2022 Penley Estate Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon

Penley Estate sits in the heart of Coonawarra, run by sisters Ang and Bec Tolley, who’ve turned one of the region’s old names into one of its most forward-thinking. The Phoenix range is their pitch for value and approachability — wines that still speak clearly of Coonawarra without the formality.

The 2022 Phoenix Cabernet shows why this label has such a strong following. It’s pure Coonawarra fruit, picked for brightness and shape rather than bulk or oak weight. Blackcurrant and mulberry meet a hint of graphite and bay leaf. The palate has that fine, even tannin line the region does so well, wrapped in just enough dark fruit to keep it supple.

It’s clean, modern Cabernet — all balance, no excess. Great mid-week drinking or the kind of bottle that disappears fast at a barbecue.