“Up there with the 2009 Bin A. Brave words indeed! Time will tell. If so, then tantamount to the finest Bin A released this century?!”

“An extravaganza of chardonnay sensorial ‘excesses’ … somehow captured at 12.5% Alc/Vol in the Hills of Adelaide”.

"Yet again, so different to Yattarna. Same variety, same producer … BUT poles apart stylistically. As requested."

- Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker

TASTE DESCRIPTION
Colour
Vibrant light straw with lime green hues.

Nose
Archetypical Adelaide Hills – ostensibly white stone fruits peach and nectarine.
Sensitive batonnage of yeast lees has coaxed out a complexing nuttiness – assorted cashew, almond and Brazil nut with an ever so slight trace of nutmeg.
Latent wafts of sulphide/struck match (almost) bring closure … until a beguiling mortar and pestle, (brine) ground oyster shell scent tip toes across the finish line.

Palate
Unravels in the glass to reveal an enthralling and multi-dimensional package – line, depth, weight …!
A ‘big’ wine, certainly not shy in character! Big? Voluminous, yet controlled – restraint/precision wrestling with energy/tension. No losers.
Hints of citrus and nashi pear with the reported 40% of new oak totally absorbed, barely noticeable. Checked? Yes, 40% new!
Impressively well-integrated and complex!
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Origin: Adelaide Hills, South Australia.

Maturation: Eight months in French oak (40% new)

Wine Analysis: Alc/Vol: 12.5%, Acidity: 7.0 g/L, pH: 3.2

Variety: Chardonnay.

VINTAGE CONDITIONS
Above average winter and spring rainfall offered the vines in the Adelaide Hills healthy soil moisture profiles for the growing season. September rainfall was significantly above the long-term average. Cool days and cold nights slowed vine growth in early spring with temperatures eventually warming in October. A mild and mostly dry start to summer was followed by two significant rain events after Christmas. January was mild with few hot days and unseasonal rain.

The lower than average temperatures and abundant rainfall during the growing season and veraison produced a vintage that challenged both winemakers and viticulturists alike. Moving into March, mild days slowed ripening with cool nights and warm days persisting until harvest. Mild conditions allowed for a long hang time resulting in terrific flavour development and welcomed acid retention.






Premium red wine producer Penfolds has blindsided its rivals by winning the Best in Show trophy at the Sydney Royal Wine Show with a white wine, with SA wineries dominating many of the event’s major awards.

Penfolds 2017 Reserve Bin 17A Chardonnay took out trophies for Best Chardonnay, Best White and Best State Show Wine before beating more than 2300 entries to be named Best Wine of Show.

SCORES
98 Points - Andrew Caillard MW

97 Points - Tony Love

96 Points - Campbell Mattinson

19.5+ - Matthew Jukes

16.5+ - Jancis Robinson

Edit this Article