Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay 2005 Sunday, Feb 26 2006
Tasting Notes and Australia and Tumbarumba and Variety and White and chardonnay
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A new and interesting addition to the Penfolds Bin range. This wine is sourced from cool climate vineyards in the Tumbarumba region of NSW. It sees only 2 and 3 year old French oak.
Aromas of brine, white peach, citrus, a touch of spice and some snapped green twig. There are some savoury lees derived smells there too. On the palate quite a zesty and tart little wine with flavours of sour green apple, white peach, citrus and natural yoghourt. Low oak influence showing up as some cinnamon spice but in this fine fruited style you notice even the slightest amount. There is a lot of acidity here, you could never call this wine broad, but it is mixed up with some creamy honeyed leesy flavours. An austere and fine boned wine. Not flavoury. I like it but I suspect many won’t. I also think it might need a couple of years in bottle to settle down at which point the score could go dramatically higher.
Rated : 90 Points
Tasted : Feb06
Alcohol : 13%
Price : $35
Closure : Screwcap
Drink : 2007 - 2010
Source : Winery Sample
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February 26th, 2006 at 9:43 pm| Quote |
Sorry Gary, I have to disagree on this one. Found it to be leesy, malo and oak heavy, as well as broad. Did not think it was well structured. I think at $35 it would be extremely easy to do better.
February 27th, 2006 at 8:52 am| Quote |
I don’t think it is a bargain either. Tried it over 2 days..served cold, cool, warm etc. It can’t see it being oak heavy it does not even see one year old, let alone any new oak. There is some spice from the oak but not overwhelming. Did you try this at an in-store tasting or buy a bottle?
GW
February 27th, 2006 at 8:54 am| Quote |
Oh and whatever you think of the wine is whatever you think of it….I don’t expect everyone to agree with the notes here. Feel free to disagree as often as you like. I am sure you are not alone
GW
February 27th, 2006 at 9:23 am| Quote |
Gary,
Admittedly it was just at an in store tasting - I had gone into the store wanting to buy a bottle to taste but it was available for tasting anyway. Understand that it doesn’t see any new oak, maybe I’m just mega oak sensitive
The same in reverse for what you think of the wine, I’m not trying to convert you or get you to agree with me since that would be stupid, just putting forward my opinion.
February 27th, 2006 at 11:08 am| Quote |
In fact…I am almost thinking I have under-rated this wine. I might put it up to 90 or 91….I am betting the general ‘Wine Media’ will like the style of this wine. Tight and fine. The direction most of them want to see Chardonnay go in…..
GW
February 27th, 2006 at 2:19 pm| Quote |
Gary
yeah give it 90-91. Nice tight and taut style. Thought theoak was well handled-in the background just a slight cinnamon/vanilla hint. Good length and nice bracing acidity. Welldone Penfolds. Just sad about the price.
Cheers
Paul
February 27th, 2006 at 5:11 pm| Quote |
Gary and Cam, this is disgusting, especially you Gary. I was expecting you to remind everyone that they are not as renowned as you and thus plainly wrong if disagreement.
I better try the wine and let everyone who disagrees with me know that they are wrong!
Adair
February 27th, 2006 at 5:16 pm| Quote |
I am becoming more polite in my old age. That is all. You idiot.
GW
February 27th, 2006 at 5:19 pm| Quote |
Much better.
Thank you.
February 27th, 2006 at 5:19 pm| Quote |
I think we can all agree that nobody has a wrong opinion when it comes to wine, except if they are Adair.
February 27th, 2006 at 8:45 pm| Quote |
This wine makes a mockery of me, an avowed Penfolds basher. It is a wine of refreshment and depth, and excellent citrussy, mineral length. At a Yattarna vs The Rest comparitive tasting last year, the Penfolds white winemaker said Tumbarumba and similar cool climate sources were the way forward for Penfolds chardonnays. I agree. Just don’t tell anyone I said this…
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:56 pm| Quote |
I tasted it Jan 08. The oak is nicely judged but the attempt at “Burgundian funkiness” (a style I love) has got away from them. The sulphites go beyond matchstrike and stray into rubberiness. Mores the shame as the fruit is long and fine with Chalbliesque delicacy and persistence on the clean finish. The 06 is not as funky. Check out the 07 with fruit from Orange; far more delicate and intriguing - lookin’ forward to seeing GW’s notes on that wine.
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:45 am| Quote |
Yes, I tried the 2007 Orange wine (the region that is, not the colour) on the weekend at an in- store tasting - very different to the 2006 from Tumbarumba. It was probably the best of the Penfolds bin bunch - but that’s not saying much. As my wife observed about the 2005 bin reds, “how do they make all these wines taste the same?”. The 407 wasn’t too bad, but I’m not paying $35 a bottle for it!