Penfolds Reserve Bin A Chardonnay 2018

Founded in 1844, Penfolds is the leading name in Australian wine and was IWSC's 2014 Australian Producer of the Year. Rightly so with their outstanding ‘Bin’ range. This complex, finely balanced white uses grapes purely from the Adelaide Hills in South Australia. At 300 metres altitude, the climate is cool – indeed, some years the grapes only just ripen, which means whites have a wonderful racy freshness. That’s certainly true of this magnificent 96-point 2018. All the fruit is hand picked, whole bunch pressed and the juice run off into new oak barrels for fermentation and 18 months ageing. As yeasts are all wild, each barrel is slightly different, which lends the final wine, blended from different casks, sublime complexity. Chill gently.