Penfolds single-region winemaking

A sense of place

At the core of our Winemaking Philosophy, you’ll discover four distinct styles, one of which is our single-region wines. These wines highlight the influence of the regions, narrating the story of soil, climate, and topography while showcasing Penfolds time-honoured and distinctive House-Style.

Our Single-Region approach

Fruit for our single-region wines is meticulously sourced from a singularly defined, geographical wine region drawing from various or single vineyards within that locale. These wines showcase the nuances of the Geographic Indication (GI). They epitomise the mantra ‘sum of all parts’, bringing together the best fruit from vineyards across a single area, offering a remarkable representation of what each region can uniquely provide. They are wines celebrated for their distinctive characteristics: flavour, aroma and structure.

Our Single-Region wines

Penfolds have vineyards and access to fruit in some of the world’s most revered regions, such as Barossa Valley, Bordeaux, Napa Valley, Eden Valley, Coonawarra, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, and Tasmania.

Barossa Valley

Within the Barossa zone, it is arguably Australia’s most revered wine region. With warm and cool climate growing conditions and diverse soils, a wide variety of grapes thrive here. The region has a rich history of producing full-bodied reds and fortified wines. Among the top grape varieties cultivated are shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and grenache. Our famed Kalimna Block 42 vineyard, which dates back to the 1880s, is thought to host the world's oldest cabernet sauvignon vines.

Our Barossa Valley vineyards contribute to some of our most revered wines, including Grange and RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz and some of our Cellar Reserve wines, which often feature single regions.

Coonawarra

Known for producing cabernet sauvignon and shiraz, Coonawarra has a relatively cool climate. Combined with its famed terra rossa soils, Coonawarra is one of Australia’s best fine wine regions. The well-draining soils impart unique mineral qualities to the wine, with the terra rossa resting upon a layer of limestone. This, coupled with a cool maritime climate, allows grapes to ripen slowly, fostering intense flavours and optimal acidity.

The elegance and structure of our Coonawarra wines are evident. You’ll enjoy ripe fruit flavours and silky fine tannins and discover a distinct regional presence in wines such as Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon and Bin 128 Shiraz.

Napa Valley

One of the world's premier wine regions, it is renowned for its exceptional cabernet sauvignon. Located north of San Francisco, this picturesque valley spans approximately 50 kilometres and is surrounded by rolling hills that create an optimal climate for grape cultivation. Its diverse microclimates are influenced by cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean and warm inland temperatures. The region's varied soils contribute to the distinctive character and structure of its wines, offering a spectrum of styles from savoury and peppery to opulent and fruit-forward.

Grapes sourced from revered American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) such as Oakville, Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain, and Rutherford are meticulously selected for wines like Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Bin 149 Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bin 704 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

"It’s hard not to pick personal favourites. And yet, I’m sure we all have our favourite wine region, our favourite wine style. A single vineyard may shine brilliantly … but not every year. Rewardingly, a pool of regional vineyards reduces risk and still synergistically manifests the character/flavour/structure/House Style sought. And my favourite single-region Penfolds wine?! Good try…”

Peter Gago – Penfolds Chief Winemaker

VENTURING BEYOND

As we continue to venture beyond boundaries, what is certain is that when exploring new countries and regions, the unique persona of our regional wines is complemented by our unmistakable House Style – a shared DNA that ensures the quality for which Penfolds is renowned.

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