FWT 585 Cabernet Merlot Petit Verdot 2019
| 95 Points - Andrew Caillard MW |
| 95 Points - Jeni Port |
| 95 Points - Tony Love |
| 94 Points - Erin Larkin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate |
| 94 Points - David Sly, Decanter Magazine |
Andrew Caillard | The Vintage Journal
"Medium-deep crimson. Fresh inky blackcurrant, dark plum aromas with chinotto, hint roasted chestnut, malty notes. Classical claret-style palate with fresh blackcurrant, dark plum fruits, fine slinky/ grainy tannins, very good mid-palate richness and underlying roasted chestnut/ mocha notes. Finishes cedar firm with chinotto, dark fruits. Very smooth, supple and detailed with attractive volume and vigour. An impressive first edition showing clear regional origins and a sotto voce Penfolds imprint. Discrete, precise and approachable. 100% maturation for 14 months in new French (44%) and new American (14%) oak. Penfolds first Bordeaux claret! Drink now to 2030. alc 14%"
Jeni Port | Winepilot
"This wine is heralded as the beginning of a “new chapter” for Penfolds in France. It is 100% sourced from vineyards across the Haut-Médoc and carries the FWT (French Winemaking Trial) moniker, a sibling of the RWT (Red Winemaking Trial) series from Penfolds. Immediately, FWT 585 has a presence. Boasts a Penfolds feel to it, both in the precision oak – a mix of French and American barriques, new and seasoned – and the seamless blending of a number of parcels of fruit. Bright blueberry fruit, blackberry and a host of dried herbs, tilled earth and leaves launch the bouquet. On the palate they are set into a firm, fine tannin framework, mixing with complex flavours, some of them oak-derived, of bitter chocolate, black licorice and a light nutty savouriness. This is one wine that changed and evolved in the glass, stamping its presence and interest. A wine of poise and elegance. The Penfolds FWT series is off and running with a top-notch quality red. Can’t wait for the next instalment. Drink: 2022-2040 – 95 points"
Tony Love | Winepilot
"Penfolds love an acronym, this one standing for French Wine Trial. The wine was made at Cambon la Pelouse with Penfolds winemaker Emma Wood regularly on the ground, in the vineyards and cellars, steering the ship admirably through the house style channels. The assembly here is 53% cabernet sauvignon, 34% merlot and 13% petit verdot, coming together with pure Bordeaux elan, all the dark fruits and kitchen herbs associated with the region and varieties: sage, bay leaf, purple florals like lavender and violets. There’s even some gingery spice to tease and entertain, as crumbled earth and minerals weave through the palate, classic stylistic tannins playing in the background before feathering outward in the finish. Intriguing and satisfying. 95 points."
“An inaugural trial from France – unique but still very Penfolds.”
- Emma Wood, Penfolds Senior Winemaker
Deep garnet with crimson edge.
A gentle swirl of the glass teases out herbal aromatics: sage, thyme and mulberry leaf. Floral notes of violets and lavender begin to narrow the varietal composition, reinforced by the emergence of fresh blackberry and redcurrant aromas. Further investigation reveals lamb roast pan scrapings, confit duck and a suggestion of Hoisin. On closer inspection, savoury notes of beef carpaccio with caper dressing entice. From the pâtisserie: crème brûlée with vanilla sweetened egg custard, gingery panforte with glacé fruit, rum and raisin ice-cream, cherry clafoutis. Rounding out, distinctive leathery notes, walnut polish... Enigmatic, so much more to come. All in good time.
The aromatic promise is reinforced by a tightly structured palate. Round and full to the fore, sage fried in butter and served over pan-fried sweetbreads. Texturally appetising - mineral gravelly tannins, succulence cranberry like acidity provides a fine line of delicious lively acidity. Charcuterie leaning towards a savoury bresaola, a suggestion of cranberry and pistachio terrine. Polished mahogany oak, creaminess and spice. Complex, multi-faceted... another glass beckons!
Vintage Conditions
Winter was relatively mild with February temperatures well above average. Budburst was a week earlier than usual. May and June were cooler with intermittent rainfall slowing vine development. However, flowering occurred in warm, dry weather with minimal disease pressure. Summer was generally warm, accelerating vine growth. A mid-summer heatwave slowed the pace of development, while a dry August ensured an early ripening vintage. The grapes retained good freshness and balance despite the warm conditions, with lovely ripe tannins and rich phenolic expression.
| GRAPE VARIETY
53% Cabernet, 34% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot
|
53% Cabernet, 34% Merlot, 13% Petit Verdot |
|---|---|
| VINEYARD REGION
Haut-Médoc
|
Haut-Médoc |
| wine analysis
Alc/Vol: 14%, pH: 3.60, Acidity: 5.83g/L
|
Alc/Vol: 14%, pH: 3.60, Acidity: 5.83g/L |
| MATURATION
14 months in French (44% new) and American oak (14% new) barriques
|
14 months in French (44% new) and American oak (14% new) barriques |