2019 Bin 311 Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
Aromas of toasted nuts, lemon confit, grapefruit peel, flint, orchard fruit and struck match. The palate is medium-bodied with bright, striking acidity and a vivid mouthfeel. Great tension and precision. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Translucent gold. Vibrant, mineral-accented aromas of pear, melon and Meyer lemon, along with a deeper buttered toast quality. Juicy and seamless on the palate, displaying fine definition to its fleshy citrus and orchard fruit flavors. Picks up smoky lees and honey nuances with air, which carry through a long, subtly chewy finish that echoes the mineral and citrus fruit notes.
Aged for eight months in French oak (35% new). 100% malolactic conversion. Lemon zest, cream, oatmeal with sharp acidity. Very saline and savoury in style. Minimal oak, with sea-shell complexity on the finish. Great fruit intensity, yet the ripeness profile remains pleasingly restrained. (RH)
Sourced from Tasmania, Adelaide Hills and Tumbarumba, Penfolds is seeking to position the 2019 Bin 311 Chardonnay as something of a "Junior Yattarna." I guess that's one way to characterize the stuff that doesn't make the cut for the flagship Chardonnay. In truth, this is a fine wine in its own right, boasting struck-match complexity on the nose alongside hints of apple, white peach and lime. Barrel fermented and matured in 35% new French oak, it's medium-bodied and silky textured, but it hides the oak well, ending in a lingering wash of citrus.
About the producer
Penfolds is Australia’s most famous wine producer, known best for their iconic top wine, Grange. First produced commercially in 1952, Grange has since gone on to become one of the world’s most famous fine wines. In 2001, the wine was listed as an Australian heritage icon.