2017 Bin 311 Chardonnay

A deliberately different Bin 311 – at a stylistic crossroad. It happens – e.g. when Bin 28 in the 1960s outgrew Kalimna.

No intention to ever abandon Tumbarumba … yet Tasmania and Adelaide Hills fruits also coolly beckon…

Add a little new oak to interlock any regional irregularity to seal the deal equals Bin 311 re-invention, re-birth, resurrection!

Peter Gago, Penfolds chief winemaker

93/100

Struck match, touches of toasted hazelnut and grilled peach and fresh lime notes give the 2017 Chardonnay Bin 311 ample complexity on the nose and palate. It's medium-bodied, with a touch of creaminess on the mid-palate and a long, silky finish.

New for this year, it's a blend of fruit from the Adelaide Hills (56%), Tasmania (27%) and Tumbarumba (17%), so in the United States, it carries the inauspicious GI of South Eastern Australia. Don't be misled by that, as it's a serious, classy wine for a very reasonable price.

Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, www.robertparker.com

91/100

Anthony Rose, Decanter, www.decanter.com