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Bradley Molzen
Bayonne, NJ
Wine Lover
Posts:4986
 | | 10/29/2003 2:36 AM |
| This was a really great experience for me. ttepper and myself went together and were greeted by Peter Pago, Chief Red Wine Maker for Penfolds, Richard Brierley, VP and Head of North American Wine Sales for Christie's, and David Wainwright, Assistant VP and Wine Specialist.
10 wines were tasted, from a 1962 CS Shiraz blend, to the soon to be extremely infamous, '98 Grange.
This was a very interesting and unique experience. With Penfolds being such an old winery with such rich tradition in terms of its winemaking, it was great to see them really sticking to their guns in how they made certain wines.
I wish I had taken better notes about the event itself, but maybe ttepper can fill in the blanks.
Anyhow, I really liked how they approached making each different wine. Every year, the same wines are made in the same fashion.
The St. Henri wines for instance are cellared in tremendously huge casks, some of which are 50 years old. They obviously don't want too much oak flavor coming out into the wine and would rather have the wine show it's true flavors that came from the earth and vines it grew from.
However on the flip side of that, the 1996 Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon, made from grapes that grew on 120 year old vines... they used smaller casks with 100% new american oak! And if that years crops are worthy, that's how they will make that wine every single year!
The only thing that may change that much, is the grapes that they select to go into the Grange. They will definitely pick the best grapes from all their vines to put into the Grange. Some years have up to 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, (at 15% they have to call it a Shiraz/Cab blend of some sort) I hope my numbers are right. It might be 19% and 20%.
Anyhow, I felt it was fantastic to see Peter's strong will come through in how his wines are made. He realizes that big bold fruity "over the top and in your face" wines are starting to be more and more prevalent, but it was obvious to see he much more enjoys the subleties in wine making, and the nuances of each wine he puts together, giving each it's own character. Rather than just being a super fruity but not much else wine.
Anyhow, here is what ttepper and I tasted, in order:
1988 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Claret
1962 Penfolds Bin 60a Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra Shiraz
1967 Penfolds Bin 7 Coonawarra CS Kalimna Shiraz
1980 Penfolds Bin 80a Coonawarra Cabernet Kalimna Shiraz
1991 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
1990 Penfolds Sir Henri Shiraz
1991 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
1996 Penfolds Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon
1976 Penfolds Grange
1998 Penfolds Grange
Lastly, keep an eye on the Christie's wine tasting calendar. Definitely a great experience. | |
If you drink wine, you get smarter.... | |
| RawReds
Grape Fermenter
Posts:645
| | 10/29/2003 9:45 AM |
| OHH a highly rated wine from my birth year! (1976) that's actually a bit tricky to find. I might have to snag a bottle for my 30th  | | | |
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