Penfolds French Winemaking Trial 585 2019

This is the inaugural vintage of Penfolds' FWT – French Winemaking Trial – made from Haut-Médoc properties owned by Treasury Wine Estates. Fragrant Petit Verdot and Merlot shine on the nose, with soft red and purple berries, violets, white pepper and herbal nuances. The palate offers vibrant balsamic strawberry, red cherry and spiced plum, framed by bright acidity, with velvety tannins and a mineral edge. Aged for 14 months in new and used French and American oak, this is a polished Bordeaux blend with clarity, elegance and excellent length.

FWT = French winemaking trial. A blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot and 13% Petit Verdot, ‘sourced from exceptional vineyards across the Médoc’. 14 months in French (44% new) and American oak (14% new) barriques. Made at Treasury Wine Estates’ recently (2019) acquired Ch Cambon La Pelouse, ‘introducing Australian methods such as headboards, barrel fermentation etc’ according to Gago, who described it as ‘the most interesting wine in a way because it’s Bordeaux fruit and Australian methods’. Bottled in France. TA 5.83, pH 3.6. Very luscious start and a little less tannic than the average bordeaux. Great undertow of subtlety as well as all that fruit. Impressively long. I prefer this to the much more ambitious and expensive II that is a blend of Bordeaux and Australian fruit. (JR)

With the 2019 FWT 585, Penfolds has produced for the first time a Bordeaux wine that is entirely their own. “FWT” stands for French Winemaking Trial, akin to their famous RWT/Red Winemaking Trial label, nodding to their ethos of experimentation and continual development. The wine combines fruit from Bordeaux with winemaking techniques from Australia, such as aging in a small proportion (14%) of new American oak barriques. The fruit for this new label is sourced from the Haut-Médoc, specifically from Château Cambon La Pelouse (where the wine was made), Belle-Vue, and Gironville—all owned by parent company Treasury Wine Estates. The winemaker on the ground for this project is Emma Wood. The 2019 FWT 585 is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and 18% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with vibrant scents of blackcurrant cordial, black cherries, and mulberries, leading to hints of menthol, cedar chest, violets, and star anise, plus a waft of cracked black pepper. Medium to full-bodied, with intense black fruit and lifted spearmint and red-berry accents, the palate is framed by plush tannins and lovely freshness, finishing long with beautiful purity.