Area: Penfolds excel in blends both inter-district and inter-region taking the best Cabernet and Shiraz from across South Australia and blending the style of the wine. They never divulge exact vineyard locations, giving out general grape growing areas instead. Producer: The now-legendary Penfolds estate came to life in 1844, founded in Adelaide by the young Doctor Christopher Rawson Penfold who had emigrated to Australia from West Sussex. Like many of his peers at the time, Dr Penfold believed greatly in the medicinal qualities of wine, and he set about creating the first Penfolds vineyard – the Magill Estate – at the foot of the Mount Lofty Ranges, using a collection of vine cuttings bought from the south of France. Initially, the Penfolds produced fortified wines in the style of sherry and port, predominantly for Christopher’s patients, but as tastes evolved and demand grew, the winery was expanded to produce Clarets and Rieslings as well. A change in focus to table wines led to experiments by Penfolds’ chief winemaker Max Schubert, who visited Europe at the end of the Second World War to learn about sherry production. However, his interest in fine wine was piqued after spending time in Bordeaux, and upon his return to Australia he created what is now Penfolds’ – and Australia’s – most famous wine, ‘Grange Hermitage’, nowadays known simply as ‘Grange’. The 60s saw the estate introduce a series of prestigious wines – Bin 389, Bin 707, Bin 28 and Bin 128 – which went on to become highlights of the range.
