Penfolds Bin 51 Riesling 2020 Penfolds

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16.25p by Jancis Robinson MW / BWW2024/Best Wine Critic of the World
91p by Ken Gargett
98p by Andrew Caillard MW / BWW2024 Finalist

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Written Notes

A fine example from one of Australia’s premium Riesling regions, Eden Valley, this is one for the long haul. Those looking for immediate gratification should turn their gaze elsewhere. Two months in stainless steel.

Opened with a punchy, minerally, slatey nose. Quite a herbal style with green salad, greengage notes. Young and fresh with piercing, pristine acidity. Of moderate length. 88.

Looking at this the following day, no wine in the Collection benefited as much from the extra time. A delightful lime/lemon sherbet note emerged and the texture was more creamy than the slightly gritty offering that was evident 24 hours earlier. Buy this wine for the future, not today. A good Bin 51, but falls short of the best. 91.

- Ken Gargett

Created in the 1990s as part of the evolving Penfolds white wine development programme. Acidity 7.5 g/l, pH 3.06. Aged for two months in stainless steel. In 2020 Eden Valley experienced plentiful winter rainfall, with average falls leading into spring. However, the following summer and autumn were very dry, with well below average rainfall. Spring and early summer were dry, hot and windy, which affected final yields. However, it also reduced disease pressure during the growing season. From January, the season became cooler than average with few days over 35 °C, near-perfect ripening conditions, cool nights and mild days. Riesling was harvested in the early hours of the mornings, with overnight temperatures of just 5–10 °C, allowing for greater acid retention and flavour development. Harvest 19 to 26 February. Overall, a relatively small but high-quality crop.
Very youthful reductive Riesling with a strong smoky element. It would be interesting to know how much residual sugar there is here; it tastes as though there is a smidgeon, or perhaps the lime-and-herbs fruit is just nice and ripe. It would be great if Penfolds would age this is a bit longer before release. Fairly long but still a bit astringent.

- Jancis Robinson MW / BWW2024/Best Wine Critic of the World

Pale green gold. Fragrant camomile lime, lemon grass aromas with hints of ginger. Fresh sweet lemon curd, grapefruit, lime squash, flavours, fine looseknit powdery textures, attractive mid-palate richness and crunchy long acidity. Spectacular Eden Valley Riesling with beautiful aromatic complexity, richness of flavour and mineral length. Should age for the long term. Seal; screwcap Now-2030 12% alc 98 points

A beautiful pure-fruited and mineral textured Eden Valley Riesling. Despite the challenging bushfires of 2020 in the Adelaide Hills (further south), the 2020 Bin 51 highlights an outstanding growing season for riesling in this region. A brilliant wine.

Two months in stainless steel

- Andrew Caillard MW / BWW2024 Finalist

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