CELLAR RESERVE

Cellar Reserve wines are alternative, experimental or one-off bottles for collectors, cellar door visitors and fine wine specialists with an interest in quirky labels. These expressive and non-conforming wines have been developed without the constraints of the mainstream wine market.

The Cellar Reserve collection was introduced in the mid- 90s by Chief Winemaker Peter Gago. The range includes varieties that were not reviewed for this book, including fiano, durif, mataro, merlot, pinot noir, sangiovese, tempranillo, gewürztraminer and viognier.

The Cellar Reserve wines represent a small-batch winemaking culture within Penfolds. It allows the winemakers to experiment with new, traditional and alternative grape varieties using both time-honoured methods and new techniques. This of course starts with the way the fruit is grown in the vineyard through to vinification and maturation.

The Cellar Reserve project began in 1997 with pinot noir and continued in 1998 with sangiovese which, according to Peter Gago, was one of Australia s first natural wines. After a while, some of the wines or styles in this collection may become a mainstream line within the Penfolds portfolio. In the meantime, wine drinkers can enjoy Cellar Reserve wines knowing that they have all been made with the very best fruit sourcing and winemaking skills.

An authentic boutique

winemaking approach within

a larger enterprise.

DOMINIC COULTER, Winemaker

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