Lot. 518 Spirit Wine with Baiju
⏳ wine.drinking_window
Designed to be enjoyed upon release, though its fortified nature allows it to be kept and savored over several years.
🍽️ wine.food_pairings
Spicy Sichuan hot pot, Peking duck, rich braised pork belly
✨ wine.spec_sheet
Penfolds Lot 518 is a highly innovative creation that bridges Australian winemaking heritage with traditional Chinese spirits culture. This unique bottling marries rich, fortified South Australian Shiraz with premium Baijiu, a traditional Chinese grain spirit. Penfolds has a deep history of producing fortified wines dating back to its founding in 1844, when Dr. Christopher Penfold created tonics and fortified styles. Lot 518 pays homage to this legacy while embracing modern global fusion. The wine is crafted by taking robust Shiraz, fortifying it, and then carefully blending it with Baijiu. The result is a complex, warming spirit-wine that exhibits the deep plum, cherry, and anise characters of Penfolds Shiraz alongside the savory, floral, and tropical grain notes characteristic of high-quality Baijiu.
🍾 wine.about_producer
Founded in 1844 by Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold at Magill Estate near Adelaide, Penfolds is one of Australia's oldest and most iconic wineries, now headquartered in Nuriootpa, South Australia. The estate is celebrated for pioneering a unique house style centered on multi-regional and multi-vineyard blending, a philosophy perfected by legendary winemaker Max Schubert in the mid-20th century. Penfolds is globally renowned for its robust, structured red wines aged in premium oak, most notably its flagship Grange—a rich, collectible Shiraz-based blend—alongside acclaimed expressions like Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz and Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, while maintaining its deep South Australian roots, the producer has expanded its winemaking footprint to include exceptional terroirs in California, Bordeaux, and beyond.