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Photo: Penfolds
Australian wine producer Penfolds, celebrating its 180th anniversary this year, recently released its 2024 collection. In recent years, Penfolds has steadily expanded its footprint beyond its beachy shores and ventured north to expand its portfolio.
The recent collection was no different — only more extensive — as Penfolds launched 26 wines from four countries, Australia, the United States, France, and China, across five different vintages.
The line-up is traditionally led by the iconic Grange, the singular leader responsible for putting Penfolds on the fine wine map. Only this year, the headliner graciously shared its spotlight with another star, the 2021 Bin 180: a special release commemorating Penfold’s 180 years of winemaking.
“Every now and then, you put two pieces together, and you realise they always belong together”, is how senior winemaker Stephanie Dutton, who was in town to introduce the wine, described the one-off limited release. The two pieces she talked of refer to Cabernet Sauvignon from Block 10 and Shiraz from Block 5 in Coonawarra.
According to Hutton, these elite plots have a great affinity for each other. The wine is concentrated, intense, and beautifully built. As Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago conveyed, “Our goal was to craft a landmark wine to acknowledge Penfolds’ 180th Anniversary.” The Penfolds Bin 180 delivers that promise.
Photo: Penfolds
But does the Bin 180 outdo The Grange 2020? Our first impression favoured it, but the Grange shined and levelled the field in time. Both wines stand tall on their vinous merit. The Bin 180 is architectural and statuesque, while the Grange is opulent yet delicate.
All in all, the 2024 collection features 18 wines from Australia, of which only four are white. The international collection is entirely red, save a couple of champagnes.
California has four releases — Bin 149, Bin 600, and Bin 704, all from the beautiful 2021 vintage; the French selection consists of two reds — FWT 585 sourced from Haut Medoc region and Penfolds II cabernet sauvignon and two champagnes.
The sole wine from China is an uncanny blend of Yunnan cabernet sauvignon and Ninxia Marselan from the 2022 vintage.
Here are some of our best picks from The Penfolds Collection 2024:
Penfolds 2022 Bin 389
Bin 389, nicknamed Baby Grange, is a blend of 51 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and 49 per cent Shiraz. (Photo: Penfolds)
Australia’s most collectable wine, the 389, is as close to perfect as we’ve ever tasted. Expect notes of blackcurrant and mulberries underlined by chocolate and mocha. There are flecks of mint, eucalyptus, black cardamom, and cinnamon.
Penfolds 2021 FWT 585
FWT 585 from the French collection is a blend of 78 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 14 per cent petit Verdot, and 8 per cent merlot. (Photo: Penfolds)
In its third vintage, the Bordeaux blend, FWT is at its finest: poised and well-proportioned. Violets and blackcurrant greet the nose, which continues on the palate with marjoram, thyme, and a fine tannin grip.
Penfolds 2020 Grange
The Grange 2020 is 97 per cent Shiraz with a smidgen of 3 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, both sourced from McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, and Clare Valley in South Australia. (Photo: Penfolds)
The Grange was the most evocative wine, developing in the glass from a delicate whisper into an emphatic statement. Concentrated blackberry and black plums sit among dustings of pepper, cocoa, liquorice, and powdery tannins. Cellar for now and savour later.
Penfolds 2022 Bin 707
The 707 is an insider wine dubbed “The Grange of Cabernet”, a pure Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia. (Photo: Penfolds)
The 707 is “the highest in demand and shortest in supply”, said Dutton. This is pure cabernet from multiple regions in South Australia. Deep, dark, ripe, and loaded with bold spices. The cabernet sauvignon is earthy and luscious, with inky iodine on the finish.
