In a time-honoured and distinctive Penfolds House Style, this third Chinese Wine Trial combines the essence of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Shangri-La region and Marselan from Ningxia. The Shangri-La region is in the Yunnan province, one of the most beautiful locations in China. Yunnan is in the far Southwest, bordering Burma, Laos, and Vietnam. The high altitude of the vineyards provides ideal cool, dry conditions for ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. Ningxia, a small autonomous region in north-central China, has been at the forefront of modern winemaking since 1982. It has attracted significant local and international investment in both vineyards and production facilities. The region benefits from the Helan Mountain range, which runs North to South and shelters the area from harsh weather coming from the West. The nearby Yellow River supplies vital irrigation water, distributed via sophisticated drip systems. To withstand Ningxia’s harsh winters, vines are carefully buried under soil by late November and uncovered in April – a traditional practice that protects them from extreme cold.

Cabernet Sauvignon Marselan

Distractingly, notes of roasted peppers stuffed with classic Italian herbs, eggplant and zucchini emerge – suggestive of another continent. Upon sitting, wafts of rustic sweet paprika tempered by the herbal aroma of wild nettle tea better align with source. Scents of dried tobacco leaf and frankincense hover above, adding intrigue and non-fruited complexity. A suggestion of cherry wood provides a final flourish, indicative of high-quality oak maturation and maybe China?