Leading Australian Wine into the Modern Era: Penfolds

The legendary Magill Estate, where it all began for Penfolds back in 1844. The single vineyard is one of the world’s only urban vineyards, located a mere 15 minutes from Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia.

The Barossa Valley vineyard is home to many of Penfolds’ finest creations, all stemming from the Block 42 vines.

The Block 42 vines, originally planted in the 1880s, yields fruit used in the Grange, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, and Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz expressions.

Max Schubert, Penfolds’ first Chief Winemaker, eyes his first passion project, the Grange Hermitage — now known as the Penfolds Grange, which eventually became known as one of the finest wines in the world.

The now-universally loved Grange was initially universally disliked. After a poor tasting with a panel of experts in 1957, Penfolds management shuttered the Grange operation. However, the initial flop made Schubert even more determined, and he worked for years in secret to make the necessary corrections to ultimately deliver one of the world’s most respected wines.

Here are the Grange barrels, always resting in the Magill Estate. Over the years, the Grange has been named Wine Spectator’s Red Wine of the Year in 1995 and achieved a perfect 100-point rating on multiple occasions.

Peter Gago, Penfolds’ current and fourth Chief Winemaker, joined the winery in 1989 and eventually worked his way to his current position in 2002. In 2017, the world of winemaking recognized Peter’s impact on the industry, bestowing him with the honor of becoming South Australia’s Great Wine Capitals Global Ambassador.

Steph Dutton, Penfolds Senior Red Winemaker, was born and raised in Melbourne, a city renowned for its love of wine. She first joined Penfolds in 2007 and worked at the Magill Estate Restaurant. After earning a Masters of Oenology degree, she joined the Penfolds red winemaking team, stationed in the Barossa Valley vineyards. Dutton embraces the unpredictable nature of winemaking and believes that is “what keeps the fascination for winemaking alive.”

The dream for any lover of fine wine would be to visit the prestigious winery in person. If you’re lucky enough to make that trip, you’ll be stepping on these hallowed grounds, home to many of the world’s best vineyards. Until then, pour a glass of Penfolds and savor the iconic flavors of Australian winemaking at its finest.