Penfolds : Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

A great Australian red wine with concentration and finesse

The estate

Founded in 1844 by Christopher Rawson Penfold and his wife Mary, the Penfolds estate has gained an international reputation over the years for its sublime, powerful red wines. Voted as the 2013 New World Winery of the Year by the prestigious magazine, Wine Enthusiast, the Penfolds estate had already established itself as an icon of fine Australian wines at the beginning of the 20th century, thanks to Mary Penfold’s unparalleled determination. Indeed, the co-founder of the Penfolds estate put her heart and soul into making exceptional wines.

When Max Schubert became part of the Penfolds' story in the 1950s, he instilled the elegance of fine Bordeaux wines, that fascinated him greatly, into the estate's wines. Success shortly followed when the cellar master produced his famous Grange wines, which crossed Australian borders in order to win the hearts of wine lovers from all around the world. Today, the talented Peter Gago has taken over the running of the estate.

The wine

Produced only during fine vintages, Penfolds' Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon is the perfect expression of the great terroirs of Coonawarra, a region renowned for its "terra rossa" clay soil upon limestone.

2019 is the 4th vintage of this fine Southern Australia wine, first produced in 1973 and then in 2008 and 2018.

Vinification and ageing

Aged for 17 months in French oak barrels (56% new, 44% second-fill barrels).

The vintage

A wetter than average winter preceded a relatively cool early spring. The spring and summer were particularly dry, with hot spells from December to March, which had no impact on the vineyard. Although the proximity of the ocean reduced the high temperatures, the temperature variations between day and night favoured a smooth vegetative development. The month of April, a cool, dry and mild month, is ideal for refining the ripeness of the grapes until the harvest.

The blend

Cabernet Sauvignon (100%).

Penfolds' Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2019: Characteristics and tasting tips

The tasting

Colour

The colour is a beautiful garnet/cherry red.

Nose

The aromatic nose blends fruity (ripe red fruit, raspberry) and spicy (cinnamon, nutmeg) aromas with subtle hints of sage and bay leaf.

Palate

The delicate and concentrated palate exudes an intense fruity framework (red blackberries, red plums, persimmon). A note of vanillin pods is combined with a slightly chalky feel, giving a suave freshness.

Cellaring

This fine Australian wine can be cellared until around 2050 to reveal all its aromatic richness.