Penfolds - Block 42

2004 Tasting Notes

The 10-acre Block 42 was planted only 30 years after the great 1855 Bordeaux Classification and comprises the oldest plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon continuously produced in the world. The recent 2004 vintage resulted in beautifully aromatic, perfectly balanced and ripe Cabernet Sauvignon from Block 42, Kalimna Vineyard. The fruit was handpicked and fermented in 'headed down' static fermenters. The wine completed fermentation entirely in seasoned new oak hogsheads.

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Older Tasting Notes

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Block 42, a single vineyard wine, is made from grapes grown on what are thought to be the oldest, continuously producing Cabernet vines in the world.

The 10-acre Block 42 comprises what are believed to be the oldest plantings of continuously producing cabernet sauvignon vines in the world. For over 120 vintages these vines have produced flavour-intense, mineral-rich fruit with exceptional concentration and balance.

Providing ‘lift and structure’, Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon was blended into many early bottlings of Penfolds Grange. The Block 42 vineyard continues to be an important component of Bin 707, providing backbone and substance to the overall style.

There have only been a handful of releases across the decades due to the low-yielding nature of the Block 42 site. The most recent was made from the 2004 vintage and was sold en primeur - Penfolds was the first Australian winery to use this selling method made famous by the chateaux of Bordeaux.

With a bit of luck, ideal weather conditions, the right parcels of fruit and when the fruit is not required for Bin 707, Block 42 will continue to be periodically released – potentially more than once in a decade.