2020 Penfolds Bin 311 Tumbarumba Chardonnay

Penfolds is Australia's oldest and most iconic winery with a history and legacy that reflects the country's journey from colonial settlement to the modern era. The winery was founded in 1844 by Dr. Christopher Rawson Penfold who, together with his wife, emigrated from England to South Australia to plant his vines obtained from France at Magill Estate. The reason for this was not to make the best wine in Australia, but to find a cure for anemia. Christopher believed in the medicinal properties of wine and used this in his GP practice which was growing in reputation.

The Australian wine industry, and therefore Penfolds, changed dramatically with the arrival of winemaker Max Schubert who created world famous Grange and Bin wines. In 1988 Max Schubert was named 'Man of the year' by Decanter Magazine and Penfolds Grange 1955 is now listed as a national heritage site. Penfolds has an extraordinary collection of awards and with each generation of winemakers, Max Schubert's remarkable vision is nurtured and strengthened. Today, Peter Gago is the 'Guardian of the Grange' and sets the standard for all Penfolds wines. It was even named 'Most Admired Wine Brand' by Drinks International in early 2019, and many more awards are likely to follow.

The Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay has many similarities with Burgundian wines because the grapes for this Bin 311 grow in a cool climate. For many winemakers this would be too cold for growing grapes, but the fresh climate gives the grapes for Chardonnay a nice fresh quality with good acidity for a Chardonnay grape that is often lacking in areas that are too hot, making a wine dusty. The wood aging that this wine undergoes creates the right balance between acidity and fullness. The Chardonnay Bin 311 has a lot of complexity in the nose and mouth. a beautiful balance between the acid and the fruit makes this wine medium-bodied, with a hint of creaminess in the mid-palate and a long, silky finish.

Tasmania typically experienced abundant rainfall in winter, but spring started off quite dry with September well ahead of the daily long-term average. Overall, warm spring temperatures were recorded without significant frost events. Summer was very hot and very dry, conditions that prevailed until harvest. Rainfall in the Adelaide Hills growing season was average, but good falls in June and August provided optimal soil moisture levels for budburst. Cold, wet and windy was the weather during flowering and unlike some warmer regions, the Adelaide Hills vines were well placed to handle the summer heat peaks with few problems. Tumbarumba had significant heavy rainfall in November. Conditions were generally hot in the summer, with two heat waves in January, mitigated by cooler periods in between. The growing season has concluded well, with mild conditions leading to very good vintage. Chardonnay showed strong varietal character and retained good natural acidity across the three regions.

FACT: In the 'Attachments' tab you will find the official fact sheet of this beautiful wine. We will send this to you automatically when you order this wine. The wine is stored in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you pick up the wine you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you choose 'Collect' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.