Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay, South Australia 2018

100% Chardonnay

10 Months In French Oak Barriques (30% New, 20% 1-Y.O., 50% Seasoned)

Bin 311 Chardonnay truly reflects the winemakers’ mantra ‘we always go where the fruit grows best and where it best suits style’. In 2018, fruit sourcing moved to multi-regional cool-climate regions; Adelaide Hills, Tumbarumba, Tasmania. In true Bin 311 style, it exhibits lemon/lime aromas and a mineral acid backbone, complemented by barrel fermentation and maturation in seasoned oak. Minimal filtration is employed, preserving elegant fruit flavours.

The 2018 Bin 311 showcases cool climate chardonnay from three of Penfolds favourite regions for this noble varietal, Adelaide Hills, Tumbarumba and Tasmania. All three regions enjoyed a relatively wet winter and spring which set the vines up well for the growing season. Tumbarumba had good rainfall right up to December, when a dry spell set in, while February temperatures were quite cool allowing for slow, consistent ripening. The Adelaide Hills had a very hot finish to the growing season with several heat spikes in January. Tasmania enjoyed clear and warm conditions over fruit set from January with no extreme heat days during the lead up to vintage. Harvest was an orderly affair, with grapes ripening evenly across the three regions. The grapes showed strong varietal character with desirable acidity.