Penfolds adds Napa wines and Baijiu-infused Shiraz to its portfolio

Penfolds, the flagship brand of Australian wine giant Treasury Wine Estates, will be adding Napa wines and a new special bottlings range including a brandy, a Chinese Baijiu-infused Shiraz and a Champagne, reinforcing the company’s multi-region and multi-country sourcing philosophy, TWE has announced.

Lot. 518 is a Barossa Shiraz fortified with the addition of Chinese Baijiu

Starting in California from the 2018 harvest onwards, the Penfolds winemaking team will be making a new range of wines using “the best of the best” Napa Valley grapes, according to TWE.

Known for multi-region sourcing, Penfolds’ most famous label, ‘Grange’, is known as the original and most striking expression of this blending philosophy, taking as it does grapes from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Magill Estate in South Australia.

Penfolds’ chief winemaker Peter Gago commented: “Our Penfolds house style certainly allows and embraces the freedom to explore premium viticultural regions across the world. We are striving to add outstanding Californian-sourced wines to our offering by fiscal 2022.”

Continuing the experimentation, in a nod to the winery’s famous ‘Bins’ range and in recognition of the brand’s heritage in fortified wines, TWE also announced a new range – ‘Penfolds Special Bottlings’.

The first release from the range will be Lot.1990, a pot distilled 28 Year-Old single batch brandy, which is available now priced AU$425 a bottle.

The second addition is Lot. 518, a Barossa Shiraz fortified with China’s fiery grain-based liquor Baijiu, which will be released onto the market in September this year with a retail price of AU$150.

Lot.1990, a single batch brandy added to Penfolds Special Bottlings range

The last release is a Champagne, expected to be released in 2019 in time for Penfolds’ 175^th anniversary.

“The Penfolds winemaking team is delighted to engage in a profound expansion of our core range, while preserving Penfolds DNA and at the same time, building upon the creativity, ingenuity and boldness of our winemaking ancestry. This will broaden our base and help future-proof Penfolds,” Gago added.

In announcing the innovations, TWE’s chief marketing officer, Michelle Terry, said: “The news we have shared today represents a significant leap forward for Penfolds as we extend the brand’s rich and powerful past to innovate, create and preserve for the future. These extensions will consolidate Penfolds as a luxury brand that transcends beyond its existing sourcing regions and categories; positioning it for its next chapter.”

TWE’s CEO, Michael Clarke, added: “Today’s news on Penfolds signifies another important step on Treasury Wine Estates’ journey to invest in and build true trust marks; expanding the Penfolds stable to include brandy, spirited wine and multi-country sourcing. Innovation of this nature plays a critical role in driving long term, sustainable growth for the company as we broaden brand appeal and offerings to consumers around the world.

“Multi-region and multi-country sourcing brings excitement and energy into established brands and at the same time, strengthens TWE’s ability to deliver consistent, quality wine year on year; regardless of vintage variation. What we have announced for Penfolds is just the start of a much larger agenda we have to deliver continued growth.”