Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon excellence, reinforced by flagship-worthy South Australian cabernet. Matured in French and American oak, this 2020 release shows a dark fruit intensity with notes of black pepper and coffee liqueur.
Napa Valley regional sourcing seeks to showcase strong tannic foundations, dark fruit intensity but with the added dimension of a unique “worldly” disposition. Matured in French and American oak, this release highlights Penfolds commitment to quality and winemaking approach.
Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon |
---|---|
Vintage | 2020 |
Country | United States |
Region | Napa Valley |
Volume | 750 mL |
Closure | Cork |
Alc/Vol | 14.5% |
Peak Drinking | Now – 2048 |
97 Points | Huon Hooke |
18+/20 Points Points | Matthew Jukes |
96 Points | Tyson Stelzer |
96 Points | Ken Gargett |
95 Points | Erin Larkin |
95 Points | Dave Brookes |
94+ Points | Andrew Caillard MW |
"Bell-clear blueberry and cassis aromas, very cabernet, superbly ripe, backed by ample cedary/toasty/smoky oak; very stylish. Palate is elegant and intense, concentrated and refined, linear and suave, with a long, long carry. This really begs for time but has the elegance to drink well as a youngster too. Drink 2025 – 2043. 14.5% alc – 97 points"
"Hugely powerful and brooding, this immense wine shows a muscular and untamed side to the great Cabernet Sauvignon grape. If you imagine a potent, fully-ripe Shiraz that possesses Cabernet flavours, then this is it. If anything, it is too much – too much sweetness, too much oak and too much-misplaced brawn, but it certainly turns heads, and there will be people queueing up for it because it is the same shape and size as many of the fully-loaded Californian reds that I find too much in every respect."
"The concentration and ripe, deep black fruit presence of Napa cabernet is impressively presented here, framed in the grand structure of enduring, fine-grained tannins and tremendous drive and persistence. Acidity is well played to uphold dynamic brightness and purity on a driving finish of great potential. 92% Napa Valley, 8% South Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, 16 months maturation in 80% new French oak barriques and 20% new American oak barriques. Drink 2040-2060. 14.5% alc – 96 points."
First, an abundance of dark fruits, condensed, concentrated, alluring. A confit of blackberries and mulberries. Crème de cassis. Hydrocarbon notes of tar and gravel arouse thoughts of freshly poured bitumen, morphing gradually into a flinty barrel ferment character. Chocolate éclair, icing sugar, fresh licorice and cola provide sweet notes, while lavender and violets add a floral perfume. Black pepper and umami notes of smoked beef offer further enticement.
A weighty palate that delivers on the aromatic inducement. Flavours of milk chocolate, tiramisu, cannoli and biscotti provide a ripe core, while sweet and sour mulberries hold court. There is a suggestion of macchiato espresso with a side nip of coffee liqueur. The savoury flavours lean towards seared beef, doused in black pepper and dropped onto a piping hot skillet. A lovely wine with a finely structured palate and a very long finish.
The 2020 season in Napa Valley began with a warm, dry winter. Summer was characterised by very cool mornings and very warm days. The vintage proved to be one of the most challenging in history, with COVID restrictions and wildfires causing a range of logistical challenges. Nevertheless, our winemakers have leveraged small yields of high-quality, concentrated grapes to craft cabernet sauvignon of exceptional quality and intensity balanced by excellent acidity.
South Australia also had a fair measure of viticultural challenges. While bunch weights and berry numbers were generally low across the state, the harvest produced some outstanding fruit.
Key to the success of Penfolds has been a lineage of visionary winemakers. There have only ever been four Chief Winemakers at the helm of Penfolds – Max Schubert, Don Ditter, John Duval and Peter Gago, each a custodian of a rich winemaking tradition that goes back for more than 170 years.
Our current Penfolds winemaking team has more than 100 years between them as Penfolds winemakers. They are constantly refining and improving their work, whilst honouring the winemaking techniques of their predecessors.