The Little Penguin Pinot Noir
Soft, fruity Pinot Noir built for Tuesday night, not the cellar.
The story behind The Little Penguin
The Little Penguin was founded in 2004 by Southcorp Ltd., the Australian beverage group, to ride the critter wine boom into American carts. The original juice came from South Eastern Australia. Over the years, sourcing for several expressions moved to California, and the brand passed through Foster's Group and Treasury Wine Estates before landing with Bronco Wine Company.
What has not changed is the recipe for the price. Stainless steel fermentation, oak chip contact instead of long barrel sleep, and a touch of residual sugar around 11 g/L to soften the acid. Strawberry, tart cherry, a little vanilla. We have poured this for customers for years, and it still does exactly what it says on the bottle.
Explore the The Little Penguin range
The Little Penguin keeps the lineup narrow and the bottles big. Here is what we stock in the 1.5L format, all value tier, all ready to pour.
| Expression | Type | Proof / ABV | Tasting notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Little Penguin Pinot Noir 1.5L | Pinot Noir | 13.0% to 13.5% ABV | Strawberry, tart cherry, soft vanilla oak |
| The Little Penguin Merlot 1.5L | Merlot | 13.0% to 13.5% ABV | Plum, black cherry, round soft tannin |
| The Little Penguin Shiraz 1.5L | Shiraz | 13.0% to 13.5% ABV | Dark berry, pepper, sweet oak finish |
| The Little Penguin Cabernet 1.5L | Cabernet | 13.0% to 13.5% ABV | Blackcurrant, cocoa, easy tannin |
| The Little Penguin Chardonnay 1.5L | Chardonnay | 13.0% to 13.5% ABV | Ripe apple, peach, light vanilla |
Which The Little Penguin is right for you?
The Little Penguin Pinot Noir 1.5L runs $8.99, and that is the whole pitch. A magnum of soft, fruit forward Pinot for the price of a couple of coffees. The Merlot and Shiraz 1.5L sit at the same $8.99. The Cabernet and Chardonnay 1.5L come in at $11.99. Nothing here asks you to think hard. Buy The Little Penguin online, keep a bottle in the fridge door, and you have a red for grilled chicken, a Tuesday plate of charcuterie, or a pitcher of sangria without touching the good stuff.
Wants a soft red under ten dollars that survives an open bottle for days.
Needs volume for a crowd and a red that pleases without a conversation.
Wants a cheap, round red to mix with berries and citrus by the pitcher.