Penley Cabernet Sauvignon Phoenix 2021

Menthol, Blackberry Jam, Blueberry Puree, Cinnamon, Pencil Lead

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"The women who run Penley Estate are intimately connected with Australian winemaking. Bec and Ang Tolley are the granddaughters of Gladys Penfold Hyland, one of the first leading female figures in New World winemaking and steward of the venerable Penfolds Winery. Today, Penley Estate continues to empower women in the Australian wine industry, but rather than the Shiraz of Penfolds fame, winemaker Kate Goodman cultivates Cabernet Sauvignon first and foremost. In the region of Coonawarra, this grape is often preferred due to several beneficial climate conditions.

Coonawarra is an Aboriginal word meaning “Red Earth,” and a cursory glimpse of the region’s soils will do justice to its name. Thin layers of red clay sit over a narrow bed of limestone, providing optimal soil conditions for grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon. The mineral-rich clay and well-draining limestone synthesize well with the cooler, overcast winters of the region, allowing the grapes to mature slowly without risk of over-ripeness. In the vineyard, Kate reduces the amount of irrigation depending on climate conditions to control yields. Combined with hand pruning, this means that smaller, more concentrated batches of Cabernet Sauvignon are produced, expressing the unique flavors of the region.

All the fruit for this wine comes from the estate’s own vineyards. After harvesting, the fruit is brought to the winery and hand-sorted for maximum ripeness. A 20-day skin maceration then occurs in stainless steel tanks before being racked to French oak barriques, mostly neutral oak with a small amount of new barrels. Following 12 months in barrel, the wine is filtered and bottled ready to drink." - JP Donnelly Davis