{"product_id":"penfolds-bin-707-cabernet-sauvignon-2023-gift-box","title":"Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 (Gift Box)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBin 707 is Penfolds cabernet sauvignon Grange equivalent. The style relies on the riper spectrum of cabernet sauvignon flavours and tannins, is matured in new American oak and expresses the Penfolds policy of multi-vineyard, multi-region fruit sourcing. Named by an ex-Qantas marketing man, Bin 707 was first vintaged in 1964. The wine was not made from 1970 to 1975 (when fruit was directed to other wines) nor in 1981, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2011 or 2017 (when fruit of the required style and quality was not available). Full bodied and with good cellaring potential, Bin 707 has a secure place among the ranks of Australia's finest cabernets.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"The 2023 Bin 707 is simply magical with glorious refinement, not least the finish, which is as distinguished as can be! I have never felt this way about a two-year-old sample of this commanding Cabernet before. The balance is head-scratchingly unexpected, yet tremendous. An entire Turkish bazaar of spices invades the senses, while moments of pristine, herbaceous eucalyptus and mint cut through the exoticism, bringing a genuine sense of McLaren Vale’s ozone-misted flora. I mention McLaren Vale because this wine is formulated from over two-thirds of fruit from this idyllic region, and perhaps this is another reason why it is an outlier from the monolithic leviathans that populate Bin 707’s back catalogue. In 2023, this American-oaked wine sits alongside refined Bordeaux and haughty Super-Tuscans, with the fragrant oak adding an intriguing twist. \"  Matthew Jukes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Arguably the best Penfolds red, consistently expressive of exemplary cabernet qualities, Bin 707 is sourced from several South Australian regions, principally the Barossa and Coonawarra. A benchmark cellaring wine, revived in the 1970s after Len Evans told Penfolds their decision to delete it some years earlier bordered on the insane.\"  \u003cstrong\u003eJeremy Oliver\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe 2023 Penfolds Bin 707 is 100% cabernet sauvignon sourced from premium vineyards in McLaren Vale, Padthaway and Barossa Valley. The wine was matured for 18 months in new American oak hogsheads.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cspan\u003eDeep, dark magenta on rim; black core. On the nose scents of black olive tapenade and tobacco pouch may assist in the varietal ID. At first, scents ascend of Copha\/dusty chocolate and barrel-ferment pralines. Ditto, dry-aged beef and pan juices. Soaked dark cherry\/fruit cake mix\/rhubarb\/Black Forest cake attest to variety. Peripheral freshly ground cinnamon notes add further complexity. On the palate, a first impression reveals that this release is not overtly fruit-dependent, although blackberry and mulberry fruits are instantly detected. Perhaps more of a savoury\/earthy disposition, augmented by pan juices\/jus and black olive, and laced with exotic spices; turmeric, bay leaf and pimento. An expansive, woven palate conveys this vinous deliciousness, with a positive tension assisted by seamless Cabernet tannins, that are at once granular, sleek. Structure and flavours are both sophisticated and complex… masterfully conjured and showcased via this noble variety, Cabernet Sauvignon.\u003c\/span\u003e\" \u003cstrong\u003e Penfolds\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eExpert reviews\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"experience-component experience-assets-complextile\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"snippet snippet-complextile align-vertical-Bottom align-horizontal-Left\n    text-dark null\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"banner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"banner-text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"page-designer-hover text-left align-on-zoomout-Left border-line-none\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col-12\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Penfolds has enjoyed an incredible history with its starry Cabernet, with the first vintage of Bin 707 dating back to 1964! Of course, this wine sits in a class of its own, on account of its liberal dunking in spankingly aromatic American oak. While this recipe sometimes jars, particularly in young wines, it occasionally finds harmony within moments of being bottled. 2023 Bin 707 is simply magical with glorious refinement, not least the finish, which is as distinguished as can be! I have never felt this way about a two-year-old sample of this commanding Cabernet before. The balance is head-scratchingly unexpected, yet tremendous. An entire Turkish bazaar of spices invades the senses, while moments of pristine, herbaceous eucalyptus and mint cut through the exoticism, bringing a genuine sense of McLaren Vale’s ozone-misted flora. I mention McLaren Vale because this wine is formulated from over two-thirds of fruit from this idyllic region, and perhaps this is another reason why it is an outlier from the monolithic leviathans that populate Bin 707’s back catalogue. In 2023, this American-oaked wine sits alongside refined Bordeaux and haughty Super-Tuscans, with the fragrant oak adding an intriguing twist. \" \u003cstrong\u003e Matthew Jukes - 19+\/20 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"This release is a monumental wine. Impressive, exhibiting such length and exuberance. The highlight is a sweet core of dark cherry\/chocolate. The colour is an opaque maroon while the nose opens with plums, chocolate (which never really abandons us), spices, bergamot, plenty of oak deftly handled, cassis, licorice, spices, nutmeg, cold tea, smoked meats, graphite and black cherries. Time in the glass saw the cassis\/dark cherries\/kirsch notes emerge more and more. There is refinement here, though it quickly morphs into a hedonistic energy, balance and focus, with fresh acidity running the length. This will easily sail through the next twenty to thirty years.\" \u003cem\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKen Gargett, Wine Pilot - 98 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"\u003cspan class=\"cs-reviewBody\"\u003eDeep, dark colour; powerful cabernet nose, with more black fruits including cassis, blackberry and less obvious oak than we are used to with 707. Just a little mocha in the background. A massive wine, big and brawny, with masses of drying tannins which grip and coat the mouth but leave no astringency or harshness. Packed with flavour: a very impressive cabernet, a modern Bin 707. (McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Barossa Valley).\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cs-reviewBody\"\u003eDrink \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e2028\u003c\/span\u003e–\u003cspan\u003e2050\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHuon Hooke, The Real Review - 97 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cspan\u003eThere's no doubting the pedigree of the Bin 707. First released in 1964, it is one of Australia's finest cabernets, and the '23 release is a continuation of its stellar bloodline. Deep crimson with aromas of macerated blackberry, black cherry, blackcurrant, cassis and doris plum fruits with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, blackforest cake and dried herbs. Notes of distant bramble, cedar, licorice and earth. For all its depth and latent power, I like the clarity and detail in this release. The fruit is on-point, pure. The fine-grained tannins, showing heft initially, slowly recess into the fruit, resulting in a wine of elegance, grace and sleekness of shape. One for the cellar – if you can keep your hands off it.\u003c\/span\u003e Drink by 2050.\" \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion - 97 points\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"A young and characteristic expression of cabernet bursting with crushed violets, freshly squeezed cassis, pencil shave, spearmint, and extra dark chocolate, coconut husk, all playing their keynotes in unison, like expert fingers on the piano. On one side, there is a level of exotic and floral allure, with notes of incense, essential oils, and dried lavender; on the other, an Old World-like reminder of cooking herbs, garrigue, and rolled tobacco leaf. Yet unashamedly Australian all the way through. You can savour and touch each and every element on the palate, thanks to the continuity of fruit, the vibrancy, balance, presence and weight of the tannins. It will last decades while already showing a great deal.\"  \u003cstrong\u003eLisa Cardelli, Wine Pilot – 97 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"This is such a refined and focused cabernet sauvignon, deeply perfumed and lifted, with aromas of blackcurrants, cedar, grilled meat, bitter chocolate, ink, dried flowers and dried herbs. The palate is full-bodied, silken, textural and tightly wound, with a creamy, chocolaty finish. An Australian classic of the highest order. Excellent. Drink or hold.\"\u003cstrong\u003e  James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com - 97 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Following the stellar 2021 and 2022 in Coonawarra, there is in fact no Coonawarra cabernet that achieved the 707 standard in 2023 (and no Bin 169 released), with McLaren Vale, Padthaway and the Barossa Valley stepping forward. The blend is instead led by McLaren Vale, where a wet spring, warm and dry summer and cool harvest contrasted a challenging, wet and stormy season in the Barossa. The result is a Bin 707 of characteristic power and muscle, set to a quintessential Penfolds tannin frame and strong American oak support. A core of classic blackcurrant fruit definition is accented with cedar and tobacco leaf and energised by vibrant acid focus and a spectacular cascade of powerful tannins that will hold it sure for half a century. Drink: 2053-2073.\"  \u003cstrong\u003eTyson Stelzer - 97 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"This is probably the most distinctive of any Penfolds wine. It’s matured in 100% new American oak, so that’s the first thing. Unique in Australia. It’s sourced from McLaren Vale, Padthaway and the Barossa. In most years the American oak would pop out noticeably, and yet here is a wine that still reveals the fruit with the oak slightly underplayed, if you can imagine that. Shows a spicy, cinnamon, creamy tart and lifted glazed cherry nuance. The palate is still tightly structured and controlled by those fine, firm tannins and that sinewy oak. The oak hits in the final stages of the palate.\"  \u003cstrong\u003eRay Jordan - 97 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"Still quite toasty; we have notes of chocolate, cassis, smoked meats, licorice, cloves, chocolate, soy, and a hint of baked bread. Rich and ripe, this is supple, with a fine line of acidity and firm, sleek tannins on the finish. It has a good couple of decades ahead of it. This is a really impressive wine for what might be termed a lesser vintage.\"  \u003cstrong\u003eAndrew Caillard MW - 97 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"There is one important and traditional – some might suggest, essential – voice missing in the 2023 Bin 707 and that is Coonawarra. It was a challenging vintage across South Australia, but in Coonawarra disease pressures were high and fruit quality was considered not up to par. What we see here is the contribution of McLaren Vale, Padthaway and the Barossa Valley. The usual 18 months in 100% new American hogsheads applies.  Deep, impenetrable crimson hues. Macerated dark plum, blackberry aromas with layers of baking spices and crushed herbs, dark chocolate, earth, leather and boot polish. A celebration of Penfolds  new oak mastery, it is also a celebration of Cabernet power, albeit minus some of the classic elemental qualities of Coonawarra.  Trademark fruit concentration is there elevated by attractive peppermint, sage and spice providing the aromatic lift and nicely balanced by light charcuterie savoury notes. Drink: 2025-2048.\"  \u003cstrong\u003eJeni Port, Wine Pilot – 96 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cspan\u003eBin 707 is commonly a blend of regions but I always, rightly or wrongly, associate it with Coonawarra. There are no Coonawarra grapes in this release. Overt vanilla into raspberry, red licorice, blackcurrant, raw cedar and olive tapenade, with mint and earth notes for afters. Flavour-wise this is still coming together but the structure is excellent and the finish is long. I’m surprised at how raw this feels but the finish is dramatically well prosecuted. When you put a + on the end of a wine score it usually means that it might move a point; this could move a few. Bin 707 is always a pup on release but this release is embryonic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDrink: 2032 - 2050+.\"  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCampbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 95+ points\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\"\u003cspan\u003eHaving had the privilege of tasting many vintages of this wine back to 1964, this is, given time, a superb wine. The inclusion of American oak helps to protect the fruit sweetness over time—I don't know the science of that, however it holds true anecdotally. Here, through the prism of the 2023 vintage, the wine is fresh and yet ripe, and the cool season has taken some of the weight from the bottom register. It was sourced from McLaren Vale, Padthaway and Barossa Valley and matured for 18 months in American oak hogsheads. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDrink: 2025-2043.\u003c\/span\u003e\"  \u003cstrong\u003eErin Larkin, Wine Advocate - 95 points\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe story of bin 707\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"penfolds bin 707\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0642\/3098\/1873\/files\/bin707_1024x1024.jpg?v=1665366407\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, Penfolds first commercial release of a single cabernet-based wine, is linked to Max Schubert's dream of making a great Australian red wine that could last at least 20 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen Penfolds purchased the 1888-planted Kalimna Vineyard, including the prized Block 42 plantings of cabernet sauvignon, the varietal was still quite rare in Australia. Schubert had originally thought the Kalimna Vineyard might be a source for Grange, but early crops proved unreliable.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the '50s and early '60s cabernet sauvignon was mostly used for blending, but Schubert's breakthrough with the varietal as a stand-alone wine came in 1964, at a time when Penfolds was expanding its red table wine portfolio. Early Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignons were typically open fermented under wax-lined header boards and matured in seasoned old oak (rather than new oak). While these early wines were well received by trade and media, a disappointing 1969 vintage led Penfolds to discontinue production until it could find reliable and consistent fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePenfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon returned with the 1976 vintage, primarily based on Coonawarra fruit with vital input from the Barossa Valley. Since then the winemaking blueprint for Bin 707 has been almost identical to Grange, including partial barrel fermentation and 18 months maturation in new American hogsheads. Within a few years of its relaunch, Bin 707 was considered by collectors as a benchmark Australian cabernet sauvignon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCoonawarra and Barossa Valley, particularly the Kalimna and Koonunga Hill vineyards, have been at the heart of the Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon since the 1970s. Today, the cool-climate Robe, Padthaway and Wrattonbully vineyards in South-East South Australia are additional sources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWinemaking is very similar to Grange, and as a consequence, the style relies on the riper spectrum of cabernet sauvignon flavours and tannins. In colder growing seasons, when it is difficult to reach optimum ripeness, the wine is not released. These strict selection principles ensure continuity of the Bin 707 style and quality across all released vintages.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePenfolds Rewards of Patience 2021\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"experience-component experience-assets-complextile\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"snippet snippet-complextile align-vertical-Bottom align-horizontal-Left\n    text-dark null\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"banner-content\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"banner-text\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"page-designer-hover text-left align-on-zoomout-Left border-line-none\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col-12\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeter Gago\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0642\/3098\/1873\/files\/PenfoldsChiefWinemakerPeterGago_1024x1024.png?v=1697773987\" alt=\"Penfold's Chief Winemaker Peter Gago\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe following text is taken from an article by Ken Gargett in Quill \u0026amp; Pad, https:\/\/quillandpad.com\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePeter Gago has what many people in the wine world think is the best job on the planet. He is chief winemaker for Penfolds, based in South Australia and one of Australia’s oldest wine producers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMax Schubert created Grange with the experimental first wine, the 1951, after he returned from Bordeaux and wanted to establish an Aussie First Growth. The story of Grange has been told many times, and as fascinating as it is I won’t rehash it again. Schubert ruled at Penfolds right through to the 1976 vintage, when he handed the reins to Don Ditter. Ditter made the wines right through to the 1986 vintage when John Duval stepped up. Duval was chief winemaker until the 2002 vintage, when he left to do his own thing, very successfully.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSince that time, Peter Gago has been the chief winemaker. It should be noted that although the role of chief winemaker at Penfolds will always be inextricably linked with Grange, there are a great many other wines in the portfolio for which this position assumes ultimate responsibility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlongside the winemaking, in which he is still heavily involved, a usual week in non-Covid times sees Gago flying around the world to tastings, dinners, events, festivals, and promotions. I suspect that only David Attenborough (outside of pilots and crew) has racked up more flying miles. I remember seeing him one day when he seemed even more pleased with the world than usual. Turns out he’d just run into his wife, Gail, now retired but a long-term and highly regarded member of the South Australian parliament, at the airport. Gago had not been aware that they would both be in the same country that week, let alone cross paths, such is his usual peripatetic lifestyle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGago has friends and admirers all around the globe, from the rich and famous to young, aspiring wine lovers, and will spend time talking to them all. I suspect that if he wanted to start dropping names, the din would reverberate for days, but you could not find a humbler man. Gago is a serious music buff and you’d be amazed at the number of rock stars who revere him, much in the way their fans might do for them (for instance, after crawling over broken glass to get a ticket to a Bruce Springsteen concert I saw Gago sitting in prime seats with Springsteen’s family, after which they went for dinner and knocked off a few bottles of Grange).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGago is probably as close to a rock star himself in the world of wine, although perhaps more modest rather than flamboyant. And I have no idea if he can sing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe thing that most amazes me with Gago is that every time you talk to him, he is bubbling with genuine enthusiasm, not just for Grange but for all his wines. He just loves what he is doing. One gets the feeling that every morning he wakes up and pinches himself to make sure it is real.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmong his many attributes, Gago has the gift of the gab like few others. Only once have I ever seen him lost for words and caught off guard. Many years ago, at the annual release – held in a very fancy location near the shores of Sydney Harbor; it is always a fancy location somewhere and also always includes great champagne to kick off the day as Gago is fanatical about the world’s best bubbles – the then current chairman or CEO of whichever corporate entity was then the owner of Penfolds attended the day. Forgive me for my failure to remember just where the corporate snakes and ladders left Penfolds that day and for failing to remember the relevant gentleman’s name. He had only been appointed as a temporary executive while the search for a more permanent one was ongoing, but unlike any of the CEOs before and after, this man had a genuine interest and came to a couple of tastings to learn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnyway, as we sipped our champagne on the lawns overlooking Sydney Harbor and chatted, our friend suddenly posed a question to Gago. He had been meaning to ask, he said, just how much Grange the company made. There were five or six writers in this little group and suddenly, every single one of us had pad and pen poised. The production of Grange is a national secret that is not to be disclosed under pain of death (general consensus puts it at, depending on the vintage, between 5,000 and 15,000 cases, with most releases in the mid range, but this is pure speculation).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGago was at a loss. The boss of bosses had just asked him a direct question and Gago is far too polite not to answer but knew he couldn’t give that information out in public. He managed a fair bit of mumbling and generalizations and I think he suggested they meet later. Pads and pens all went back into bags, and we could not help grinning while Gago looked like he’d just swallowed a bad oyster.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGago was born in England in 1957, but his family moved to Melbourne when he was only six years of age. Originally a math teacher (teaching is still a passion), he undertook a science degree at the University of Melbourne and then attended Roseworthy College, a famous Australian winemaking college, graduating as Dux (the highest ranking academic performance -ed), which will surprise no one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1989 he joined Penfolds as a sparkling winemaker, working with Ed Carr, who has established a career in sparkling wine (now with Arras) as successful as Gago’s is with table wines. He moved to reds and quickly rose through the ranks until succeeding Duval in 2002. In the 73 years since Schubert was first appointed, Gago is only the fourth chief winemaker.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring his tenure, he has stacked up an extraordinary array of bling, as has Penfolds under his stewardship (Gago heads a team of eight winemakers for table wines and a couple more for fortifieds). He has several “Winemaker of the Year” awards from different entities and publications, both from Australia and abroad, but the accolades go well beyond that.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 2017, in what is termed “the Queen’s Birthday Honors List,” he was awarded the highly prestigious Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for service to the wine industry. For non-Aussies, that is a big one! A year later, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of South Australia and named the Great Wine Capitals Ambassador for South Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVery recently, Gago was awarded perhaps the most prestigious honor of all in the wine world: admission to the Decanter Hall of Fame (previously they honored the Decanter Man – or Woman – of the Year, but that changed). Decanter is a highly respected English wine magazine that established its hall of fame in 1984 with Serge Hochar from Château Musar in Lebanon the first recipient. There is only a single addition per year. Gago is the fourth Australian following Max Schubert in 1988, Len Evans in 1997, and Brian Croser in 2004. That two of the four chief winemakers from a single producer have made this list (Schubert and Gago) is unprecedented but shows just where Penfolds sits in the pantheon of wine producers around the globe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd should you still remain unconvinced then take a moment to look at some of the names Gago has joined: Parker, Spurrier, Tchelistcheff, Robinson, Moueix, de Villaine, Antinori, Lichine, Gaja, Symington, Loosen, Guigal, Torres, Draper, Peynaud, Mondavi, and so many more. There is no question that the name Peter Gago sits very comfortably alongside them all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat is most important is that across the board the Penfolds wines have never been better, and while it is a team effort, in the end we can thank Gago.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the winery\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"penfolds-winery\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0642\/3098\/1873\/files\/1920x560-Penfolds-Entrance-1920s_1024x1024.png?v=1663022856\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAfter the success of early sherries and fortified wines, founders Dr Christopher and Mary Penfold planted the vine cuttings they had carried on their voyage over to Australia. In 1844 the fledging vineyard was officially established as the Penfolds wine company at Magill Estate.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs the company grew, so too did Dr Penfold's medical reputation, leaving much of the running of the winery to Mary Penfold. Early forays into Clarets and Rieslings proved increasingly popular, and on Christopher's death in 1870, Mary assumed total responsibility for the winery. Mary's reign at the helm of Penfolds saw years of determination and endeavour.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBy the time Mary Penfold retired in 1884 (ceding management to her daughter, Georgina) Penfolds was producing 1\/3 of all South Australia's wine. She'd set an agenda that continues today, experimenting with new methods in wine production. By Mary's death in 1896, the Penfolds legacy was well on its way to fruition. By 1907, Penfolds had become South Australia's largest winery.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn 1948, history was made again as Max Schubert became the company's first Chief Winemaker. A loyal company man and true innovator, Schubert would propel Penfolds onto the global stage with his experimentation of long-lasting wines - the creation of Penfolds Grange in the 1950s.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn 1959 (while Schubert was perfecting his Grange experiment in secret), the tradition of ‘bin wines' began. The first, a Shiraz wine with the grapes of the company's own Barossa Valley vineyards was simply named after the storage area of the cellars where it is aged. And so Kalimna Bin 28 becomes the first official Penfolds Bin number wine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn 1960, the Penfolds board instructed Max Schubert to officially re-start production on Grange. His determination and the quality of the aged wine had won them over.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoon, the medals began flowing and Grange quickly became one of the most revered wines around the world. In 1988 Schubert was named Decanter Magazine's Man of the Year, and on the 50th anniversary of its birth, Penfolds Grange was given a heritage listing in South Australia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDespite great success, Penfolds never rests on its laurels. In 2012 Penfolds released its most innovative project to date - 12 handcrafted ampoules of the rare 2004 Kalimna Block Cabernet Sauvignon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo years later, Penfolds celebrated the 170th anniversary – having just picked up a perfect score of 100 for the 2008 Grange in two of the world's most influential wine magazines. Today, Penfolds continues to hold dear the philosophies and legends – '1844 to evermore!'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Canterbury Wines","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48479824281841,"sku":null,"price":750.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0642\/3098\/1873\/files\/Penfolds-Bin-707-Cabernet-Sauvignon-2021-box.jpg?v=1753500994","url":"https:\/\/canterburywines.au\/products\/penfolds-bin-707-cabernet-sauvignon-2023-gift-box","provider":"Canterbury Wines","version":"1.0","type":"link"}