Penfolds Yattarna Bin 144 Chardonnay 2018
Style: White Wine
Closure: Screwcap
Penfolds Yattarna Bin 144 Chardonnay 2018
Camberwell
Burke Road
Camberwell VIC 3124
Australia
Producer: Penfolds
Country: Australia
Region: Multi Regional TAS, NSW & SA
Vintage: 2018
Critic Score: 99 and 19/20
Alcohol: 13.0%
Size: 750 ml
Drink by: 2040
White Wine of the Year - 2022 Halliday Wine Companion Awards
Chardonnay of the Year - 2022 Halliday Wine Companion Awards
Penfolds Rewards of Patience tasting panel 2021 - 5/5 rating
Yattarna Bin 144 Chardonnay was launched in 1998 with the 1995 vintage. The name was chosen to honour the 144 winemaking trials it took Penfolds to perfect their flagship white wine and marked a new chapter in the Penfolds story. The inaugural 1995 vintage was arguably the most eagerly anticipated white wine release in Australian history – dubbed by the media as "White Grange", it reached the front pages of Australia’s national newspapers.
Fruit selection is the critical element of Yattarna Chardonnay because it ultimately determines the character of the style. Although multi-vineyard and multi-regional sourcing includes New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria, there has been an increasing component of cool-climate Chardonnay from the Derwent Valley, Coal River and Central Highland in Tasmania.
"Penfolds Yattarna, the greatest white wine produced in the Southern Hemisphere, and one of the greatest in the whole world, was finally crowned as the Best White Wine of World. An absolutely delicious wine that will age beautifully for the next 10-15 years." BWW (Best Wine of the World Competition) 2021
The 2018 Yattarna was sourced from three different regions across three states; Tasmania (72%), Tumbarumba in NSW (22%) and Adelaide Hills in South Australia (6%). The Tasmania component was sourced predominantly from the Central Highlands and Coal River Valley, with a little from Derwent Valley. The wine was matured for eight months in French oak barriques (60% new).
"Very pale straw with lime green hues. On the nose a pedigreed stylistic first alert – subtle flint, more rock-flint than struck-match. A mist of limey citrus, curry leaf and hints of white peach. Quite an exotic ascent... no need to coax from glass via a vigorous swirl. Understated spoils of cool-climate, barrel-fermented chardonnay – a lovely waxiness, whiff of cashew, and subtle creaminess. A Southern-Hemisphere reflection extolling Burgundian restraint, temperament. The palate has substantial flavour coupled with a textural dynamic; mouth-filling, engulfing – opens up aka mid-symphony, no instrument idle. White stone fruits – just ripe nectarine and freshly-sliced peach, and the most subtle adornment of oak and zesty acidity. A wonderful line struts across the mid-palate, not brazenly, yet with real purpose/destination and persistence. Amplified innate potential; beautifully poised and defined. More? Enough will not be enough. Peak Drinking: Now – 2033." Penfolds
Expert reviews
"Penfolds Yattarna, the greatest white wine produced in the Southern Hemisphere, and one of the greatest in the whole world, was finally crowned as the Best White Wine of World. An absolutely delicious wine that will age beautifully for the next 10-15 years." BWW (Best Wine of the World Competition) 2021 - Best White Wine of World
"72% Tasmania (predominantly Central Highlands and Coal River Valley, with a little Derwent Valley), 22% Tumbarumba (for minerality and linearity), 6% Adelaide Hills (for richness); matured eight months in 60% new French oak barriques. An ultra-cool climate blend of Tasmania, Tumbarumba and Adelaide Hills fruit wastes no time in setting the terms of engagement with a wine of infinite class. The flinty/smoky aromas introducing an almost painful intensity on the mercurial palate, a celebration of white-fleshed stone fruits. It has made light work of 8 months in 100% new French oak. Struts its stuff without a care in the world. Drink by 2033." James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 99 points and White Wine of the Year and Chardonnay of the Year and Special Value Wine ★
"I love it when a wine shocks me, and while '18 Yattarna hasn’t the absolute tension or grandeur of the near-perfect 2017, this is a devastatingly alluring wine and it is already performing at a heightened pheromonal level. There is dreamy musk scattered liberally among the lusty fruit notes and at this stage of its life, it is already loving life at the same time as making Bin A look a little occluded. No doubt it will firm up and the gravitas gene will emerge, but for now, this is a hippy chick Yattarna, so grab it for a one-off whirl and then put it back in the cellar to gather its thoughts. There is a lovely cool edge to this wine which will keep it on the straight and not-so-narrow and I imagine that its best years will be at least six years down the track so please be patient." Matthew Jukes - 19+/20 points
"Pale gold. Intense flinty, lemon curd, white apricot and tonic water aromas with underlying vanilla grilled nut notes. Crisp yet creamy with supple lemon curd, grapefruit and stonefruit flavours, fine chalky textures, beautiful mid-palate viscosity and underlying flinty complexity. Finishes chalky/minerally with plentiful nectarine notes. A classic pure-fruited chardonnay with superb richness and precision. Delicious drinking; should develop even more interest with bottle age. Drink now to 2032." Penfolds Rewards of Patience tasting panel 2021 - 5/5 rating
"The 2018 Yattarna Chardonnay leads with marzipan and apple skins, white pepper, scratched citrus, crushed shells, saffron and sugared almonds. In the mouth, the wine is insanely silken and composed, like carded fleece, and the length of flavor feels interminable. This has aged what feels like about three seconds—it is timeless, ageless, restrained and long. Wow. If you can drink these wines from this age window and onward, you will be doing yourself the greatest service. This is a first-rate Chardonnay. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink: 2024 - 2045." Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate - 98 points
"Senior Penfolds white wine maker Kym Schroeter has overseen a very engaging set in three distinctive chardonnay styles. The top shelf 2018 Yattarna is a stunner, a superior wine in every way with extraordinary oak integration given 60% new barrique maturation for eight months. It seems more to be about textural expression than flavour bombing and is one of the most sophisticated Penfolds chardonnays I've ever tasted on release." Tony Love - 98 points
"In these days of championing single region, exclusive vineyard and artisan maker, blends are too often derided, yet it remains that in the most dextrous of hands, a far-flung composition is capable of producing the finest result. Long overshadowed by the fanfare of the lauded red wine suite, Kym Schroeter has been integral to the Penfolds team for 34 years and has spent the second half of his time establishing himself as one of Australia’s geniuses of chardonnay. Yattarna 2018 is an exemplar of his craft and nothing short of his finest wine yet. Never have I tasted an Australian chardonnay that so intimately unites three very diverse regions, that envelops oak so seamlessly into its folds (and 60% new, no less), and that holds every nuance of lifted fragrance, pristine white fruits and tense, crystalline yet somehow calm Tasmanian acidity in suspended animation on a finish of astonishing line and length. In precision and poise, this is utterly breathtaking chardonnay. Yattarna 2018 not only surpasses the profound 2012 as the greatest white wine I have ever tasted from Penfolds, it’s one of the very finest ever conceived in this country." Tyson Stelzer - 98 points
"This is sourced from the same regions as the Bin 311 - Tasmania, Adelaide Hills, and Tumbarumba. Strikes with the immediate difference of a more flinty minerally and quince-like aroma with just a hint of fresh lime. The palate though is mesmerising. So delicate and poised, yet with such linear dimensions of extraordinary length. Persistent and relentless as it cuts a fine line to a very long finish. Wonderful expression of modern Aussie chardonnay." Ray Jordan, The West Australian – 97 points
"A model of beautifully integrated components and an exercise in good measure and balance. Bright citrus and sharp struck flint grab your attention as the fruit talks confidently, underpinned by dark, savoury notes. But it’s not a simple equation: tight Tasmanian fruit is augmented by luscious white peach notes from Tumbarumba and Adelaide Hills. The oak influence bites in places, then the fruit influence surges back. It’s quite a long, undulating journey, with more poise and assurance in its youth than most Yattarna predecessors." David Sly, Decanter – 97 points
Ken Gargett, World of Fine Wine - 97 points
"Tumbarumba and Tasmanian fruit in this vintage, with greater stretch across the palate than the 19A’s edgy carapace. Real vinosity, here! Broader aromas, too: orange blossom, citrus oil, cinnamon oak and a whiff of vanilla, toasted nut and brûlée at its centre. The finish, saline and taut, auguring well for a majestic life ahead. A delicious wine that strikes a pose for others to follow." Ned Goodwin MW - 97 points
"What it lacks in flamboyance it makes up for in finesse. This offers all the complexities you could ever want but if the Reserve Bin A is a water-balloon-above-the-doorway style then this is more of a treasure hunt in a chardonnay garden. Look and you’ll find flint, pear, nectarine, lime and cedar but what you notice more is the strength of the acidity and the startling carry of the finish. The word searing popped into mind. The finish here makes an impression, almost physically, and inspires pleasure, almost painfully. This wine’s waters are calm but we need to float out into them for at least a couple of years before dipping to cup and drink from them. Drink: 2022 - 2031+." Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 96+ points
"A blend of Tasmania, Tumbarumba and Adelaide Hills fruit, this has an intense, stony and mineral freshness with a flinty edge and a wealth of lemon sherbet, white peaches and crushed stones on the nose. Oak is deeply buried. The palate has such striking and intense depth. It’s layered and long and really asserts itself as the most complex and most powerful chardonnay in this release. The depth and pristine grade of fruit here are impressive. Deep, pithy finish. Drink over the next eight years. Screw cap." Nick Stock, JamesSuckling.com – 96 points
"Bright, light-yellow hue, youthfully undeveloped for its age, and the bouquet and palate follow the same theme. It's reserved and refined, youthful and fresh, the flavour already complex in its subtle way, combining nutty, toasty, various citrus fruits - especially lemon - and a hint of spice. Cashew nuts, creamy lees, the whole wine very tightly-composed and delicate yet tremendously long and bursting with potential. Drink: 2021–2038." Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 96 points
"Pale gold. Elegant style wine with high pitched nectarine, melon aromas with flinty complexity. Intense pure lime grapefruit nectarine flavours, fine loose knit al-dente/ chalky textures, lovely mid-palate richness, underlying savoury oak complexity and fresh persistent crunchy acidity. Expressive and pure fruited with superb vinosity and mineral length. Needs time to uncoil and further develop. An austere yet voluminous Chardonnay where less is more. A highly individual and expressive wine that needs a few years to develop more complexity and richness. Judging by the recent Penfolds Rewards of Patience tastings, the wine promises a lot more with further bottle age." Andrew Caillard MW - 96 points
Awards
BWW (Best Wine of the World Competition) 2021 - Best White Wine of World
White Wine of the Year - 2022 Halliday Wine Companion Awards
Chardonnay of the Year - 2022 Halliday Wine Companion Awards
Penfolds Rewards of Patience tasting panel 2021 - 5/5 rating
Special Value Wine – Halliday Wine Companion ★
Yattarna
After a long period of experimentation, Yattarna Bin 144 Chardonnay was launched in 1998 with the 1995 vintage. The name was chosen to honour the 144 winemaking trials it took Penfolds to perfect their flagship white wine and marked a new chapter in the Penfolds story.
The inaugural 1995 vintage was arguably the most eagerly anticipated white wine release in Australian history – dubbed by the media as "White Grange", it reached the front pages of Australia’s national newspapers.
At the presentation of the Tucker Seabrook Perpetual Trophy at the 1997 Sydney Royal Wine Show, the late Len Evans, Chairman of Judges, described the wine as "a revelation" and "a step forward for Australian chardonnay".
Over the years there has been an evolution of winemaking perspectives, a more critical approach to cool-climate grape sourcing and how oak contributes to the style and aging capacity of Yattarna Chardonnay. Technical adaptations and refinements over two decades have led to a distinct Penfolds winemaking signature of pure fruits, flinty complexity, volume and mineral freshness.
Fruit selection is the critical element of Yattarna Chardonnay because it ultimately determines the character of the style. Although multi-vineyard and multi-regional sourcing includes New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria, there has been an increasing reliance on the cool spectrum of flavours derived from higher-altitude and lower-latitude vineyards. Hence why there is an increasing component of Derwent Valley, Coal River and Central Highland chardonnay from Tasmania.
Whole bunch pressing, barrel fermentation including use of wild yeasts, malolactic fermentation and yeast stirring (battonage) have also been important elements in creating a wine of superb fruit complexity, texture and mineral length.
The elegantly styled Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna epitomises the finesse, restraint and character of modern Australian chardonnay. It is best enjoyed within a 3 to 12-year time frame – the wines benefit from some bottle age. Expert cellaring conditions may extend the wine’s longevity to some degree.
Selectively sourcing only the very best chardonnay fruit from cool-climate regions, coupled with clever winemaking, the style continues to evolve. Yattarna reflects Penfolds patience and continued commitment to its original goal, its very name being drawn from local indigenous language, meaning 'little by little, gradually'. Each vintage provides the opportunity to further raise the quality bar.
Peter Gago
The following text is taken from an article by Ken Gargett in Quill & Pad, https://quillandpad.com
Peter 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.
Max 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.
Since 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.
Alongside 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.
Gago 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).
Gago 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.
The 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.
Among 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.
Anyway, 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).
Gago 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.
Gago 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.
In 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.
During 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.
In 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.
Very 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.
And 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.
What 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.
About the winery
After 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.
As 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.
By 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.
In 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.
In 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.
In 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.
Soon, 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.
Despite 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.
Two 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!'.
Tasmania
Tasmania is a small island located below mainland Australia. It produces less than 1% of Australia’s wine but enjoys a global reputation as a leading producer of premium cool climate wines. It is prized for its top-class sparkling wine, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling.
Tasmania is home to more than 230 wineries across 7 wine regions*. The reigions Coal River Valley, East Coast, Pipers River and Tamar Valley produce around 90% of Tasmania's wine, while the other three regions Derwent Valley, Huon Valley and North West produce the remaining 10%. * Please note these 7 wine areas are considered here to be subregions of Tasmania to aid site navigation.
Tasmania is the coldest wine State in Australia. Its climate is temperate, with a distinct maritime influence from the Tasman Sea to the east, Bass Strait to the north and the Indian Ocean to the west. Summer days are temperate while winter sees some of the coldest temperatures in Australia. It's unique climate and soils combine to create ideal growing conditions for cool-climate grape varieties.