Penfolds Reserve Bin 16A Chardonnay

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.

Winemaker notes

The palate is greeted by a blend of marzipan richness and wet stone minerality, followed by a lush quince paste delicacy. Rose water offers a floral subtlety which complements the nuttiness of praline. Sea spray infuses this Chardonnay with saline freshness. The mouthfeel has phenolic elements, contributing to a texture that is both waxy and elegant. Grapefruit returns on the palate, maintaining its bright citrus character with quartz-like clarity. The acidity frames the fruit perfectly; it’s present yet finely woven into the wine's fabric.

2016

James Halliday 97: "Towers over Bin 311; a gloriously complex and expressive bouquet with fruit and high quality French oak both on song. Grapefruit/nectarine flavours are tightly wound together, and ride high, wide and handsome on the back of perfectly pitched acidity."