Penfolds FWT 585 Cabernet Merot Petit Verdot 2022 with Gift Box

A Tale of Two Hemispheres

The "FWT" in the name stands for French Winemaking Trial, a project that represents Penfolds' ambitious venture beyond Australian shores to explore the celebrated terroirs of Bordeaux. Guided by the philosophy that a "House Style" transcends geography, Penfolds winemakers apply their time-honored techniques—focusing on multi-regional blending and precise oak maturation—to fruit sourced from exceptional vineyards across the Médoc. The result is a wine that feels familiar to Penfolds loyalists yet distinctly French in its geological DNA.

The 2022 vintage was shaped by a warm, dry growing season in Bordeaux, resulting in thick-skinned berries with immense concentration and color. This release features a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, matured for 12 months in a combination of French and American oak barriques. This dual-oak regime is a Penfolds signature, imparting layers of sweet spice and creaminess that wrap around the firm, structural tannins typical of the Haut-Médoc region.

While many Bordeaux wines are defined strictly by their estate boundaries, FWT 585 is defined by a flavor profile: bold, generous, and meticulously balanced. It bridges the gap between the Old World and the New, offering the savory complexity of French soil with the polished, fruit-forward accessibility that has made Penfolds a global icon. Ideally decanted before serving, it is a wine built to evolve gracefully in the cellar.