Forgot password?
Not yet a member?
Reserve Bin A Chardonnay has evolved into a wine that is now a distinctive, single-region style in its own right, with a contemporary and expressive Adelaide Hills chardonnay persona. Fruit is hand-picked into small bins and then whole-bunch pressed. A portion of the juice is incrementally filled to barrel directly from the press and allowed to undergo a natural fermentation, sans inoculation.
Every new and seasoned French oak barrique is its own unique 225-litre ferment. Enhanced mouthfeel and complexity is achieved by fermenting and maturing on solids with regular yeast lees stirring. 100% malolactic fermentation (all natural).
Drinking well now, but will improve with time. Peak drinking 2021 - 2035.
Colour Pale straw with a bright lemon rim
Nose Not the archetypical stone-fruited Bin A this vintage – to the fore: lemon curd, mandarin and nashi pear with a skerrick of shortbread and creamy custard/vanilla slice sans icing. Also noteworthy – a touch of spice (cardamom and caraway) and a subtle suggestion of ground almond. This tasting’s final impression signing off on a quartz-like minerality, and wet river-stone flintiness. Very much looking forward to evolution in the bottle... Palate Initially, an intriguing subtle (fluffy/pillowy) gentleness! Flavours of mandarin and yoghurt with a rich mid-palate. A glycerolic viscosity interlocks with the natural acidity inducing a mouth-watering juiciness and just a rasp of flint at the very end, adding length and zest. So youthful. All evident on the palate would indicate that this wine needs time! Short-term – catalyse/accelerate via a decant. Or wait. Adelaide Hills attired alternatively.
18.5+/20 Points - Matthew Jukes
96 Points - Nick Stock, jamessuckling.com
95 Points - Andrew Caillard MW
95 Points - Campbell Mattinson
94 Points - Angus Hughson
92 Points - Huon Hooke
92 Points - Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
“Why release Reserve Bin A one year before Yattarna? To reply in the nicest possible way –Because we can.”
“Seatbelt-up for the complete journey in bottle, start to finish. And what a ride!”
Origin: Adelaide Hills, South Australia.
Maturation: Eight months in French oak (40% new, 35% 1-y.o., 25% seasoned)
Wine Analysis: Alc/Vol: 13%, Acidity: 7.1 g/L, pH: 3.06
Variety: Chardonnay.
The Adelaide Hills enjoyed above average rainfall from winter until early summer.
From January, the rainfall steadily decreased with only half the average falling between New Year and vintage. There was only one significant frost event on November 7th, but this was largely controlled by sprinkler mitigation systems across the region. A hail storm on October 29th caused some damage to canopies, however this weather event did not have a significant impact on the crop. Summer was warm, especially through January and February with 12 summer days above 35 degrees. The altitude of the region protected the grapes from extremes that were experienced elsewhere. A dry and orderly vintage provided excellent parcels of chardonnay harvested across the region.
“Why release Reserve Bin A one year before Yattarna? To reply in the nicest possible way – Because we can.” Peter Gago Penfolds Chief Winemaker
“Why release Reserve Bin A one year before Yattarna? To reply in the nicest possible way – Because we can.”
VIEW WINE
The Penfolds Collection
2015
2016
2017
Discover More