Penley, Phoenix, Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra, Australia 2021

“The 2021 Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon spent 15 days on skins with twice daily pumpers and matured in a combination of vessels for 12 months (65% seasoned French oak, 5% new French oak, 30% in stainless steel). This is an unashamedly bright, fruit-driven Cabernet Sauvignon that rests on a very fine rachis of tannin on the mid-palate. It is supple and fine and oh so fresh. It is modern, juicy, vibrant and crunchy, even, reminiscent of good Loire Chinon. It is also a very good value…”-91WA, 2023-2028

Penley Estate, and from 2023 known simply as Penley in a nod to its fresh look forward, is located in the center of Australia’s most famous Cabernet region: Coonawarra. Continuing a family tradition that spans five generations, the winery was established in 1988 when the Tolley children continued the winemaking heritage of their pioneering families, Penfold and Tolley, both storied names in the Australian wine industry. With their reputation established, the family built a state-of-the-art winery in 1995 on the estate property.

In looking back, it was in 1844 that Mary Penfold was the driving force behind the establishment of McGill Estate. Similarly, from 1948-1961, Gladys Penfold Hyland was Penfold’s Chairman of the Board. Their descendants, sisters Bec and Ang Tolley, run Penley now, proudly channeling the vim and might of their ancestors. Penley’s 240 acres of vineyards are planted atop Coonawarra’s “terra rossa” soils with the aim of producing terroir-driven wines with distinctive regional character. After years of acclaim, Penley is now regarded as one of the region’s leading Cabernet producers.

Coonawarra is known for its unique terra rossa soils – a thin band of vivid red earth overlaying soft limestone that runs nine miles long by one and a half miles wide. Soils and climate alike are ideal for viticulture: mineral rich and free draining earth meets with cold winters and a long, cool ripening season, allowing the grapes to slowly develop flavor and tannin ripeness. Goodman pursues a water deficit program promoting water stress prior to veraison, followed by sufficient moisture to see the vines continue functioning throughout the late fall harvest. In conjunction with hand pruning, this program ensures balanced vines with healthy canopies and crops of small, intensely flavored berries at yields of around two tons per acre.