Penley Estate

Throughout the years, Kym Tolley and his outstanding Penley Estate wines have been steadily building success.

Kym established Penley Estate in the heart of Coonawarra in 1988. Since then, the awards have flooded in, both from the gruelling and ultra-critical Aussie wine judging circuit, and from international wine critics such as Robert Parker and UK-based Matthew Jukes. Our take on the wines is that they are always elegant and balanced, distinctly European attributes that are notoriously hard to find in wines from the world's driest continent. They also show a marked ability to age gracefully in bottle.

Kym's wines are widely distributed around the world, and the UK has to fight for its allocation the same as everyone else. Despite all this, there is a varied selection of wines available.  Condor Shiraz/Cabernet 2004 received 90 points Robert Parker, and 'it boasts an inky/ruby/purple colour as well as scents of graphite, dusty, loamy soil, a resiny, pine forest element, and plenty of blackberry and currant fruit. Deep and well-made with good tannin and structure'. Parker describes Gryphon Merlot  as ‘toasty cassis, blackcurrant and olive aromas which leads to a supple medium to full-bodied wine with sweet fruit and light tannin’. Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon, the key Penley wine, does not disappoint either. Hyland Shiraz is a lovely hedonistic wine that combines toasty new oak, blackberry, blackcurrant and cherry fruit. 

Reserve Cabernet 2004 'was aged in 100% new oak, 80% French and 20% American. It has a splendid aromatic array of toast, spice box, pencil lead, licorice, black currant, and blackberry liqueur. RP 92 points'. Special Select Shiraz 2004, Parker states, 'raises the bar considerably. Barrel-fermented in 100% new oak, mostly American. It reveals an alluring bouquet of cedar, earth, pencil lead, smoked meat and game, licorice, blueberry, and blackberry. Full-bodied, it is still tightly wound but very well-balanced. It is full-flavored, spicy, and succulent with 6-8 years of aging potential. It should drink well through 2024. 91 points'.

Chertsey is a classic on the other hand. It is a rich and character-laden Bordeaux blend that got 90 points from Robert Parker, and 2004 was the wine's first release.