Penfolds - Bin 389 Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz 2021 (750ml)
Price: $83.99
| Producer | Penfolds |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | South Australia |
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Sku | 5819 |
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A flawless integration of the two varietals, neither dominating but working together in harmony. The aroma descriptors deftly match the palate. Flavours of black fruit and red fruit compote abound. Cocoa powder sweetness adds weight to the substantial mid-palate. There are plenty of savoury flavours to balance out the sweetness, with cold sliced salted beef, roast lamb cooking juices and cured pastrami. The tannins are fine, reminiscent of oolong tea, providing plenty of structure. The delicious fruit is married seamlessly with the creamy American oak. A fine seam of acid provides a refreshing lift on the finish.
Penfolds Description
Bin 389 was often referred to as ‘Baby Grange’, in part because components of the wine are matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange. First made in 1960 by the legendary Max Schubert, this was the wine that helped forge Penfolds reputation with red wine drinkers by combining the structure of cabernet sauvignon with the richness of shiraz. Exemplifying the judicious balance of fruit and oak, Bin 389 highlights the generous mid-palate Penfolds is known for.
James Suckling: 94 Points
The 'mini Grange', as it is known. Robust, with a core of molten raspberry, blueberry, tea leaf and anise, juxtaposed against something that feels cooler and fresher and compelling enough to reach for the next glass. Very Australian of feel. I have had old vintages of this, some very old. They are inevitably a rewarding experience. The generous oak framework, apposite in lieu of this latent wine's immense potential.
Wine Spectator: 94 Points
Rich, dense and succulent, with dark chocolate, black walnut liqueur, mocha and chocolate-covered maraschino cherry flavors that ooze generously on a plush frame. Accents of singed palo santo, tobacco leaf, black olive and baking spices linger on the long, expressive finish. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
Wine Enthusiast: 94 Points
Cellar Selection
This opaque Cab-Shiraz blend needs plenty of aeration before revealing its charms. When it does, it's led by blackberry and blood plum with undercurrents of charred root vegetables, coffee and licorice, and a lick of toasty oak. Tightly wound, chalk-dust tannins make room for the supple fruit on the dense, shapely palate. One for the cellar, this should really start to shine in another 7-10 years.
Vinous: 93 Points
This 2021 Bin 389 is a reserved claret style made up of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon and 47% Shiraz from across South Australia. It is pretty embryonic and only hints at what is in store over the medium to long term. There is impressive complexity to start: cassis, slate, cola, gravel, spice box and baked earth aromas with good purity of fruit. The overall structure has an excellent vibrancy, which drives upfront impact and the overall style with flavors currently sitting in reserve for their time to shine. Mid-weight and well-composed, the finish is lengthy.
Wine Advocate: 93 Points
The 2021 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz is creamy and densely packed with flavor (packed!), and the American oak is a core part of the wine, both aromatically and in the mouth. The fruit is from McLaren, Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, Wrattonbully and Padthaway and comprises 53% Cabernet Sauvignon and 47% Shiraz. The cooler season has imbued the wine with a freshness and levity, which, if you asked me prior to tasting, I would have said it was impossible to imbue levity in the Bin 389! But there you have it. Epic intensity, present oak. Give it time. I have tasted 30-year-old Bin 389s in the past that have still been alive and fresh. So, the cellar is the place for this vintage. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.
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