Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay 2023 is a creamy and vibrant Australian white wine, the result of a blend from vineyards in Barossa and Adelaide Hills. Aged in French barrels, which added complexity without losing freshness, this balanced Chardonnay offers citrus notes, white fruit, and a smooth texture with subtle mineral and toasted hints.
General features
General Information
Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay 2023 is born in the vineyards of Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills, iconic regions in southern Australia. Here, the cool climate and limestone soils favor the slow ripening of chardonnay, contributing citrus notes and minerality. The manual selection from different parcels allows for the expression of a combination of freshness, structure, and the typical varietal complexity of the Penfolds style.
After an early and manual harvest, the grapes are pressed and fermented in French oak barrels at a controlled temperature. The wine matures for 6 to 8 months on its lees with gentle batonnage, without full malolactic fermentation, to maintain freshness while integrating the richness of oak butter and varietal expression. The result is a creamy, balanced, and aromatically vibrant chardonnay.
Founded in 1844, Penfolds is an iconic Australian winery. The Koonunga Hill range represents its multi-regional philosophy: combining consistently high-quality vineyards to offer affordable, recognizable, and consistent wines. Led today by Peter Gago, the winery upholds its tradition of excellence and precision, applying environmentally respectful practices and a sustainable approach in its vineyards.
Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay 2023 is an ideal wine to pair with fatty fish such as grilled salmon, creamy pasta, risottos, and poultry in light sauces. It also pairs well with soft cheeses like brie and goat, as well as roasted vegetables or Mediterranean salads.
Creators' opinion
Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay is a pale straw-colored wine with green highlights. On the nose, it features citrus aromas (lime, grapefruit), stone fruits (peach, pear), white flowers, toasted brioche, cashew nut, and subtle flinty minerality. On the palate, it is creamy, with lively acidity, a rounded texture, fresh fruit, and a persistent finish with toasted and mineral undertones.
The winery
Winery
Penfolds is considered one of the best wineries in Australia and a global benchmark. The origin of the winery dates back to 1844, when a young English doctor, Christopher Rawson Penfold, and his wife Maria emigrated to Australia and acquired a 500-hectare estate, where they began making wine with garnacha. Wines that were initially prescribed to his anemic patients. By 1870, the winery had more than 60 hectares of vineyards, which were used to produce sweet and dry reds as well as whites that were already being marketed.
By the late 19th century, Penfolds was producing one-third of the wine in South Australia, and over time expanded its vineyards through successive acquisitions.
In the mid-20th century, its winemaker Max Schubert applied what he had learned during a trip to Bordeaux, designing a wine with longevity, concentration, and balance never before seen in Australia. Penfolds would become the reference for Australian wine.
In 1995, when Robert Parker praised the winery's wines, Penfolds gained worldwide fame, proving that Australia is capable of producing wines on par with the best in the world. Among the achievements of this winery, it has earned 100 Parker points on several occasions with its red Penfolds Grange.