Penfolds built its name on reds, but Koonunga Hill has been the estate's wide-release line since the 1970s, and the Chardonnay in it comes from vineyards spread across South Australia. The fruit is Chardonnay, vinified to a medium-bodied, dry white with a soft, creamy mid-palate.
- Chardonnay, the only grape in the bottle.
- South Eastern Australia, a multi-region blend.
- 2022 vintage, 13% abv.
- Medium body, medium acidity, low tannin.
- Dry, with a creamy texture.
How it is made
South Eastern Australia is a broad appellation, and a wine carrying it can draw on fruit from several regions rather than one. That latitude is the point: it lets a producer hold a consistent house style from year to year. A portion of the blend typically sees oak, which is where the vanilla note comes from.
How it tastes
White peach and melon lead, with lemon curd behind them and a clear vanilla thread from the oak. The texture is the notable part, creamy through the middle without losing the citrus line. Medium acidity keeps it from sitting heavy.
Where it comes from
Penfolds is one of Australia's most recognised producers, based in South Australia and known above all for Shiraz and Cabernet. Koonunga Hill is the entry tier, named for a vineyard site in the Barossa. Chardonnay planted across the warmer inland regions gives riper stone fruit than the cooler coastal strips would.
Good to know
Australian Chardonnay went through a heavy-oak phase in the 1990s, then swung hard towards lean, unoaked styles. Most bottles now sit between the two, which is roughly where this one lands.
