordeaux winemaking group Dourthe Bordeaux, led by Penfolds’ chief winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe’s chief winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous. The two houses collaborated to blend a wine using grapes from Bordeaux (71 per cent) and South Australia (29 per cent). The resulting wines from the collaboration are the Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019 and the 2019 Penfolds FWT 585 – a trial bin wine made of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. “This is the start of our French winemaking journey,” said Gago. “Our main objective is to remain true to the winemaking ethos of both wineries, to deliver the best blend possible, and to make Bordeaux and South Australia proud.” Several blends have been trialled since 2018, which marked the beginning of the winery’s new chapter in France. The trial wine was made at Cambon la Pelouse Winery with Penfolds’ senior winemaker Emma Wood on the ground, in the cellars and the vineyards. “To push the boundaries and craft such a blend was an unexpected and utterly fascinating concept,” said Patrick Jestine, CEO of Dourthe. “For us, this was ground-breaking, resulting in an original, innovative wine – Penfolds II – which far surpassed all our expectations while remaining true to the culture and style of our respective countries and houses.” The Penfolds Collection 2022 wines are available at Penfolds Cellar Doors and select fine wine stores worldwide.

DOURTHE, LE MOUVEMENT PERPÉTUEL Dourthe conjugue un savant dosage entre ses 9 châteaux aquitains et ses cuvées disruptives avec un vibrant désir de questionner la tradition : « Et si Bordeaux n’était pas qu’une terre d’assemblage ? ». En 2022, la maison ouvre un nouveau chapitre de son histoire.

There are two wines in this release, Dourthe II and FWT (French Winemaking Trial). The Dourthe II is a Cabernet-Shiraz blend, as we can reasonably expect from Penfolds—this time straddling two international regions: Bordeaux and Barossa Valley. The FWT 585 is 100% from Bordeaux—grown and bottled—made by Emma Wood, Penfolds’s Senior Winemaker in Bordeaux. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot, the wine is matured in a blend of French and American oak. While the fruit profile here is unmistakably French, the construction is inimitably Penfolds.

Penfolds Launch Two Inaugural French Wines One collection, two hemispheres The new French release is led by a wine made in partnership with one of Bordeaux’s most respected winemaking Houses, Dourthe Bordeaux. Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe Chief Winemaker Frederic Bonnaffous worked together to make a wine that comes from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. They did this by blending grapes from Bordeaux (71%) and South Australia (29%) – resulting in Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019. The name “Penfolds II” comes from the fact that two winemakers worked together to make a high-quality wine by combining traditional French winemaking methods with time-tested Australian methods. Blended and bottled in South Australia, the final wine was made from grapes from the 2019 harvest. “This is the start of our French winemaking journey. Our main objective? To remain true to the winemaking ethos of both wineries, to deliver the best blend possible, to ideally make Bordeaux and South Australia proud. This wine is not about bigness or boldness or assertion. It is blended to convey an ethereal lightness, subtlety on the palate-sensitively binding two hemispheres, Old World and New.” said Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker. “To push the boundaries and craft such a blend was an unexpected and utterly fascinating concept. Collaborating and cultivating firm friendships with the Penfolds winemaking team in blending such an exceptional wine was a dream come true. For us, this was ground-breaking, resulting in a totally original, innovative wine – Penfolds II – which far surpassed all our expectations, while remaining true to the culture and style of our respective countries and houses.” said Patrick Jestin, Dourthe CEO. 

PENFOLDS SERVES A DOSE OF AUDACITY AND INNOVATION IN ITS 2022 COLLECTION For the first time, the iconic Australian label launches two French wines from Bordeaux, in addition to the full spectrum of 16 Australian wines and the second vintage of the California collection. 2022 will be remembered as the year the Penfolds Collection turned international. Last year, we witnessed the birth of the California collection – the brand’s first steps out of its turf in Australia – with the launch of four American wines bearing the Penfolds name. This year, Penfolds went to France – specifically to the king of terroirs, Bordeaux – and boldly produced French wines under the iconic red and white label. The 2022 Penfolds Collection revealed the first vintage of their French Collection, the second vintage of their California collection, and 16 from the quintessential Australian range, including flagships Grange 2018 and Yattarna 2020. Peter Gago, the chief winemaker at Penfolds, was in town to showcase a large selection of 21 wines portfolio which ranged from three countries and five vintages (2018 to 2021).  

Two French wine and 100-Point Grange in The 2022 Penfolds Collection Penfolds releases its 2022 Collection this month, which for the first time comprises three country of origin portfolios, with Australia, the United States and France all showcasing a global view of the Penfolds ‘house style’... 

James Halliday on the Penfolds Collection 2022  

...Penfolds celebrates Singapore pop-up, GTR team hires and first French wines...   

Penfolds presents first French release as part of 2022 Collection The collection, featuring wines from Australia, California, France and some  derivatives, will launch in August.

Penfolds previews inaugural French reds  Last month, Penfolds previewed its latest annual collection in Bordeaux, which features three country of origin portfolios – Australian, Californian and an inaugural French release. [...]    

This wine has rich dense dark fruit, dark plum, leather, subtle cedar notes, cigar box, smoky cigar, long with a fresh sapidity, rich yet fresh with floral notes and insanely delicious fine tannins. The wine is well structured with lots going on. Long and super fresh.  

Penfolds' newest Wine of the World, following very much in the footsteps of the Quantum Bin 98 and Bin 149 Californian/South Australian Cabernet-Shiraz wines released in 2021. Built as a monument and very much a loud statement, this seems to be manufactured by design rather than allowing fruit... 

PENFOLDS LAUNCH TWO INAUGURAL FRENCH WINES [...] The new French release is led by a wine made in partnership with one of Bordeaux's most respected winemaking group, Dourthe Bordeaux. Combining the creativity, direction and vision of Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe Chief Winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous, the two houses collaborated to craft a wine that spans Northern and Southern Hemispheres, blending grapes from Bordeaux (71%) and South Australia (29%). The result delivers Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019. The name "Penfolds II" represents two winemakers coming together, to express quality through a harmonious blend of traditional French winemaking techniques and time-honoured Australian winemaking methods. Made from the 2019 vintage, the final wine was blended and bottled in South Australia by Penfolds winemakers. [...]

Penfolds, un assemblage mondial À la tête de la maison Penfolds, le «worldwide winemaker» Peter Gago pousse plus loin sa logique d’assemblages de cuvées. Et invente peut-être le vin de demain. Le lancement d’une nouvelle collection de la maison australienne Penfolds révèle toujours quelques surprises. Ainsi le «II» est un assemblage de cabernet sauvignon, de merlot et de shiraz, des jus de l’ancien et du nouveau monde : les cabernets des vignobles bordelais sont acheminés en Australie avant d’être mixés à la shiraz locale. Pour un vin réussi, équilibré, plein de fraîcheur. L’emblématique Grange, avec son opulence, sa charge tannique, ses arômes de tabac, un très long potentiel de garde, demeure le «blend» archétypal de la maison : les jus qui le composent proviennent des meilleures parcelles australiennes. Entre 10 000 et 20 000 caisses de douze bouteilles sont produites selon les années. Pour un tarif qui dépasse, cette année, 1 000 dollars le flacon. Une belle affaire. Nous conseillerons juste de l’ouvrir 6 heures avant dégustation. (...)  

PENFOLDS LAUNCH TWO INAUGURAL FRENCH WINES [...] The new French release is led by a wine made in partnership with one of Bordeaux's most respected winemaking group, Dourthe Bordeaux. Combining the creativity, direction and vision of Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe Chief Winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous, the two houses collaborated to craft a wine that spans Northern and Southern Hemispheres, blending grapes from Bordeaux (71%) and South Australia (29%). The result delivers Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019. The name "Penfolds II" represents two winemakers coming together, to express qualitythrough a harmonious blend of traditional French winemaking techniques and time-honoured Australian winemaking methods. Made from the 2019 vintage, the final wine was blended and bottled in South Australia by Penfolds winemakers. [...]

Penfolds Unveils Its First French Vintages Fresh off the sold-out success of Bin 149, a global blend of Cabernet Sauvignons from both Napa and South Australia, Penfolds has finally unveiled the details of its Bordeaux project nearly a decade after it kicked off.The venture is composed of two vintages: Penfolds II 2019 ($350), created with Dourthe, the esteemed centuries-old Médoc winery; and FWT 585 2019 ($80), an entirely French wine (“FWT” stands for “French Wine Trial”) made in Bordeaux but imbued with Australian sensibility. Penfolds II combines the polished structure of Dourthe’s Bordeaux Cabernet and Merlot grapes—vinified in France and shipped, via custom-made stainless-steel tanks, to Australia—with Penfolds’ plush Barossa Valley Shiraz. The final wine, only 50 cases of which have been allocated to the US market, is an arresting composition of dark-red fruit and silky tannins that’s suited to decades of aging.  

Blurred vines Fresh off the sold-out success of Bin 149, a global blend of Cabernet Sauvignons from both Napa and South Australia, Penfolds has finally unveiled the details of its Bordeaux project nearly a decade after it kicked off.The venture is composed of two vintages: Penfolds II 2019 ($350), created with Dourthe, the esteemed centuries-old Médoc winery; and FWT 585 2019 ($80), an entirely French wine (“FWT” stands for “French Wine Trial”) made in Bordeaux but imbued with Australian sensibility. Penfolds II combines the polished structure of Dourthe’s Bordeaux Cabernet and Merlot grapes—vinified in France and shipped, via custom-made stainless-steel tanks, to Australia—with Penfolds’ plush Barossa Valley Shiraz. The final wine, only 50 cases of which have been allocated to the US market, is an arresting composition of dark-red fruit and silky tannins that’s suited to decades of aging.  

This Bordeaux-based winemaking partnership is no exception In July, Australian wine producer Penfolds pushed the envelope — and undoubtedly irked some purists when it launched the Penfolds II, a wine that blended grapes from South Australia and Bordeaux. The New World-Meets Old World effort was a collaboration between Penfolds and Dourthe , a Bordeaux-based wine producer. Joint ventures between wineries from different continents are nothing new in the wine industry, as Penfolds and Dourthe made headlines by making an iconoclastic wine from their partnership. Since the 1970s, many high-profile wine producers have reached out to their peers halfway across the world for winemaking partnerships. Unlike Penfolds and Dourthe, they did not combine fruit from their own territories in their collaborative wine, but instead chose to produce the wine solely in a winemaking locale of their partner, often the New World party in the collaboration. The goal was to make a special wine that expresses the convergence of their winemaking ideas without breaking any local winemaking laws. [...]

[...] La France est une porte d’entrée, y compris vers l’Angleterre. Nouer des alliances (comme avec la maison Thiénot en Champagne), jeter des ponts par-dessus les océans, voilà ce que fait Penfolds, qui le montre en inaugurant cette année, avec Dourthe, une cuvée née entre deux mondes: Penfolds II 2019, mariage baroque entre cabernet sauvignon du Médoc et shiraz de la Barossa. L’union pourrait être explosive, elle est vibrante, sensuelle. C’est l’opus un de la Collection France 2022, dont la deuxième œuvre, pour être 100% tricolore, n’en est pas moins étonnante. [...]

[...] La France est une porte d'entrée, y compris vers l'Angleterre. Nouer des alliances (comme avec la maison Thiénot en Champagne), jeter des ponts par-dessus les océans, voilà ce que fait Penfolds, qui le montre en inaugurant cette année, avec Dourthe , une cuvée née entre deux mondes : Penfolds II 2019, mariage baroque entre cabernet sauvignon du Médoc et shiraz de la Barossa. [...]

Dourthe et Penfolds : un assemblage dingo Dans la série des projets un peu fous, voici le premier vin franco-australien. “Penfolds II est le fruit dela collaboration entre la maison bordelaise Dourthe et le prestigieux domaine australien Penfolds. 11 s’agit du premier assemblage de vins des deux hémisphères : syrah australienne (Barossa Valley), cabernets et merlots bordelais, vinifiés chacun dans leur région, puis assemblés. Cette curiosité a un prix, 325 €. 11 n’y en a que 4500 flacons.

A collaboration with Dourthe who made Merlot in Bordeaux in 2020, with Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia in 2021. Gravelly, grainy, sleek and plush with ripe blackcurrant and berry fruits. Has a smooth texture and also some structure with a grainy, gravelly undercurrent and a nice tight finish. Very stylish, polished and detailed. Tastes luxurious but is still quite Bordeaux in character despite the Aussie input.

A rare beast, indeed. Very few elite reds are made as multi-vintage wines, and even fewer are a blend of fruit from the Northern and Southern Hemisphere—Old World and New World. The blend is 52% Coonawarra Cabernet from the stellar 2021 vintage and 48% Merlot from Bordeaux, from 2020. Just where this might lead the team in the coming years boggles the minds. The wine was made in combination with their partners at Dourthe Bordeaux. The French component was made at their two wineries, while the Australian component was made at Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley. The various parcels were then blended and bottled in South Australia (regulations would prevent thisfrom happening in France). Maturation was in a mix of new and older French oak barriques and hogsheads. It is a very different incarnation from the previous II, which was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (59%) from near St-Julien, Shiraz from the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale in Australia (29%), and Merlot, also from Bordeaux (12%). A plummy purple hue, the wine is plush and chocolatey, with a delightfully exuberant nose, though everything kept in check. Notes of ripe plums, cassis, and aniseed. The palate exhibits ripe, appealing notes and the chocolate intensifies, with touches of graphite. Seamless, with silky tannins and a lingering finish. Enjoy this over the next decade and stay tuned for the next instalment.

 Grand Entretien avec Peter Gago, Penfolds "Les plus grands vins français nous servent de référence et d'objectifs" (...) En 2022, la cuvée Penfolds II a été lancée. Pourquoi avoir choisi la France et la maison Dourthe pour réaliser ce partenariat ? Quand je pense au cabernet-sauvignon et au merlot, Bordeaux me vient immédiatement à l’esprit (la Napa Valley aussi, bien évidemment !). Nous sommes vraiment ravis du succès de notre collaboration avec nos amis de chez Dourthe. Leur vision très ouverte sur le monde et leur état d’esprit original en matière de vinification nous ont tout de suite séduits. Le fleuron de chez Dourthe, la cuvée Essence, un assemblage issu de plusieurs communes bordelaises de haut vol, a immédiatement touché notre imaginaire œnologique. A partir de là, nous avons développé de façon collective nos aspirations partagées en matière d’assemblage et de qualité d’une manière très naturelle et réelle… Etait-il difficile de concilier deux philosophies malgré tout assez différentes ? C’était/c’est un véritable plaisir que de collaborer avec Frédéric Bonnaffous et son équipe à Bordeaux. Les vignobles Dourthe sont idéalement situés, englobant de multiples microclimats et terroirs, offrant une belle source de cabernet-sauvignon et de merlot de qualité exceptionnelle. Ce sont de magnifiques composantes que nous pouvons associer à la matière première proposée par Penfolds en Australie méridionale. Même distants de 16 000 km, la diversité des itinéraires œnologiques et des démarches inédites et audacieuses tout au long de notre collaboration ont créé un amalgame d’éléments totalement unique, et REEL ! (...)

I like the idea of taking half the fruit from the 2021 southern hemisphere summer and the rest from the 2020 northern hemisphere. That is surely how to make a wine like this (you have a year to work with and can chose to stay within the calendar year or not to produce the optimal blend). Graphite, cedar. Limpid. Works better than many inter-region French wines. Limpid. Glossy. Finely-textured and actually very classical. Pleasing Bordeaux florality. Fresh, quite full and ample but nicely structured too and taut to the core. The wine is nicely brought back to the well-defined spine to form the finish. Linear and tight. Tender and charged on the finish. Long and elegant.