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Penfolds is a winery in the Robe region of Australia. It produces some of the most sought-after and expensive wines in the country.
edit Company profile
- Chief winemaker: Peter Gago
- Planted area: 618 hectares (1,500 acres)
- Varietals: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon
edit History
Founded in 1844 by Dr. Christopher Rawson Penfolds, Penfolds was the first commercial winery in Barossa Valley.
In 1844, Penfolds left England for Adelaide with his wife Mary. The capital of South Australia was still a young town, founded less than 10 years before. Upon his arrival Penfolds bought a 500-hectare (1,200-acre) plot on the outskirts of town for 1,200 British Pounds, or one pound an acre. This property is now named Magill Estate.
Penfolds had brought from France a few vines of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Verdelho and Pedro Ximenez, with the goal of producing fortified wines, which were then thought to cure anemia.
Dr. Penfolds' "elixir" was successful enough to develop more than 30 hectares (75 acres) of vineyards on the domain by his death in 1870.
At the end of the century, Penfolds produced one third of all wines in South Australia. New vineyards were then planted in Barossa Valley, Hunter Valley, Eden Valley and McLaren Vale.
Penfolds enjoyed commercial success until World War II, when new immigrants from Italy, Greece and Eastern Europe brought their own winemaking traditions in the region. Penfolds quickly embarked in these new trends and started producing high-quality wines from Syrah and other international varietals.
Today, Penfolds is one of the major wineries in Australia, with a high-quality, world-famous production spread across several regions.
edit Contact
- Head Office
- 7 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank, VIC 3006, Australia
- Phone
- +61 3 9633 2000
- Fax
- +61 3 9633 2002
edit Visits
- Magill Estate: Open 7 days, 10.00am - 5.00pm. 78 Penfold Road, Magill, SA 5072.
- Barossa Valley: Open 7 days, 10.00am - 5.00pm. Tanunda Road, Nuriootpa, SA 5355.
edit See also
