Penfolds - Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Tasting Notes

Penfolds Rawson's Retreat wines present classic, single-varietal and varietal blends in an approachable, fresh-flavoured style for early enjoyment. Drawing on Penfolds extensive vineyard resources, the wines offer a first-rate quality and value guarantee, presenting the drinker with an affordable taste of an everyday Australian wine at its best.

The name Rawson's Retreat is an informal reference to the stone cottage built in 1845 by Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold at the famous Magill vineyard in Adelaide, where he, with wife Mary and daughter Georgina, had settled the year before and were to establish the Penfolds winery which still operates today.

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Cabernet Sauvignon is often called the aristocratic grape but even this most noble of varieties can sometimes show its more relaxed side.

Rawson’s Retreat Cabernet Sauvignon is made from grapes grown across southeast Australia. The grapes selected for this wine showcase the typical cabernet characteristics of mint and blackcurrant alongside the firm but fine tannin structure for which the variety is renowned.

This wine is fermented on skins to further develop the tannin profile and give structure to the elegant fruit. Once fermentation is complete, it undergoes oak maturation to add further complexity and balance. The dominance of American or French oak varies by vintage, as it is a choice the winemakers make once they have assessed the new wine.

This elegant wine is well-matched to grilled and braised meats or pasta dishes.