Penfolds

Penfolds Magill Estate is located in Magill in the state of South Australia, near Adelaide and about 15 minutes from the central business district. The vineyard is an urban single-vineyard site with monopoly status within the city limits. The remaining area comprises 5.24 hectares and is planted entirely with Shiraz. The vines are dry-farmed, cut by hand and picked by hand.

For Magill Estate, Penfolds describes a warm, dry climate that is moderated by sea breezes. The company sources grapes mainly from regions of South Australia such as the Adelaide Hills, the Barossa Valley and Coonawarra and also works with selected producers. The Adelaide Hills are regarded as high-elevation sites with a cooler climate; Coonawarra is characterised by weathered limestone under Terra rossa soils.

Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold founded the vineyard and winery Penfolds in Magill Estate in 1844 with vine cuttings brought to Australia. After Christopher Penfolds death in 1870, Mary took full responsibility and led the company until her retirement in 1884. In 1948, Penfolds appointed Max Schubert as the first Chief Winemaker; his trials in the 1950s led to the creation of Grange. The numbered bin tradition began in 1959 with Kalimna Bin 28 Shiraz.

Grange follows a multi-vintage and multi-regional blending philosophy and is based on fully ripe, intensely aromatic Shiraz grapes. The 2018 vintage matured for 18 months in 100% new American oak barrels. St Henri is a Shiraz-driven wine, matured in old, large wooden casks without any new oak character. Magill Estate Shiraz is a medium-bodied single-vineyard Shiraz with fine tannins and a silky texture; the 2023 vintage was hand-picked, vinified in open fermenters, pressed using a basket press and matured at the original winery in Magill Estate.