Penfolds

Penfolds can look back over a long wine-making tradition that dates back to 1844, when Englishman, Dr. Christopher Rawson Penfold and his wife Mary bought the Mackgill Estate, numbering 500 acres. Grenache was the main variety grown and the wine was prescribed as a tonic for patients. Instrumental in overall management, in 1870 Mary was involved in the Grange vineyard acquisition and the move into sweet and dry reds and white table wines, believed to account for a third of South Australia's total wine production at that time. Further development included fortified wines in the 1920-30s, and the Barossa Valley's largest vineyard, Kalimna, was among others purchased a decade or so later during a period of expansion.

After visiting Bordeaux, in 1951 winemaker Max Schubert started out on a voyage of discovery with Grange, in the hope of creating a red wine with great concentration, balance and longevity. The accolade from Robert Parker in 1995, calling this wine 'a leading candidate for the richest, most concentrated dry table wine on planet earth', gave this Australian winery important international acclaim. Moreover, back in the 1960s, the renowned Bin range had started appearing, with Bins 389, 707, 28 and 128.

Each subsequent winemaker has left his mark, with Don Ditter, from 1976, ensuring the success of quality Cabernet Sauvignon wines and John Duval, responsible for the opulence and balance of wines in the late 1980s and beyond. Since 2002, Peter Gago has maintained the company's undoubtedly fine reputation for excellence, ensuring that Penfolds wines remain highly sought after all over the world.

Kalimna - Penfolds
Year founded:	1844
Enologist:	Peter Gago
Address:	30 Tanunda Road
	5355
	Nuriootpa
Telephone:	+61 8 8568 8408
Web Site:	http://www.penfolds.com/
Penfolds Grange - Penfolds Yattarna