The Winemakers Wine
Announcement posted by Penley Estate 01 Nov 2010
The Penley Estate Pinot Noir/Chardonnay Sparkling is produced by traditional methode champenoise, an expensive and time consuming process, which the young Kym Tolley (Owner and Winemaker) was first exposed to when he spent a vintage working for Charles Heidsieck in Champagne, France. “I have always loved a great sparkling but during my trip I got to appreciate the effort that goes into making it, I knew when I started Penley that I would produce a sparkling the traditional way” said Kym.
“We begin by harvesting the pinot and chardonnay fruit while its young and delicate which allows us to have these beautiful soft flavours once fermented” said Kym. The grapes are delicately pressed, slowly fermented and blended to reflect the varieties, Coonawarra and the Penley style. The wine is then triaged for a number of years where secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle. “We had the 2007 vintage on lees for 3 years which created the smooth, complex and yeast like flavours whilst developing the characteristically fine and lingering bubbles”. It is these fine bubbles and delicate smoothness that sets this wine apart from carbonated sparklings on the market.
Although Coonawarra is well known for its elegant cabernet, it is a long held belief of Kym’s that Coonawarra’s cool climate can produce exceptional sparkling wines. This belief has been proven time and time again as the 5 previous vintages of the sparkling have won a collection of 7 trophies and numerous medals.
Ends
RRP: $24.99
Media Enquiries: Kym Tolley 0418 822 837
Image Requests: Lisa Sandell (08) 8363 5500