Penfolds

Penfolds is an Australian wine brand and producer founded in Adelaide in 1844 by English physician Christopher Rawson Penfold and his wife, Mary. The business began at Magill Estate, where the couple planted vines around a cottage they named The Grange. Christopher initially promoted wine for medicinal purposes and the winery first produced fortified wines, including styles comparable to sherry and port, for his medical patients. As the business expanded, it also made dry and sweet red and white wines, including clarets and rieslings. Mary Penfold became central to the winery's development. After Christopher died in 1870, she assumed practical control, supervising blending, vineyard work, experimentation and responses to vine disease. Her management helped transform the small medical-wine enterprise into a substantial South Australian producer. She retired in 1884, after which her daughter Georgina and son-in-law Thomas Francis Hyland continued the business. The Penfold family retained influence for much of the following century. During the early twentieth century Penfolds expanded its vineyard holdings in South Australia and New South Wales. By the 1940s and 1950s, changing consumer preferences encouraged a stronger focus on table wines. Chief winemaker Max Schubert became the key figure in this transition. After studying European winemaking, particularly the longevity and structure of Bordeaux wines, he developed Grange, originally called Grange Hermitage. The wine became the brand's defining expression and one of the most important wines in Australian wine history. Later, Penfolds established a family of numbered-bin wines, including Bin 389, Bin 707, Bin 28 and Bin 128, which broadened its range while preserving a focus on regional sourcing, blending and cellarability. Penfolds underwent several changes of corporate ownership. Tooth and Co. acquired control in 1976; its wine interests later passed through the Adelaide Steamship Company and Southcorp Wines. Southcorp Wines became part of Foster's Group in 2005. In 2011, Foster's wine operations were separated from its brewing business and became Treasury Wine Estates, an Australian Securities Exchange-listed company. Penfolds remains one of Treasury Wine Estates' principal global brands. The brand's portfolio now spans flagship collectible wines, premium regional wines, entry-level and mid-tier offerings, white and sparkling wines, and fortified styles. Its principal Australian production and historic sites include Magill Estate near Adelaide and facilities in the Barossa Valley, with grapes also sourced from regions such as McLaren Vale, Eden Valley and Coonawarra. Penfolds sells internationally, with Australia, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and wider Asia among its important markets. Its identity combines Australian provenance, long-lived red wines, blending expertise and a tiered portfolio designed for both collectors and everyday premium consumption.

Penfolds was established in Adelaide in 1844 after Christopher and Mary Penfold arrived in South Australia from England. They acquired land at Magill, at the foot of the Mount Lofty Ranges, and planted French vine cuttings around their cottage, The Grange. Christopher, a physician, believed wine could have medicinal uses, and the early business made fortified wines for patients while gradually developing a commercial customer base. The winery expanded its range as demand grew. It produced fortified wines as well as red and white table wines, and found that styles comparable to claret and riesling were commercially promising. Mary played an increasingly important operating role as Christopher's medical practice became more demanding. When Christopher died in 1870, Mary took responsibility for the winery. She supervised blending and vineyard operations, experimented with production techniques and engaged cellar expertise, helping the business grow in volume and reputation. Mary retired in 1884. Her daughter Georgina and son-in-law Thomas Francis Hyland then managed the business, which subsequently passed through later generations of the family. Penfolds expanded during the early twentieth century, acquiring vineyards in McLaren Vale and New South Wales. In 1903 it was described as the largest winery in the Adelaide region, and by the middle of the century the business was adapting to a market increasingly interested in table wine rather than exclusively fortified products. Max Schubert, Penfolds' chief winemaker during the postwar period, became the architect of the company's modern fine-wine strategy. His European travels, including time observing Bordeaux wine production, informed the development of Grange Hermitage, later shortened to Grange. The wine's use of shiraz, oak maturation and long-term aging potential distinguished it from conventional Australian offerings and established a new benchmark for Australian fine wine. Although its early reception was mixed, Grange ultimately became Penfolds' signature wine. Penfolds broadened its red-wine portfolio in the 1960s with numbered-bin wines such as Bin 389, Bin 707, Bin 28 and Bin 128. These wines expressed different combinations of grape variety, region, blending and maturation, allowing the brand to offer several levels and styles without abandoning its emphasis on consistency and aging ability. Penfolds also maintained vineyards and production relationships across South Australia, including Magill, the Barossa Valley, Eden Valley, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra. Corporate control changed in 1976 when Tooth and Co. acquired Penfolds. Tooth later became part of the Adelaide Steamship Company Group, whose wine assets were acquired by SA Brewing in 1990. Those wine assets became Southcorp Wines, which joined Foster's Group in 2005. In 2011, Foster's separated its wine business from brewing and created Treasury Wine Estates, which listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Penfolds became a core brand within that international wine portfolio. In the contemporary period, Penfolds operates from historic Magill Estate and a Barossa Valley winery at Nuriootpa, while sourcing fruit from multiple Australian regions. It has continued to emphasize Grange and other collectible wines, but also sells broader ranges including Bin, Koonunga Hill and Max's wines. The brand's international presence is particularly strong in major Asian, North American and European markets. Its history is therefore defined by the interaction of family entrepreneurship, technical experimentation, Australian regional sourcing, corporate consolidation and the global reputation of Grange.

1. 2012Block 42 ampoules are released

   Penfolds releases a limited edition of the 2004 Block 42 in hand-blown glass ampoules.

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2. 2011Treasury Wine Estates is formed

   Foster's wine operations are separated and begin operating as the listed Treasury Wine Estates.

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3. 2005Southcorp Wines joins Foster's Group

   Penfolds becomes part of Foster's wine business.

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4. 1990Wine assets move to SA Brewing

   SA Brewing purchases the wine assets of the Adelaide Steamship group.

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5. 1977St George Dragons sponsorship begins

   Penfolds begins a long-running sponsorship relationship with the Sydney rugby league club.

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6. 1976Tooth and Co. acquires control

   The New South Wales brewer acquires control of Penfolds.

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7. 1960Numbered-bin red wines expand the portfolio

   Penfolds introduces wines including Bin 389, Bin 707, Bin 28 and Bin 128.

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8. 1957Grange development begins

   Max Schubert's work on the wine that became Grange establishes the foundation of Penfolds' modern fine-wine identity.

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9. 1948Gladys Penfold Hyland becomes board chair

   Gladys Penfold Hyland leads the board during the period in which Max Schubert develops Grange.

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10. 1884Mary Penfold retires

    Management passes to Georgina Penfold and Thomas Francis Hyland after Mary's retirement.

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11. 1870Mary Penfold assumes control

    After Christopher Penfold's death, Mary becomes the principal operator of the winery.

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12. 1844Penfolds is founded at Magill

    Christopher and Mary Penfold establish the winery near Adelaide and plant vines around The Grange cottage.

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A premium Australian wine house combining historic provenance, highly cellarable flagship reds, regional and multi-region blending, and a portfolio that extends from collectible icons to more accessible wines.

• GrangeFlagship shiraz-based red wine

  Grange is Penfolds' most famous wine and the central symbol of its fine-wine reputation. Developed by Max Schubert in the postwar period, it is a powerful, long-lived red built around shiraz and matured in oak. Its style emphasizes concentration, structure and the ability to develop over extended bottle aging. The wine was originally named Grange Hermitage and later became known simply as Grange.

• Bin 389Shiraz-cabernet red blend1960

  Bin 389 is one of Penfolds' best-known numbered-bin wines. It broadens the house style beyond the flagship tier by combining shiraz and cabernet sauvignon and applying Penfolds' blending and maturation approach. The wine is associated with the brand's strategy of offering structured, age-worthy reds at a more accessible level than Grange.

• Bin 707Cabernet Sauvignon1960

  Bin 707 is a premium Penfolds cabernet sauvignon that forms part of the brand's classic numbered-bin range. It reflects the company's use of selected Australian fruit, oak maturation and a consistent house approach to making substantial wines with cellaring potential.

• Bin 28Shiraz1960

  Bin 28 is a shiraz in the numbered-bin family. It is associated with the brand's regional and multi-region sourcing model and offers a fuller, structured expression of Australian shiraz within the mainstream premium portfolio.

• Bin 128Shiraz1960

  Bin 128 is a Penfolds shiraz that extends the numbered-bin tradition into a distinct regional and stylistic expression. It forms part of the brand's broader red-wine architecture alongside Bin 28, Bin 389 and Bin 707.

• Koonunga HillMulti-tier wine range

  Koonunga Hill is a widely distributed Penfolds range designed to make the brand accessible beyond its collectible and icon wines. It includes red and white wines sourced from Australian regions and serves as an important volume and entry point for international consumers.

• Max'sPremium wine range

  Max's is named for former chief winemaker Max Schubert and represents a premium extension of Penfolds' portfolio. The range draws on the brand's emphasis on blending, varietal character and polished Australian wine styles.

• Block 42Ultra-premium shiraz2012

  Block 42 is an ultra-premium Penfolds wine associated with a limited release from the Kalimna vineyard. In 2012, the 2004 vintage was presented in individually made glass ampoules, turning the wine into a highly exclusive collector product.

• 2012(RED) partnership

  International

  Penfolds was listed as a partner of the (RED) campaign, which supported efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and promoted the goal of an AIDS-free generation.

  Outcome. The partnership associated the brand with an international health and humanitarian initiative.

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• 1977St George Dragons sponsorship

  Australia

  Penfolds became the primary sponsor of the Sydney-based St George Dragons rugby league team. The relationship lasted almost two decades and included several home matches played at Adelaide Oval between 1991 and 1995.

  Outcome. The sponsorship ended after the 1995 season.

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• 2012Release of Block 42 ampoule editionProduct launch

  Penfolds pursued an ultra-luxury presentation for a limited quantity of its 2004 Block 42 wine.

  What changed. The wine was packaged in hand-blown glass ampoules designed by Australian glass artist Nick Mount.

  Aftermath. The release strengthened Penfolds' association with rare, high-value collectible wine.

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• 2011Separation into Treasury Wine EstatesStrategy

  Foster's separated its wine operations from its brewing activities.

  What changed. The wine business, including Penfolds, began operating as Treasury Wine Estates and was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

  Aftermath. Penfolds became a core global brand within an independent listed wine company.

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• 1976Acquisition by Tooth and Co.M&A

  Penfolds entered a period of corporate consolidation in the Australian beverage and wine industries.

  What changed. Tooth and Co. acquired control of Penfolds.

  Aftermath. The brand later moved through the Adelaide Steamship Company, SA Brewing, Southcorp Wines and Foster's Group before becoming part of Treasury Wine Estates.

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• 1960Launch of the numbered-bin red-wine rangeProduct launch

  Penfolds sought to build a broader table-wine portfolio around its developing reputation for premium Australian reds.

  What changed. The company introduced wines including Bin 389, Bin 707, Bin 28 and Bin 128.

  Aftermath. The numbered-bin system became a durable organizing principle for Penfolds' portfolio.

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• 1940Shift toward table wineStrategy

  Changing consumer tastes reduced the relative emphasis on fortified wine and encouraged Penfolds to develop more table-wine styles.

  What changed. The company increased its focus on dry red and white wines and supported Max Schubert's experimentation with long-lived premium reds.

  Aftermath. The strategy created the conditions for Grange and the later numbered-bin portfolio.

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• 2024Treasury Wine Estates reports continuing strength in its premium and luxury portfolio

  Treasury Wine Estates continued to identify Penfolds as a core premium and luxury brand in company reporting, while managing changing conditions in international wine markets.

  Other
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• 2022Penfolds expands its luxury wine portfolio beyond Australia

  The brand continued developing and marketing wines made from international regions, including California and France, alongside its established Australian portfolio.

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• 2016Penfolds named Most Admired Wine Brand

  Drinks International named Penfolds the Most Admired Wine Brand.

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• 2013Penfolds named New World Winery of the Year

  Wine Enthusiast recognized Penfolds as its New World Winery of the Year.

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• 2012Penfolds launches limited-edition Block 42 wine ampoules

  Penfolds released a limited run of its 2004 Block 42 wine in individually crafted glass ampoules, presenting the product as an ultra-luxury collectible.

  Product launchPricing
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• 2012Penfolds partners with the (RED) campaign

  Penfolds was listed as a partner of the (RED) initiative supporting efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

  Campaign
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• 2011Penfolds becomes part of Treasury Wine Estates

  Foster's wine operations were separated from its brewing business and began operating as Treasury Wine Estates, bringing Penfolds into the listed wine company.

  M&A
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• 2011Treasury Wine Estates separates its wine business from Foster's Group

  Treasury Wine Estates became an independently listed wine company after the demerger of Foster's wine operations, with Penfolds as a major premium brand.

  M&AOther
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1. Penfolds
2. Penfolds official website
3. Treasury Wine Estates reports continuing strength in its premium and luxury portfolio
4. Penfolds expands its luxury wine portfolio beyond Australia
5. Treasury Wine Estates separates its wine business from Foster's Group