Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay 2016 1.5L

Light to medium straw-yellow colour, with a pronounced nutty, slightly toasted nut bouquet, showing more oak than the Reserve Bin 17. The palate is rich and concentrated, velvet-smooth and fleshy with great depth and extract. Tremendously long carry. A brilliantly balanced, powerful wine, which is just starting out on its career and will undoubtedly reward cellaring and show much more character and complexity in a few years. Great potential.

From Tasmania, Henty, Adelaide Hills and Tumbarumba, matured for 8 months in French Barriques (35% new). Opens with a subtle play of Granny Smith apple, grapefruit, barrel ferment and acidity, none blurring the crystal line of purity. A distinctive style, remarkable for its consistency.

Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay. Bin 144. The Tasmania, Henty, Adelaide Hills and Tumbarumba regions all contributed grapes. 35% new French oak for eight months. The first vintage was from the 1995 vintage; we've come a long way with Yattarna. It now stands pre-eminent. The grandest wines are often the most surly, and this release is. It will come around in its own good time. It's a tight, powerful, brooding wine; gravity is its middle name. All the screws have been tightened and re-tightened; you get the feeling the winemaking team kept torque wrenches handy. The days will come and go; this wine will stride on. Grapefruit and toast, flight and fig. A show of spice. Majestic.