Brand Story | Watson's Wine

Brand Story of

Penfolds

Penfolds Australia Collection

The Australian Release wines within The Penfolds Collection encapsulate the heart and home of Penfolds from its 1844 origins to the present day. Led by our flagships, Grange, Yattarna, and Bin 707, each release showcases our distinctive House Style. Our blending philosophy of seeking the best fruit has led us to renowned Australian wine regions such as Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra, and McLaren Vale, each contributing their unique terroir to our blends. Sought-after Penfolds red wines from our Australian release include St Henri Shiraz, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, also referred to as Baby Grange, and Bin 28 Shiraz, our first Bin wine. Penfolds white wine releases are equally revered, with Reserve Bin A Chardonnay, Bin 311 Chardonnay and Bin 51 Eden Valley Riesling presenting cool-climate Penfolds wines equally suitable for everyday drinking and cellaring.

Penfolds California Collection

The Californian Release encapsulates a bold alliance between the northern and southern hemispheres – a continuum of endeavour unbound by country, vine or time. In the 1990s, Penfolds winemakers imported heritage vine cuttings from esteemed South Australian vineyards and planted them in Californian soil. From these foundations, the Californian Release wines were born.

The release is led by Quantum Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine of both the northern and southern hemispheres, comprising prized cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley and pedigreed shiraz from South Australia.

Napa Valley is integral to many other wines in the Californian Release, with fruit from revered AVAs Oakville, Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain, and Rutherford used for Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Bin 149 Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bin 704 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Bin 600 Cabernet Shiraz, benefits from premium sites in Sonoma Valley and the original 1998 plantings in Camatta Hills, epitomising the California wine district's diverse terroir.

Penfolds French Collection

The first French Release marked not only a new chapter for Penfolds, but also a return to the region that inspired Max Schubert’s development of Grange. Through these wines, we have the opportunity to showcase the nuances of varietals and regions, while representing our distinct House Style.

Bringing Penfolds to France was driven by our determination to craft our signature House Style with each vintage. We forever chase fruit that speaks to our unique Penfolds character, and we have found new homes in several French wine regions, including Champagne and Bordeaux.

The French Release is led by Penfolds II, a wine made in partnership with one of Bordeaux’s most respected winemaking Houses, Dourthe Bordeaux, where the elegance of French cabernet meets the depth and power of South Australian shiraz. The release also features FWT 585, a multi-varietal blend with fruit from Bordeaux’s prized sub-regions, including the Haut-Médoc on the Left Bank.

Penfolds Champagne Collection

As the birthplace of the ‘traditional method’ of sparkling wine production, also known as méthode champenoise, Champagne is arguably France’s most famed region.

In 2019 we launched our first partnership with family-owned Champagne House Thiénot, and now offer four distinct champagne wines.

Penfolds Champagne wine varieties

Our Blanc de Noirs and Blanc de Blancs Grand Crus are single vineyard, single varietal wines of pinot noir and chardonnay respectively. Our Vintage Cuvée offers a 50/50 blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, while our final blend comprises all three champagne varietals crafted in a Brut Rosé style.

Champagne through a Penfolds lens. The Cuvée Brut NV release is sourced from highly regarded vineyards across the Champagne region. Made in partnership with Champagne Thiénot, the blend is made up of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Complete and assured, the Cuvée Brut is fresh and forward on the nose, and lively on the palate.

Penfolds China Collection

The inaugural launch of the Penfolds Chinese Release was spearheaded by the Penfolds Chinese Winemaking Trial. Adhering to Penfolds time-honoured and distinctive House Style, this wine combines the essence of cabernet sauvignon from the Shangri-La region and Marselan from Ningxia.

Our endeavours in China began with a spirit of exploration, culminating in the groundbreaking Chinese Winemaking Trial 521. This trial marked a significant milestone in our heritage and introduced us to two distinct regions in China. Yunnan’s Shangri-La, with its high-altitude vineyards, offered the perfect conditions for cabernet sauvignon, while Ningxia, near the Yellow River, provided exceptional terroir for the cultivation of Marselan.

Shop Now