A glimpse into the future of the Australian wine company whose grand vision is right on track.

Who better than Penfolds Country of Origin Group Winemaker to unpack the brand&rsquo;s latest exploits in the luxury segment? Melburnian Steph Dutton had an early start in the F&amp;B industry, working in the foodie city&rsquo;s signature restaurants. It was where her foray into a career in wine was kick-started when serendipity struck while she was opening a bottle of Barolo.
Fast forward, she then embarked on a Masters of Oenology in Adelaide right after completing a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Melbourne. The rest as they say is history &mdash; Dutton joined Penfolds in 2007, moonlighting at Magill Estate Restaurant and the Penfolds Cellar Door while finishing her studies. This allowed her to experience the extensive tasting for The Rewards of Patience &mdash; the ultimate Penfolds form guide &mdash; which introduced her to Grange and its complete vertical tasting.
From there, her fascination for fine wine grew, leading her to join the Penfolds red winemaking team, based at the Nuriootpa Winery in the Barossa Valley, in 2010. She has been a champion of Penfolds &ldquo;House Style&rdquo; for the company&rsquo;s most revered wines, and in 2017, she took on the role of Penfolds Senior Winemaker, jetting between South Australia and California for the past three years. Her attention to detail, finesse and deep understanding of Penfolds House Style has been instrumental in helping to crystallise the Penfolds California winemaking vision.

Which Penfolds bottle from the Luxury &amp; Icons portfolio is currently trending in Australia and the rest of the world? 
Grenache is having a real moment in Australia, and for the first time, Penfolds has a Bin Grenache in this year's Collection Release. I also think that elegant, silky-textured reds like St. Henri prove popular, showing that you can still be intense and saturated whilst also showing style and grace.
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For those new to the offerings of Penfolds, can you introduce the Luxury &amp; Icons portfolio, and what sets it apart?
I&rsquo;ve always thought of these wines like a family, all related to each other and sharing a resemblance that you can trace through the portfolio. But at the same time, all are entirely different in character from their stablemates. These are wines that have a record of accomplishment or pedigree attached to them, longevity, and collectibility.
But most importantly to me, they all have the potential to bring great enjoyment when opened. There are some incredibly impressive wines in the lineup, our flagships included too, but nothing is so precious that it isn&rsquo;t for opening and drinking.

What is creating a buzz in the Luxury &amp; Icons portfolio?
I think that Penfolds wines over the past 20 years have seen a subtle evolution that allows them to be more approachable on release, without shaving life expectancy off at the other end. Whilst often collected, winemaking developments and additional knowledge have seen winemakers bring a certain polish and plushness to new releases, making them entirely enjoyable early in life too.
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How is Penfolds balancing product and provenance versus buzz and branding, with such a wide spectrum of segments within the brand?
From a winemaking perspective, I think committing to overdelivering, regardless of the price point has always been an unofficial mantra. Ensuring that both Koonunga Hill and Grange are capable of cellaring potential, although one has proven itself more than capable of cellaring gracefully for 50 years in exceptional vintages.
I think there is also a lovely relationship built upon trust between the winemaking and brand team where we both respect each other&rsquo;s craft, and we all protect the brand like it belongs to us.

How is the brand bridging innovation with tradition in luxury wine? 
Penfolds has always been very respectful of its heritage and history, but I heard a great endorsement or quote recently from someone who suggested that &ldquo;Penfolds is more modern than the modern players.&rdquo; 
I love this concept that we can admire what our predecessors have done but never rest on our laurels. We certainly haven&rsquo;t been standing still. The innovation that has bubbled away in the winery in recent years has seen advancements in infrastructure and technology, and leaning into robotics. For the brand team, we&rsquo;ve seen it come to life with packaging, activations, collaborations and much more.
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How is Penfolds transitioning from a &ldquo;fine wine&rdquo; brand to a &ldquo;global luxury icon&rdquo;? What is it doing to escalate this journey or process?
To support our global brand vision, we have continued to expand our marketing approach to embrace the preferences of Millennials and Gen Z, recognising the growing significance of online channels in luxury purchases.
The introduction of our global brand thematic, &ldquo;Venture Beyond,&rdquo; focuses on compelling storytelling and engaging experiences. Creative partnerships, such as our collaboration with NIGO, amplify our cultural relevance and broaden our appeal. This strategic shift has yielded significant benefits, including increased brand recognition among younger demographics, a strengthened market position and overall brand growth.
We remain committed to this trajectory, aligning ourselves with the broader luxury category and leveraging cultural relevance to further accelerate our journey. Looking ahead, we are committed to pushing boundaries and providing exceptional experiences that cater to our evolving consumer demands. Although I can't share specific details now, rest assured we are consistently exploring new frontiers in winemaking, craftsmanship and brand collaborations. Our focus is on delivering unique and consistent experiences aligned with the diverse cultural interests of our affluent young consumers, spanning areas like food, fashion, art/metaverse and music.

An Exclusive with Penfolds winemaker Steph Dutton

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