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More wines available from Penfolds
Pre-Arrival
Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 169 2018
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$176.43
A very elegantly complex nose with meticulously fresh aromas that range from red florals to violets, blueberries,...
Pre-Arrival
Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 2012
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$431.07
Sourced from Coonawarra, Padthaway, Barossa Valley, Wrattonbully and the Adelaide Hills, this is a wine with real...
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Winery
Penfolds
Vintage: 2010
2010 saw extremely high quality viticulture in many parts of the world, with an exceptionally long and hot summer providing huge benefits for wineries across many countries, especially in the southern hemisphere. The northern hemisphere and Europe saw something of a cooler summer and flowering period, but this was by no means as disastrous as it could have been. France, especially, had a fantastic year in 2010, with the world renowned Burgundy region proclaiming that their white wines of this year are ones to look out for, and despite yields being relatively small across much of the country, the quality was exceptionally high. Spain, too, received some cooler weather, but Rioja and the rest of central Spain are hailing 2010 as a very good year indeed, again as a result of smaller, finer yields. California also received similar climatic conditions, but again, wineries are highly positive about the overall effect this had on their produce, as the slightly challenging conditions resulted in smaller yields of much elegance and distinction.
2010 was really Australia's year, and in South Australia and across the Mornington Peninsula, Chardonnay vines produced good yields with a lower sugar level than in previous years. As such, the majority of South Australian white wines from 2010 are superb, and packed full of character. Shiraz also had a great year, and most Australian wineries have been proclaiming 2010 one of the great vintages. Both the Argentinian and Chilean wine industries benefited from some ideal climatic conditions this year, and are reportedly ecstatically pleased with the fact that their 2010 wines ended up with lower alcohol levels, and were beautifully balanced wines packed full of flavor.
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
There is little doubt about the fact that the most familiar red wine grape varietal in the world is the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, seen listed on bottles from more or less every single wine producing country across the globe. Part of the reason for this is the fact that Cabernet Sauvignon is a particularly hardy grape, resistant to both frost and rot, and can grow well in a number of climatic conditions so long as it receives enough sunlight and water. Of course, this is only half the story – we cannot ignore the fact that wines made from the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal are prized not only for their strong acidic fruit flavors, spicy and earthy notes and high tannin content, but also for the fact that they age beautifully in oak, resulting in wines which are on another level from those made from lesser grapes. Aged wines made using primarily Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are widely recognized to be the finest in the world. The aging process rounds out the tannins, softens the acidity and allows a wide range of fascinating and complex flavors and aromas to come through, making them an unquestioned highlight of the red wine world.
Region: South Australia
The vast region of South Australia is home to a wide variety of vineyards, growing a large range of different grape varietals. Because the South Australian wine region is so large, it benefits from a great array of climatic conditions – from dry and hot, to cool and windy – which wineries can use to their advantage when it comes to selecting the grape varietal they wish to thrive in a particular sub-region. South Australia is most commonly associated with the big, powerful and fruit-forward Shiraz wines which are produced in the cooler valley areas of the region, but recent decades have seen something of an explosion in the South Australian wine industry, leading to wineries expanding their repertoire enormously and experimenting with other fine grape varietals and making the most of their unique terroir.
Country: Australia
Whilst most of Australia consists of arid deserts and dense bushland, the oceanic coasts to the south of the country have a terrain and climate ideal for vine cultivation and wine production. It took several decades of failed attempts at the end of the 18th century in order to produce vines of a decent enough quality for making wine, but since those first false starts, the Australian wine industry has continued to grow and grow. Today, wine production makes up for a considerable part of the Australian economy, with exports in recent years reaching unprecedented levels and even overtaking France for the first time ever. Whilst the greatest successes in regards to quality have been the result of the Syrah grape varietal (known locally as Shiraz), Australia utilizes several Old World grapes, and has had fantastic results from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Chardonnay and more. As the Australian passion for locally produced wine continues to develop, wineries have begun experimenting with a wider range of grape varietals, meaning that nowadays it isn't uncommon to find high quality Australian wines made from Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and Viognier, amongst many others.