2020 Penfolds 'Bin 704' Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
There is a generous sweet core of fruit that offers plenty of flesh right across the palate. Cassis persists on the palate, with baked blackberry pie pastry flavors. Mulberries add a dark, slightly leafy nuance, balanced by the impression of fresh pouring cream. Baking spices abound. The acidity is tight and persistent, a lovely foil to the generous fruits and fine-grained tannins. There is the slightest suggestion of olive brine and Kalamata tapenade rounding out a lovely medium bodied wine.
Penfolds has a very long and meandering history, and represents generations of winemaking knowledge in action. In 1844, Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold planted vineyards at Magill Estate near Adelaide. The first Penfolds wines, from the 1800s, were made from newly established vineyards around Adelaide and made for the enjoyment of new South Australian colonists. During the first part of the 20th century, Penfolds gradually added significant acreage and became a household name across Australia. It exported table and fortified wines throughout the Commonwealth. After a visit to France in 1950, Penfolds chief winemaker Max Schubert dreamed bigger, wanting to dramatically expand the winery’s export presence, as the French had. The iconic Penfolds Grange came forth in 1951, leading to a remarkable parade of wines that would bring Penfolds wines worldwide acclaim for their richness, consistency, and longevity.