NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds Bin 389 1998-07

The Rotters enjoy a third instalment of the Bin 389 vertical, although the first two covered much the same period (late 80’s -97). This is the successor to the August 2012 dinner https://www.cellartracker.com/event.asp?iEvent=18836 , where we tasted 1988-1997. Tonight, again thanks to the generosity of Stephen, we examine 1998-2007. Last time we had a decade’s worth of wines aged 15-24 years old, with a few semi-misses and one cork victim. Tonight it’s 10 bottles aged 8-18 years. No TCA victims this time, but the hit rate was only a little better than before, confirming the consistency (either way) of this most traditional Penfolds cuvee.

The consistency stops with the packaging. These ten bottles had five label styles, two bottle shapes, and the last two vintages were sealed with screwcaps. Whereas 1988-97 all measured between 13.0 and 13.7% alcohol by the label, the latter 7 vintages tonight were all resolutely 14.5% alcohol by the label, and from 98-01 only the 2000 vintage dipped under 14%. I believe 2008-12 all offer 14.5% as well, something I don’t think helps the longevity of the wine. Peter Gago took over from John Duval as chief winemaker from the 2002 vintage; whether the consistent (and range-wide) 14.5% labelling of the whole premium portfolio since that year is just co-incidence or not I couldn’t say.

I didn’t chase the varietal split; the cabernet component is always 50-60% to my knowledge. Grapes sources listed if I could find them; Penfolds are a bit coy sometimes. All reds were double decanted a few hours before drinking.

• NV Gosset Champagne Brut Grande Réserve

  France, Champagne

  {cork, 12%} (Gordon) Lovely yeasty nose, but fresh, not stale. Fine creamy bubbles, and plenty of them. Soft texture, although not acid-deficient. There is some strawberry flavour to mix with the bread and biscuit flavours. Persistent and flavourful; medium/full-bodied. Long crisp finish. Classy and luxurious.

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• 1998 Penfolds Bin 389

  Australia, South Australia

  {cork, 14%} (Stephen) Padthaway (30%), Bordertown (25%), McLaren Vale (20%), Barossa Valley (19%) and a small component from Clare. Fading garnet with a touch of brick. Lots of aged vanilla aromas, sweet tar, liquorice. It’s warm and developed, but seemingly oak-driven. The palate is a touch hollow and short, however. Gradually the palate becomes sweaty and acetic, sharp and a touch volatile. Tannins have faded to a dusty softness. This is not convincing. It’s been totally reliable up to now, this wine, but maybe not much longer. Cellaring was fine, so who knows?

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• 1999 Penfolds Bin 389

  Australia, South Australia

  {cork, 14%} (Stephen) Barossa Valley, Padthaway, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Clare Valley. Much better than the ’98, this is comparatively retarded in its development, with plush vanilla and plums, sweet red berry fruit still with elements of freshness about it. The cabernet component is overshadowed by spicy shiraz fruit, the tannins are softly powdery, and the acid still has almost sharp presence. Densely medium/full-bodied, with a silky texture. Medium/long finish. Quality effort from an under-rated vintage.

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• 2000 Penfolds Bin 389

  Australia, South Australia

  {cork, 13.5%} (Stephen) This was a touch musty at first; I worried about the cork. It never got worse, although the wine never entirely lost a slightly fungal character. The palate is diffuse and loose, a bit anonymously-flavoured in a generic red-wine way, with little tannin, some acid, but overall a fairly short, if dry finish. Just medium-bodied, no more. This may have benefited fruit-wise from the non-production of Bin 707 in 2000, but even the pick of Penfolds cabernet hasn’t lifted this beyond the realm of the fairly ordinary. They made an effort, clearly – and it’s not bad for 16 years old – but it’s worth neither further cellaring or seeking out especially.

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• 2001 Penfolds Bin 389

  Australia, South Australia

  {cork, 14%} (Stephen) Padthaway, Bordertown and McLaren Vale. Deep garnet. Developing but reticent (by Oz/Penfolds standards). Quite strong vanilla to start, with peppery aromas and flavours in a lighter style, and some rather raw and unpolished red fruit too. This is pleasant but a bit anonymous; it lacks depth and persistence, and don’t expect greatness; it has a baked, stressed sort of quality which characterised the drought years early this century. I think it will keep a while longer, but not to much benefit.

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• 2002 Penfolds Bin 389

  Australia, South Australia

  {cork, 14.5%} (Stephen) McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Bordertown, Barossa Valley and Langhorne Creek. Rich and ripe. Best wine so far. All the hallmarks are here; ripe red and even tarry fruit, vanilla oak, nicely balanced. Medium, fine powdery tannins, discreet acid. Developing, but clearly with another 5-8 years til peak ahead of it. Medium/full-body, with a medium/long dry finish. Good show.

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• 2003 Penfolds Bin 389

  Australia, South Australia

  {cork, 14.5%} (Stephen) Plummy fruit and vanilla oak. Developing, but a bit anonymous. Lacks the fruit richness of 2002. The palate is musty and dusty; almost lean and pepper-infused. Not much cabernet evident here. The warmth of the alcohol defeats the rather lighter flavours; this is otherwise medium-bodied, and the first wine which tastes a bit hot to me. No great future here; drink up.

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• 2004 Penfolds Bin 389

  Australia, South Australia

  {cork, 14.5%} (Stephen) Langhorne Creek, Bordertown, Padthaway. Deep garnet/ruby colour. This seems more cabernet-driven than the immediately preceding vintages; perhaps the effect of so much Langhorne fruit? At any rate, there are lots of currant-derived flavours here, and the wine seems better for it. Medium powdery tannins, medium acid, balanced oak (not too overt or vanilla-laden). It’s medium/full-bodied, and picks up some tar and tobacco flavours on the medium/long finish. No sign of heat either. Table opinion seemed split between this and the 2002 for wine-of-the-night; I thought this the better wine. Has another decade left easy. Excellent.

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• 2005 Penfolds Bin 389

  Australia, South Australia

  {cork, 14.5%} (Stephen) McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Barossa Valley. Very rich and ripe on the nose; even a touch baked and raisin-like. Blackberries, chocolate and vanilla display too. Smelt surprisingly young for a decade on; the first ‘young’ wine tonight. The acid is reticent, but medium powdery tannins are present. Medium/long finish. Medium body. I think its best years are still ahead, but doubt it will match 02 or 04 for ultimate quality. Will certainly be a better wine in 5 years though.

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• 2006 Penfolds Bin 389

  Australia, South Australia

  {screwcap, 14.5%} (Stephen) Dark liquorice flavours and aromas. Barely any development here, seemingly. Blackberries and a range of red fruits are on offer; deep, and almost raw in their intensity. At ten years old! Medium/high powdery tannins, medium/full-body, and a medium-long finish. All its development is still ahead, yet it remains quite approachable now. My only reservation is a tendency to warmth on the finish. The screwcap will bestow tremendous longevity I think.

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• 2007 Penfolds Bin 389

  Australia, South Australia

  {screwcap, 14.5%} (Stephen) Coonawarra, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Padthaway and Barossa. This seems barely developed at all after 8 years, but is still quite approachable. There’s a real sense of medium-high dusty tannins carry lots of black-hued, dark, even sullen cabernet fruit; currants, chocolate too. Pretty much full-bodied, and intense. Needs another decade in the cellar or a big decant to open it out a bit. Something of a sleeper I suspect, and likely to be over-shadowed by the already acclaimed 2008,2010,2012 vintages.

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• NV Morris Tokay Old Premium Liqueur

  Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen

  {500ml, screwcap, 18%} (Gordon) All leafy cold tea, caramel and grapey flavours. Intense and focussed. In a sense light in flavours, even though it has great sweetness and persistent length. An amazing kaleidoscope of flavours, sweetness and acid, although for me it’s trumped in impact by its sibling Muscat.

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• NV Morris Muscat Old Premium Liqueur

  Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen

  {500ml, screwcap, 17%} (Gordon) Even more impressive than the ‘matching’ tokay/muscadelle. This is honeyed, molasses-like, fruit-cakeish in its flavours. It has searingly fresh acid which balances the great sweetness, is full-bodied but lively and has an eternal finish. And at a local price of $A60, it’s the bargain of Rutherglen.

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A fascinating night. Firstly, it emphasised the inherent reliability of Bin 389, although it still rather seems to me that half the vintages don’t have terribly much to offer (by way of improvement) after their first decade. The other half vary from very fine indeed to excellent. I wouldn’t say that anything tonight tipped the 1990/1991 pair off their pedestal at the top of the tree, but the 99, 02, 04 are all worthy matches for the 94 and 96, and I think 07 will turn out well too. For me, on this tasting, 98, 00 ,01, 03, all need drinking. 2005-07 are on the young side for now.

As a group, I found this decade actually slightly less convincing than 88-97. Bin 389 spent a quarter century hovering around the 13.5% alcohol mark; the resolute 14.5% level these days confers no benefit at all in my opinion. And I must confess, thanks to Penfolds usurious local pricing policy, it’s a wine I stopped regularly buying over a decade ago. For the last twenty years, they’ve pushed the price up by 8%pa, on average. Too much. Even Henschke haven’t been that greedy with Mt Edelstone! Still, a very enjoyable tasting; thanks again to Stephen for his generosity (and Gordon for the luxurious top & tail wines).