In a brand first, Australian winery Penfolds has launched a collection that comprises wine from three countries of origin – Australia, the US (California) and France.
The French wines were made in partnership with Bordeaux winemaking group Dourthe Bordeaux, led by Penfolds’ chief winemaker Peter Gago and Dourthe’s chief winemaker Frédéric Bonnaffous. The two houses collaborated to blend a wine using grapes from Bordeaux (71 per cent) and South Australia (29 per cent).
The resulting wines from the collaboration are the Penfolds II Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2019 and the 2019 Penfolds FWT 585 – a trial bin wine made of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot.
“This is the start of our French winemaking journey,” said Gago. “Our main objective is to remain true to the winemaking ethos of both wineries, to deliver the best blend possible, and to make Bordeaux and South Australia proud.”
Several blends have been trialled since 2018, which marked the beginning of the winery’s new chapter in France.
The trial wine was made at Cambon la Pelouse Winery with Penfolds’ senior winemaker Emma Wood on the ground, in the cellars and the vineyards.
“To push the boundaries and craft such a blend was an unexpected and utterly fascinating concept,” said Patrick Jestine, CEO of Dourthe.
“For us, this was ground-breaking, resulting in an original, innovative wine – Penfolds II – which far surpassed all our expectations while remaining true to the culture and style of our respective countries and houses.”
The Penfolds Collection 2022 wines are available at Penfolds Cellar Doors and select fine wine stores worldwide.
