Penfolds

Few wineries have shaped the global perception of Australian fine wine like Penfolds. Founded in 1844 by Dr. Christopher Rawson Penfold and his wife Mary in South Australia, the estate began as a humble medical vineyard producing fortified wines. Yet over the next 180 years, Penfolds transformed into Australia’s most iconic winery, pioneering bold, age-worthy Shiraz and establishing a benchmark for New World excellence.

The turning point came in 1951, when winemaker Max Schubert created an experimental new wine—Grange Hermitage. Inspired by the structure and longevity of Bordeaux but made from Shiraz rather than Cabernet Sauvignon, Schubert crafted a radical, barrel-aged red wine designed to improve over decades. Initially dismissed by critics, Grange would later be recognized as one of the greatest wines in the world, catapulting Penfolds onto the global stage.

Today, Penfolds is synonymous with luxury Australian wine, producing a diverse portfolio spanning South Australia’s best regions, from the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale to Coonawarra and Eden Valley. While Grange remains the flagship, Penfolds also produces other highly collectible wines, including Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, RWT Shiraz, St. Henri Shiraz, Magill Estate Shiraz, and Yattarna Chardonnay—each showcasing the estate’s meticulous blending philosophy and ability to express multiple terroirs.

One of Penfolds’ defining characteristics is its multi-regional approach. Unlike traditional Old World wineries that focus on single vineyard expressions, Penfolds sources fruit from multiple sites, ensuring consistency and complexity. This non-regional blending philosophy, pioneered by Max Schubert, remains at the core of the Grange identity, proving that Australia’s finest wines don’t have to be confined to a single terroir.

With nearly two centuries of winemaking history, Penfolds has expanded beyond Australia, with projects in California, France, and China, further cementing its reputation as a global fine wine powerhouse. From the legendary Grange to its modern ultra-premium releases, Penfolds continues to push boundaries, proving that Australian wine belongs among the world’s greatest.