The Penfolds chardonnay story

How Penfolds led the Australian chardonnay revolution

There is an argument to be made, and it has been made many times over, that chardonnay is the world’s greatest white wine varietal. This acclamation is well warranted, as chardonnay manages to please in the vineyard, the winery and in the glass. It grows virtually anywhere; wears the title ‘the winemaker’s grape’ due to its versatility; and is responsible for some of the world’s most prized sparkling and white wines.

The Penfolds chardonnay story extends back to the 1980s, when a new chapter of winemaking saw a series of experiments lead to the introduction of Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay (named for the 144 winemaking trials required to perfect the Penfolds flagship white wine).

What was arguably the most eagerly anticipated white wine release in Australian history, the first vintage of Yattarna was described by the late Len Evans, as “a revelation” and “a step forward for Australian chardonnay”.

Amiably malleable

Though grown all over the globe, chardonnay’s heartland lies in Burgundy and Champagne. DNA testing has revealed that its origin story lies at a cross-pollination, several millennia ago, between pinot noir and gouais blanc (a now near-extinct varietal believed to have been brought to France from Croatia by the Romans).

Unlike the more famous of its two parental varietals, chardonnay is very easy to grow – but it does still require significant viticultural skill to develop complexity and depth.

For our White Winemaker Kym Schroeter, it is “seeing the absolutely amazing fruit born from the passion and dedication of our wonderful growers,” that drives him to excel and up the bar every vintage.

Quality chardonnay is a true blessing to any winemaker, as the natural flavours pair well with those imparted by oak, opening the door to a whole new world of flavour profiles. It also lends itself to different winemaking techniques, allowing for a variety of sparkling wines and a spectrum of table wines that span from terroir-focused and mineral, to vibrant and tropical, to rich and buttery.

Little by little

It was during the chardonnay boom of the late 20th century that we began our ‘premium white’ project; dubbed the ‘white Grange’ project by the media. It was of the winemaking team’s opinion, and this opinion was shared by many key figures in the wine community (Len Evans included), that the gap between premium red and white wine in Australia had grown too large. John Duval, Penfolds Chief Winemaker of the time, regularly remarked that Australia required a white wine that could be held in the same reverence as Grange.

The project lasted for more than six years and saw 144 trials. Every region, every varietal, and every possible combination and permutation of winemaking techniques were applied.

John Duval noted that they were “open minded as to source of grapes, grape variety, style and age at release. But when we find it, it will be a wine that repays cellaring and it must be something we can make every year.”

Launched in 1998 with the 1995 vintage, Yattarna is the result of a pursuit of excellence and continues to be one of the most admired wines in Australia. Similarly to Grange, it is directed by the quality of fruit, rather than a specific region, and its composition is unique each release. It is simply the very best chardonnay that we can make in a given vintage.

Wide serving benefits

There were considerable learnings garnered from these experiments and Yattarna was not the only beneficiary. Not only were new wines developed, such as Reserve Bin A Chardonnay which saw its first vintage in 1994, but our entire stable of white wines saw an uplift in quality. Flow on effects were also perceived across Australia’s broader white wine community.

As Len Evans noted in 1996; “Up until now, our chardonnays have been all head and shoulders, like Picasso's bull. They start fast, then fade fast, with no continuity and no finish. These new wines are a new departure, an evolution in style. They have more intensity, better structure and an enduring concentration of flavour.”

Today, chardonnay maintains its position as the nation’s most revered white wine varietal and the Penfolds winemaking team continue to lead the charge.

“The quality of Yattarna now is really thrilling.” – Dr Neil Beckett, The World Of Fine Wine.

PENFOLDS CHARDONNAY

From Tumbarumba – one of Australia’s most exciting, cool-climate, high-altitude, viticultural districts to the distinctive, contemporary and expressive Adelaide Hills Chardonnay persona in Reserve Bin A – Australian chardonnay makes a wide variety of wine styles, something for all palates.

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