Penfolds II Cabernet Merlot MV Gift Box
Penfolds
Penfolds II Cabernet Merlot MV Gift Box
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Overview
Overview
A multi-vintage blend of cabernet and merlot made in partnership with Dourthe Bordeaux, blurring the notions of Old and New World. 2020 merlot from the soils of Bordeaux blended with 2021 cabernet sauvignon from distant vineyards in South Australia. Medium-bodied, savoury and complex.
| Varietal | Cabernet Merlot |
|---|---|
| Vintage | Multi Vintage |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Volume | 750 mL |
| Closure | Cork |
| Alc/Vol | 14% |
| Peak Drinking | 2025 – 2050 |
Awards and Accolades
Awards and Accolades
| 96 Points | Tyson Stelzer |
| 95 Points | Andrew Caillard MW |
| 95 Points | Dave Brookes |
| 17.5/20 Points | Matthew Jukes |
Tyson Stelzer
This is the star of Penfolds’ international release this year, thanks to a core of heroic 2021 Coonawarra cabernet. Peter Gago describes 2020 Bordeaux merlot as ‘wonderful’ and 2021 Coonawarra cabernet as ‘awesome’ so he scrapped the tradition of a single vintage wine and blended the two! The result is a tightly-entwined blend that captures the vibrant, crunchy blackcurrant definition of cabernet and builds mid-palate with the presence of Bordeaux merlot – not with the rounded, plush feel of South Australian merlot, but with the poise and tension of Bordeaux. I love this effect!"
Andrew Caillard MW
"Medium crimson. Pure blackcurrant, praline, mocha aromas with hints of marzipan and spice. Generous and inky deep with ample cassis, dark plum, dark chocolate flavours, fine grainy, touch al dente/ chewy tannins and underlying cedar, spice notes. Builds up claret firm at the finish with a tannin plume. Compact and dense with lovely volume, richness and vigour. Should unravel with a few years of bottle age."
Dave Brookes
"Deep crimson with magenta flashes; resonant with fruit notes of blackberry, plum and dark cherry undercut with hints of fine spice, pencil case, sandalwood, forest floor, redcurrant jelly, pepper and cedar undertones. Quite sinewy with a gravelly tannin sway, pure blackberry and plum fruit notes and a nice, savoury palate shape, it's almost a touch austere on the finish, which is all part of its charm. A marriage of Gallic structure and antipodean fruit density. This should cellar very well indeed."
Taste Description
Taste Description
Nose
Without wanting to be too forensic:
- Via France: savoury, lead pencil, forest floor, dry bracken.
- Via Australia: plum-stone/freshly-cut satsuma plum; dark cherry streusel cake.
- Via oak: sandalwood, cola.
- Via: chinotto, redcurrant, green/pink peppercorn, tomato gazpacho (tomato/cucumber).
Confidently, all combine to exude an irresistible red wine aromatic temptation.
Flavours and Palate
Medium-bodied. A dusty mint impression prompts thoughts of source. Similarly subtle black and red-curranted fruits. Tannins – more of a palate conveyance, less of an attaque – grainy, elongated. Excellent weight. Fine, with width/depth. Acid and tannin, not alcohol and oak, are the backbone of this wine. Savoury/mouthwatering/complex – arrestingly draws you in. The measured palate profile is one of balance, not bigness; definition, not clutter. Worldly. Different.
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
Vintage Conditions
Overall, Bordeaux had a warm and mostly dry growing season, with the rain arriving in sporadic thunderstorms. The early ripening merlot fared very well. In South Australia, Coonawarra had a favourable start to the growing season. Spring was notably warm. The Barossa Valley growing season was also relatively mild with long dry spells. An outstanding vintage for South Australian cabernet sauvignon.
The Penfolds Team
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.