Deep garnet in the glass. Nose of plum, blackberry, blueberry with a touch of vanilla. Initially very fruit forward on the palette, almost over ripe. Mellowed after a few hours decanting to reveal notes of leather, currants and a subtle dash of mint. A full bodied wine, with soft delicate tanins integrated very well throughout. A nicely balanced wine overall.
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Deep ruby in the glass. Nose commanded by dark fruits including plums and cherries, vanilla and baking spice. Tasting, the concentration of fruit is prominent on the front palate but tertiary elements dominate mid and late palate with leather, liquorice and cigar. Tannins are round and soft - very much a balanced wine and drinking really well at this point in its development.
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20112023 - Mini Tanker dinner with the Gang! Our last red tasted blind and my 2nd contribution. Surprised that this is still holding well. Juicy plum, cassis, licorice noticeable leather laced with some mint & eucalyptus, & some baking spice. Full bodied & well integrated tannins. Long finish with lots of fruit & persistent cacao nibs notes. My fav 389 so far
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This was so lively, I guessed that this could have been a 2016 vintage. By the time we had this 13th bottle, I couldn't quite remember if any of us got the bottle correct. From the menthol notes, I did remember saying there must be Cab in this, and likely a Bordeaux blend from South Australia.
This 389 is known as ‘Poor Man’s Grange’ or ‘Baby Grange’, in part because components of the wine are matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange.
Max Schubert's principles of combining the structure of Cabernet, with the richness of Shiraz, is clearly seen here. In fact, the blend is Cab 51% and Shiraz 49%. Matured for 14 months in new (40%), 1 year-old (20%) and 2 year-old (20%) American oak hogsheads.
The appearance is very opaque with a dark core. Nose of prune, dates and hints of soy as well. The freshness of the black fruit here shows how this wine has aged effortlessly, and is still so young despite being 13 years old. Full-bodied, medium-long length finish.
The integration of the Cab and Shiraz is so balanced, with dusty tannins, medium+ acidity and sweetness as well as mint on the mid-palate.
The 2010 vintage in South Australia was a really good one. According to penfolds.com ... Cool nights and consistently warm days typified the growing season and were conducive to sustained ripening and consequent flavour development.
This is a South Australia multi-regional blend, including Barossa Valley, Coonawara, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills and other areas.
Thanks to Romz for spoiling us with not one, but two wines of excellent pedigree and age. Enjoyed our dinner in Mini Tanker with the "white wine gang" tremendously.
20th Nov 2023 Mini Tanker, Damansara Kim, Malaysia
What a cracking wine! It's drinking very well now, with loads of blackberry/boysenberry and dark fruits on the nose and palate, and a bit of chocolate as well. Great finish, and a wine to savour. It's the best 389 I've tasted.
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After two bottles of Chateau Talbot (on the wane due to previous poor provenance) and Lindemans Pyrus over dinner, my father went back to his “cellar” under his bar and found an unopened case of 6. Definitely the WOTN. Sadly I could only have a half glass as I was driving. But looking forward to more from that case
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One of Penfold’s great wines but it does need some age to develop its true greatness! Earthy rich flavours. Some Tabasco and light pepper. Low tannins with wood. One of my favourit vintages for the Barossa valley ! So good we went another bottle of the 389!
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An hour and a half in a decanter and took that much again to open up. Black and blue fruit that was under generous. Subdued tannins. Nice acidity. Good yet disappointing versus expectation. Definitely not up to prior bottles. Bottle variation?
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One of Penfold’s great wines but it does need some age to develop its true greatness! Earthy rich flavours. Some Tobacco and light pepper. Low tannins with wood. One of my favourit vintages for the Barossa valley ! So good we went another bottle of the 389!
Terrific. Everything in its place. Still soooo young but benefiting from the soothing of a little age. Quite powerful but neatly structured. Plums and berries and brambles. Nice acid giving it all tight form and alluding to a long future.
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I didn't enjoy it. It seemed, to my surprise, to be a fruit bomb of a wine. Next day, no better. I chilled it, in the hope this might make it more palatable. This did help - a bit. I won't attempt to give it a score, as perhaps the fault is not in the wine (a cabernet shiraz blend), but in the fact that this sort of blend is not for me.
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Yum, decanted about 1hr. Deep dark black fruit, dark chocolate and earth notes. Excellent oak giving lingering vanilla depth and super fine tannins now.
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Still a baby. Luscious fruit, subtle wood, smooth tannins, acid in balance, lingering length, will last another decade plus but drinking exceptionally well now. Was only supposed to share a half bottle with roast lamb Sunday lunch, but as the afternoon and evening unfolded the bottle simply evaporated. 93+
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Really coming into its own. Still an amazing amount of fruit present. Tannins are very evident but fine. The Shiraz component stands out at the first taste but the finish shows the Cabernet side. This could easily go another 10 years.
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Tried after a 2010 John Riddoch Coonawarra so a bit of a disadvantage. Great red. Smooth with mellowed tannins. Light oak and all sorts of good stuff. JH says it will last until 2045!
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Really nice nose, blueberry, depth. Loamy underneath blueberry mid palate, lots of fruit notes. Katie, Tim, and I loved this behind the 2009 Virginie Valandraud. Tannins are still going strong, so this bottle has a LOT of life left, and while really enjoyable now, would be as interesting to try 5 years down the line with the muted fruit by then. Wish I had another.
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Drank during a lazy afternoon of s’mores and pizza with the kids in the snow, so maybe that’s why it tasted better than last time. No notes, but do love all the action in this juice. Still feels young, but drinking great. The cocoa, coffee and spices that come out when it really opens up after a few hours is what gets me.
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True Penfolds greatness! I struggle sometimes with the Penfolds wines. This however is fantastic. 12 years old. A great vintage at its peak. Great nose and deep red earthy flavours.
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Hard to summarise this one... Lots going on here, much to enjoy. However, decanted for 3hrs and started opening up nicely. Rebottled & left in the wine fridge for another couple of hours. Upon tasting now almost out of legs... Softened & settled but lost some power and tannin support. I would strongly suggest 2hr decant & get straight into it for best enjoyment. Aroma was better than flavour but balance was great at 2-3hr mark. I wouldn't leave it too much longer-definitely close to peak.
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Very much in-your-face kind of wine. All the dark fruits with chocolate on the palate. After 3 hours it smelled of coffee, finished the last of the bottle with some vanilla ice cream and it was incredible.
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Mouthfilling with backbone, acidity and fruit. With red meat. Bdx glas at 18-20C. Very nice and popular wine. Start to enter its window now and solid for at least 5 years.
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There was a time when a 389 was more reasonably priced and offered some enjoyment. Not the case here. It’s riddled with American oak, the fruit is anonymous. Hard pressed identifying much by way of Shiraz or Cabernet expression. And you won’t see anything reflecting place. Typical one dimensional penfolds house style. Ho hum…
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So youthful still. Need to love Shiraz. The Cabernet/Shiraz blend is perfect like A super Tuscan that has the right blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet. Full body, a lot of fruit, and plenty of tannins. Still has at least five years at its peak. Enjoy!
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Screwcap. Rich chocolate and raspberry pudding, dark berries. Yum. Full bodied, mouthful of red and dark berries, rippling tannin. Penfolds doesn’t always make the most complex wines, but they can be delicious. I very much enjoyed this wine.
2010 Bin 389, under screwcap. Impressive full bodied and muscular modern Aussie red, not yet at mid life. Opaque and deep red -red brick. Perky red and black fruit tic tac with herbal (rosemary) and vegetal (black olive, soy, and a touch of mushroom) savoury flavours with a touch of very dark chocolate in its mix. Its length, and spread and grip of flavour is very impressive. A finish that lasts for minutes finishes light on its feet for a wine of this size and density. On day two the vanilla and coconut blows off to reveal more cedary wood shavings and grape tannins which are so lovely in a Cabernet. Acid, tannins, alcohol and flavour are all exceptionally well balanced. It’s a big company luxury wine, but an exceptional one. Drink now on day two, or leave for another 10 years. It’s not yet achieved the elegance that this wine can achieve with extended age, but that squishy black and blue fruit that comes with time is starting to show in the aftertaste with a neat touch of spearmint leaves candy keeping it fresh. Under screwcap this will live a very long time. 1998 still drinking well under cork, 2004 likewise has barely entered tertiary development. 95 pts.
NB- Charles- give it a bit longer in the decanter. This did not open up at all after 7 hours- and was much better on day two.
Brought up by a point based on early morning taste. All it needs is air and/or time.
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3 hour decant, perfect provenance, cork. Served at 18 degrees Celsius. 3rd bottle from a case of six and my opinions haven't changed a bit over two years.
Hmmm. Great rich dark colour and viscosity. Taste: blockish, one-dimensional, uninspiring.
Then the realization . . . there was a time when I really used to enjoy Penfold's 389. Vintages from the 1990s up until about 2005 had complexity and interest. You would want to drink more than just one glass. Now, the wine is just rather boring and one-dimensional. You drink one glass and think: is there anything else in the cellar I can open?
Given the conditions of the 2010 season in SA, this should be amazing. A rock star, but sadly it just isn't.
Moreover, the heavy use of new American oak is not just really noticeable, it is a turn off. If you are inviting a family of beavers over for dinner, man, this is the Australian wine to serve! They will chew on it for hours. (Note to self: do beavers fell oak trees? Must research.)
In my opinion, there are so many more interesting Cab-Shiraz blends from Australia today - Elderton Ode Lorraine (with Merlot); Yalumba Signature; Rockford Rod and Spur; Good Doctor (with Tannat); Jim Barry PB Reserve. Does Henschke have a Cab/Shiraz blend? If so, I know it will be better than the 2010 Penfold's 389.
If buying, honestly, I would encourage you to look elsewhere.
4 hr decant prior to drinking. All cabernet upfront, bay leaf predominate, blackcurrant and black olive. Very tightly bound still, but time open and the shiraz rounds the mid to back palate very nicely, providing a juiciness to otherwise long fine tannins and long lingering cab driven finish. Probably the best Penfolds wine I have ever had. Long long future ahead, at least a decade.
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NobleRottersSydney - ten and twenty reds (Geoffrey's place): {screwcap, 14.5%} [Stephen] Still quite dark. The 389 from central casting; meaty, with tar, vanilla, chocolate. On the palate a bit fumey and warm, with ripe blackberries, some currants too; it’s dominated by black rather than red spectrum fruit. Very Penfolds. Teeters on the edge of over-ripe a bit for me; full-bodied, with medium acidity and medium chalky and oaky tannins. Not much presence on the back-palate, but that’s being picky. Warmth is kept under control. Hefty, medium/long finish. At ten years still very youthful and should improve and develop further complexity. Very good overall, and possibly the pick of this label this century.
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So glad I had held onto this one... bit hint of aging really. Just loads of cab/Shiraz goodness. Blended tannins were very smooth. Still bright fruit on nose, and finish is still minutes long.. great with grilled Tuscan pork tenderloin.
Opened on night one, had a glass and then resealed. First night dense, full bodied. Spice, cedar, mulberry fruit. Tannins starting to integrate. Night two, we had the balance of the bottle. The wine has opened up more over night but still dense. It does have a wonderful weight and balance that in time should produce a superb wine. If you have a six pack or more of bottles then open and decant it 5-6 hours before drinking. If you only have a couple, leave for another 5-7 years.
Dark ruby with garnet hues. Expressive nose with deep black fruit, quite a bit of cedar that dissipates with time, spice and chocolate. Medium+ body with balancing acidity and medium tannins, deep and long and relatively youthful.
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mellowing a bit with age while still having some time to go. Black cherry, plum - rich in a new world way but not over the top and somewhat appealing. I wouldn't buy it, but YMMV.
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Overly prominent oak upon first opening but it dissipated fairly quickly. Lush dark fruit, chocolate and spice. A big wine but, to my taste at least, not over the top. I doubt this is a bottle that will add more complexity with time. A good drinker now though so no need to overthink it.
Not as complex and concentrated as expected, Medium body, slightly oakly and noticeable tannin. Still needs more time. Will wait and open another one in the next 5 years and see how it developes.
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Similar taste profile as last bottle. Super concentrated dark berry and plummy fruit. Just short of being over the top and jammy, but very easy drinking and delicious. No formal TN.
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This bottle was decanted, half into a 375ml bottle for two nights later and half into a 500ml carafe through a fine cloth. The wine was allowed to stand and breathe for two hours then consumed with dinner. The difference between this bottle and the previous bottle was remarkable. This bottle was full bodied, a lush dark red with purple hues, aromas of floral and fruit (red & dark berries) and vanilla wood. On the palate, (front, mid and back) the fruit was interspersed with layers of creamy chocolate, fine tannins and a light tang of acid. Really well balanced and lingering length. Confidence restored and the remaining four bottles will likely be left for another 3-5 years. The second half of the bottle was consumed last night and was every bit as good. 92+
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Really enjoyed this wine! Bursting with plummy dark ripe fruit. Just delicious! Sadly, not impressed with the tripling in price over the past 5 vintages or so. Crossing that one off my list.
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My first bottle of a case plus of this vintage. Too early, but such a delicious, complex and substantial wine. Black stained cork...the wine has no visable signs of aging at 8 years and has the stuffing for the long haul. A nose of chocolate, currants and dark berry leaps from the decanter across the room. Complex palate of bramble, currants, chocolate, graphite which evolved over the few hours we drank it. The fine tannins are pervasive and create a welcoming mouth feel. Lengthy finish. Buy this one if you can find it. I will open the second bottle in a few years, but I believe this wine will be delicious for decades.
Well CT readers of our reviews (the few of you that can handle our short books on each bottle) here it is, our Bin 389 review. After mentioning this King of Juice in numerous other Notes & Reviews, we finally get around to setting this one out on its own...
Drank after a two hour aeration, which allows one to take in its gorgeous whiff from half a room away, this big buttery red offers structure, richness, depth, complexity to describe it differently from the first sip to the last. Dry & still tight, it has girth, body; rack-able for another 10+ years. Muscular in its density, there's a lot to chew on here. Yet it is immediately approachable. A touch of dark chocolate on the finish. Big and delicious! You’ll be pleased with Bin 389 as a vin, BUT… pick up a better vintage! - maybe it was just this bottle.?.
We have been enjoying Bin 389 for decades, and each bottle, in general, became more legendary, more representative of what we LOVE in Aussie blends. Bigger. More story-worthy.
Until this one.
Maybe this is the only 2010 we have ever had. Maybe we do not know how this bottle was stored for 4 years before we brought it home.
Maybe 2010 was just not Penfolds’ best 389 year.?. We have not done the research.
Our score reflects what we think of this bottle after drinking it, not of this vin, enjoyed since 2001. It only reflects what we thought of this OK bottle.
But Bin 389 is such a pertineer perfect wine, that an OK Bin 389 scores 91, where the 389 WE remember is more of a 93-or-so pointer…
So glad we have a dozen of these in various vintages in the cellar. And honestly, we are glad they are NOT 2010s.
In general, not this bottle, but in general, this is our GO TO wine for a standard-bearing delicious big bold buttery red.
Not nearly as good as pervious years. A bit austere with color fully mature. Maybe a flawed bottle but none of us were impressed and weve been drinking Bin 389 for decades. Frankly I was disappointed.
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Monumental. A cacophony of ripe currants and berries. Vanilla oak. Touch of leather and meat juice. Grainy tannin that fans out and mugs your entire mouth. Rich. Yet, a balanced beast. Length to burn. Touch and go for a higher rating. This will drink well for several decades.
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Ready to drink after providing some minutes of air. Muted nose but the palate is rich, bold and with the right amount of tanin sweetnes.
Would I pay € 55 for this wine again? Definetly not. Would I pay € 24, which penfolds used to charge some years ago, before increasing prices in an almost ridiculous way? Certainly.
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This is an enjoyable wine especially with the right food. As a stand alone performe the wine is rather just good without driving me crazy. Quite soft and lots of volume. Cherries. Tannins are a bit off. A very slight oxidative note is also there.
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The wine was dark ruby in colour and offered dark fruit, dark cherry, chocolate and spices on the nose. On the palate the wine showed dark fruit, cherry, black currant, blackberry compote, chocolate, coffee, a touch of mint and some spice as well as hints of soy sauce and eucalyptus, with high, fine tannin, good, medium-plus acidity and superb length. The dense, full-bodied wine had very good structure and great fruit concentration. A result of modern, very precise winemaking; without the charm of peasantry of course, but very appealing.
Opaque black, with deep black fruit aromas of blackberry and black currant. The sip coats the entire mouth with powerful fruit, bright acidity, and drying tannin. Although opened for 5 days, the main thing missing remains any lush or caressing texture, which is more a testament to the grip of the tannin and a sign of how worthy this wine is to be aged for years longer. In California, Syrah is frequently added to blends of Bordeaux grapes to make fruit more forward and the texture softer, but often in Australia the Shiraz is equally structured and tannic as the Cabernet. Although powerful and big, this wine is not marred at all by over ripeness, jammy sweetness, or heaviness. Under rated at 92 points in the Wine Advocate and 91 in the Wine Spectator, where neither properly forecasts how great this wine will become as it ages, where keeping the bottle open and patiently warming the wine by vigorously swirling in the glass shows the first glimpse of the evolution that can be expected.
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Another terrific bottle. This one seemed a bit softer and also more concentrated, deep and fruit-forward than most prior bottles. But still with that same wonderful combination of smoothness, power, rich fruit and lush texture that makes this wine so enjoyable.
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Opened and drank about a half-bottle last night and then re-corked. Now trying another glass in the late afternoon. Almost nothing has changed in the past 20+ hours. Still big, ripe, rich, powerful, and firmly-structured with lots of acidity and some hard, rough edges. If anything has changed, it is that it tastes even darker than it did last night with black fruits, licorice and tar dominating. No elegance or subtlety here, this is a brooding, beast of a wine ... like a nasty linebacker who wants to rip your head off (think Dick Butkus). It is also extraordinarily consistent from bottle to bottle (and vintage to vintage). 92-93
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Whoa. Wow. What? Let me taste that again... Those were the first impressions. This wine is as spectacular as other tasters have assessed. Bold, caressing, integrated, unique flavor profile, power in the mid palette, silky mouthfeel, pleasant loooooooong finish. There are over 2300 bottles in the community as of this post. You lucky bastards!!
Would tend to agree with the tasting trends on this lovely Cab/Shiraz blend.. Huge floral nose. Dark brooding color. But OOOH soooo smooth on the palate. Silky even. Soft and just lovely. Lots of red and black cherry berry fruit, with some spice/anise, and cocoa finishing notes. Did not register the oak that some others have noted.. but I let this bottle breath for a couple of hours. Not cheap, but for the the $$ I thought this was a very fair price for a lot of nice return. glad to hold onto my other bottle for a bit.
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7 months later, this wine is exactly the same. For the price, you cannot go wrong. Dark red-purple in the glass. Wafting cassis aromas with a touch of nice vanilla oak. Decant this for maximum enjoyment. Fruit forward. Delicious.
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Our first bottle of Bin 389. Smells big and boisterous with a floral component. Full and rich on the palate as well but far from over the top. Blackberry, cherry, anise, spice and mocha with a touch of pepper on the finish. Plenty of tannins but they are well integrated. Great acidity. Reminds me a bit of a spicy Caymus in one of its less plump years. My wife and I both loved it. Not inexpensive but an excellent value nonetheless. Will buy more.
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The primary scent on the nose was one of sweet cassis which became dominant on the second day, along with some spice. To taste, the wine was full bodied, big, bold , powerful and super concentrated by day 3. Like the nose, the sweet cassis was the dominating flavour by the third day (which I didn't like but others may). I initially scored this 91-92 but with reflection, and following this over 3 days, scored this down to 88 (largely influenced by my preference for less subtle cassis).
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Another terrific bottle. Big, rich, ripe and powerful with complex flavors of cassis, blackberry, oak, licorice and tar. Very muscular with a firm structure, but not at all harsh. While drinking it, I realized that it reminded me a lot of Silver Oak - Napa from the 80's and 90's.
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Terrific wine - big, powerful, deep, rich and complex. Flavors of blackberry, cassis, tar, leather and licorice. Full-bodied and concentrated with a firm structure, chewy texture, slightly drying tannins and a long finish. About as close as you can get to a Grange for $50.
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Simply put, this bottle impressed me to no end. I've heard "Mini Grange", and though I've never even seen a bottle in person, I can only imagine. Dark, expressive....dark(!) fruit...solid. Very impressed and, unlike lower priced bottles from this producer, this was on-point.
Wish I bought more....
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Dark garnet colored, full bodied, dense, concentrated, complex black berry fruits accented by tones of spicy mocha, coffee, hints of tar and vanilla oak on a lingering moderate tannin finish. A slight off tone of metallic detracts from the accent tones on the finish.
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Decanted for 2+ hours. Aromas of dark fruits, woods, licorice, and spices. Very smooth and tasty wine with a solid tannic backbone. I will definitely be picking up a few more bottles to see how this evolves over time.
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This wine is a heck of a treat. Very dark fruits on the nose, brambly, with hints of licorice, leather and tar. This wine has some serious weight to it, but the acidity never makes it feel heavy. Flavors are mostly around the blackberry family with notes of smoke. Great structure without the tannin overwhelming - this drank very well with a brief decanting. Would be perfect with a nice charred steak, but is great on its own as well.
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Just pop and pour ...drinking...this Cabernet Sauvignon and shyraz is a heavy body , red with sub tons of violet, few legs, with secondary aromas. After 2 hours chocolate and tobacco came across. At the palate is round, balanced tannin and 20 seconds finish. We drunk it with a very spyce Indian food ( Birihami a la Nauhabi ) wich overpowered the wine.
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I had high hopes, but not high expectations for this wine. Happy to note that it exceeded both my hopes and my expectations. Terrific deep, ripe shiraz flavors of blackberry, leather, tar and licorice - with notes of violet, earth and smoke.. Concentrated, deep and intense with a firm structure, slightly chewy texture and a long, big, fruity finish. Nothing meek or mild about this beauty - this is a big, vivacious, voluptuous, hedonistic wine. Not quite a Grange, but certainly a close relative.
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3 hour decant. Wonderful nose; picking up leather, spice and mineral notes. Went well with ribeye steaks. Nice dark fruits and some lead pencil. Not much heat to speak of. My only complaint is that after the first glass I noticed it began to fall apart a bit. Will let the other bottles sit for a another year.
Dark inky color. Nose of violet, black pepper and oak. Full body. Blackberry, plum, leather, minerals, coffee, bitter-sweet chocolate and dry herbs on the palate. Very dry and tannic in the end. Young, concentrated, dense and serious, I think this needs 5 more years to develop.
Although Bin 389 is not an ace, but it's very distinctive, once you drink it you will always remember it. 5 years ago me and my friends celebrated one of my classmates' B-day, and my best friend Sunny brought a bottle of 05' Bin 389 which he stole from his father. I can still remember we complained about this wine, well Sunny and I both prefer old fashion stuff, but drinking this always brings back my old memories.
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Decanted 2 hours prior to consuming. Black fruit, mint, and lots of sage. The finish was medium to long. This would go well with smoked ribs or spicy barbecue. Potential for higher score, but will wait 5 years to open another bottle.
Tasted non-blind in WSET Level 3 class. Pronounced intensity nose dominated by violet, mint, eucalyptus, lavender and medicinal along with licorice, blueberry, fig, sultana, black currant, black cherry, vanilla, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. There is a ton going on here. Medium plus acidity, high tannins and full bodied. The minty and eucalyptus notes carry over to the palate alongside bramble, blackberry, black cherry, black currant, lavender, sweet spices, charred wood and tobacco. Long finish. Outstanding wine with many years left to develop.
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Decanted for 30 minutes. Opened relatively quickly. Mouthwatering nose, with lots of fruits. Full bodied, smooth on the palate. The Syrah adds a nice edge to it. Great food wine, as it is powerful but not overly so. During the evening noticed that notes of tobacco on the palate started to emerge. Once again, this producer does not disappoint.
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Very dark red color, dense, complex aromas. Taste of red and black berries, earth, smoke and tobacco. Recommend with heavy cheese like gorgonzola and blue cheese and with heavy food.
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My first 389: stunning from first sip to last. Seductive dark purple, with an enticing nose of chocolate mint. Velvety smooth on the palate, with one layer of flavour giving way seamlessly to the next, on and on. I know this will age beautifully, but already it's one of the finest wines it's been my pleasure to meet. With steak. 14.5% - though that relatively high alcohol level was in no way apparent: it joined harmoniously with every other element - fruit, oak, very fine tannins - to create a hugely satisfying whole.
Second bottle looked like cork was leaking. Tasted big and flat. Not noxious or undrinkable, but nothing like the wine I tasted two months ago. Second time in a week I have a disappointing wine that cost over $75.
In Australia this wine comes with a screwcap.
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Killer profile. Eucalyptus stands out, dark fruit, currant, deep blackberry, roasted cherry, baking spice, finish medium plus, slight fresh game quality to it. Recommend.
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Big fleshy blackcurrant notes with a smooth long finish. This is a big, delicious cabernet, probably the nicest I can remember drinking in years. Its good with grilled cheese but I want to try it with a fatty, marbled steak.
This was my goto red wine in the 1990s when I drank it by the case. I loved it then but the idea that it was good because it was made in last years Grange barrels seemed silly. It's now more than ten years since i last tasted a Bin 389. I have to say that either this is better than I remember, or my taste has changed. It has a great spicyness, and amazing length. This is a superb red wine and worth seeking out.
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Opaque, inky, full bodied, nose of stawberry jam. Deep juicy flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, and dark cherry. Surprisingly approachable, tannins are soft and velvety. Had this with a '07 St. Henri and this was clearly more satisfying and complex.
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In a line up of current release icon penfolds wines the 2010 389 shone very brightly against the likes of grange, st Henri, 707 and RWT. Obviously stylistically different to the others even in blend alone, nevertheless it's quality was clear and given the price it is outstanding value.
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Langton's Penfolds Masterclass with Andrew Caillard MW. The 2010's are very dark in colour, almost black with a bright rim. Fresh nose. Fine chocolaty tannins and dark fruit, no heat on the palate. Approachable very young, more so than the Bin 150 and less fruit up front than the RWT.
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(Tasting at Magill Estate) Complete and full on nose, showing licorice gumdrops and spices, with rich dark berries. Juicy youthful tannins, puckery, with plums and dark, dusty cherries. Finishes with leather, gravel and rich espresso black loam. Keeps giving. Try again in 10 years.
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As with my Bin 407 note, this has a mint dominant profile and is heavy on the oak. Interestingly, we tried to re-make this wine with a base of 407 plus some 28 and the result was a weedy second rate 389. What does this mean? Well, it certainly made this wine look good and shows what good grapes go into making it. Will be nice in 5-10 year's time. 92++
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2/4/2024 - gsroppsa Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep garnet in the glass. Nose of plum, blackberry, blueberry with a touch of vanilla. Initially very fruit forward on the palette, almost over ripe. Mellowed after a few hours decanting to reveal notes of leather, currants and a subtle dash of mint. A full bodied wine, with soft delicate tanins integrated very well throughout. A nicely balanced wine overall.
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1/3/2024 - gparker777 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep ruby in the glass. Nose commanded by dark fruits including plums and cherries, vanilla and baking spice. Tasting, the concentration of fruit is prominent on the front palate but tertiary elements dominate mid and late palate with leather, liquorice and cigar. Tannins are round and soft - very much a balanced wine and drinking really well at this point in its development.
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11/20/2023 - Romz Likes this wine: 92 Points
20112023 - Mini Tanker dinner with the Gang! Our last red tasted blind and my 2nd contribution.
Surprised that this is still holding well. Juicy plum, cassis, licorice noticeable leather laced with some mint & eucalyptus, & some baking spice.
Full bodied & well integrated tannins. Long finish with lots of fruit & persistent cacao nibs notes. My fav 389 so far
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11/20/2023 - Juliansi Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was so lively, I guessed that this could have been a 2016 vintage. By the time we had this 13th bottle, I couldn't quite remember if any of us got the bottle correct. From the menthol notes, I did remember saying there must be Cab in this, and likely a Bordeaux blend from South Australia.
This 389 is known as ‘Poor Man’s Grange’ or ‘Baby Grange’, in part because components of the wine are matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange.
Max Schubert's principles of combining the structure of Cabernet, with the richness of Shiraz, is clearly seen here. In fact, the blend is Cab 51% and Shiraz 49%. Matured for 14 months in new (40%), 1 year-old (20%) and 2 year-old (20%) American oak hogsheads.
The appearance is very opaque with a dark core. Nose of prune, dates and hints of soy as well. The freshness of the black fruit here shows how this wine has aged effortlessly, and is still so young despite being 13 years old. Full-bodied, medium-long length finish.
The integration of the Cab and Shiraz is so balanced, with dusty tannins, medium+ acidity and sweetness as well as mint on the mid-palate.
The 2010 vintage in South Australia was a really good one.
According to penfolds.com ...
Cool nights and consistently warm days typified the growing season and were conducive to sustained ripening and
consequent flavour development.
This is a South Australia multi-regional blend, including Barossa Valley, Coonawara, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills and other areas.
Thanks to Romz for spoiling us with not one, but two wines of excellent pedigree and age. Enjoyed our dinner in Mini Tanker with the "white wine gang" tremendously.
20th Nov 2023
Mini Tanker, Damansara Kim, Malaysia
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6/28/2023 - Tony1157 Likes this wine: 94 Points
What a cracking wine! It's drinking very well now, with loads of blackberry/boysenberry and dark fruits on the nose and palate, and a bit of chocolate as well. Great finish, and a wine to savour.
It's the best 389 I've tasted.
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5/20/2023 - LindsayQFWP Likes this wine: 95 Points
After two bottles of Chateau Talbot (on the wane due to previous poor provenance) and Lindemans Pyrus over dinner, my father went back to his “cellar” under his bar and found an unopened case of 6. Definitely the WOTN. Sadly I could only have a half glass as I was driving. But looking forward to more from that case
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4/8/2023 - DrinkerTrev Likes this wine: 96 Points
One of Penfold’s great wines but it does need some age to develop its true greatness! Earthy rich flavours. Some Tabasco and light pepper. Low tannins with wood. One of my favourit vintages for the Barossa valley ! So good we went another bottle of the 389!
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2/11/2023 - Mr Laroux Likes this wine: 90 Points
Delicious. Drinking very well now, but will last for ages. Recommend decanting as it benefited for some air.
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1/31/2023 - tantotinto wrote: 90 Points
An hour and a half in a decanter and took that much again to open up. Black and blue fruit that was under generous. Subdued tannins. Nice acidity. Good yet disappointing versus expectation. Definitely not up to prior bottles. Bottle variation?
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1/3/2023 - DrinkerTrev Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of Penfold’s great wines but it does need some age to develop its true greatness! Earthy rich flavours. Some Tobacco and light pepper. Low tannins with wood. One of my favourit vintages for the Barossa valley ! So good we went another bottle of the 389!
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11/6/2022 - brisbane piefan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking well in it's style. Well balanced, deep/dark red and a touch of spice on the nose from the oak. No rush whatsoever.
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8/19/2022 - nwebstar Likes this wine: 94 Points
Terrific. Everything in its place. Still soooo young but benefiting from the soothing of a little age. Quite powerful but neatly structured. Plums and berries and brambles. Nice acid giving it all tight form and alluding to a long future.
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7/7/2022 - MWOM Does not like this wine:
I didn't enjoy it. It seemed, to my surprise, to be a fruit bomb of a wine. Next day, no better. I chilled it, in the hope this might make it more palatable. This did help - a bit. I won't attempt to give it a score, as perhaps the fault is not in the wine (a cabernet shiraz blend), but in the fact that this sort of blend is not for me.
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7/1/2022 - Wolffy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Yum, decanted about 1hr. Deep dark black fruit, dark chocolate and earth notes. Excellent oak giving lingering vanilla depth and super fine tannins now.
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6/27/2022 - nulla Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still a baby. Luscious fruit, subtle wood, smooth tannins, acid in balance, lingering length, will last another decade plus but drinking exceptionally well now. Was only supposed to share a half bottle with roast lamb Sunday lunch, but as the afternoon and evening unfolded the bottle simply evaporated. 93+
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5/23/2022 - om42 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really coming into its own. Still an amazing amount of fruit present. Tannins are very evident but fine. The Shiraz component stands out at the first taste but the finish shows the Cabernet side. This could easily go another 10 years.
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5/22/2022 - DrinkerTrev Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tried after a 2010 John Riddoch Coonawarra so a bit of a disadvantage. Great red. Smooth with mellowed tannins. Light oak and all sorts of good stuff. JH says it will last until 2045!
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4/27/2022 - stschutz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really nice nose, blueberry, depth. Loamy underneath blueberry mid palate, lots of fruit notes. Katie, Tim, and I loved this behind the 2009 Virginie Valandraud. Tannins are still going strong, so this bottle has a LOT of life left, and while really enjoyable now, would be as interesting to try 5 years down the line with the muted fruit by then. Wish I had another.
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2/4/2022 - GeorgeOfTheWine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank during a lazy afternoon of s’mores and pizza with the kids in the snow, so maybe that’s why it tasted better than last time. No notes, but do love all the action in this juice. Still feels young, but drinking great. The cocoa, coffee and spices that come out when it really opens up after a few hours is what gets me.
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1/23/2022 - DrinkerTrev Likes this wine: 95 Points
True Penfolds greatness! I struggle sometimes with the Penfolds wines. This however is fantastic. 12 years old. A great vintage at its peak. Great nose and deep red earthy flavours.
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1/22/2022 - Wolffy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Hard to summarise this one...
Lots going on here, much to enjoy. However, decanted for 3hrs and started opening up nicely. Rebottled & left in the wine fridge for another couple of hours. Upon tasting now almost out of legs... Softened & settled but lost some power and tannin support. I would strongly suggest 2hr decant & get straight into it for best enjoyment.
Aroma was better than flavour but balance was great at 2-3hr mark. I wouldn't leave it too much longer-definitely close to peak.
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12/11/2021 - GeorgeOfTheWine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very much in-your-face kind of wine. All the dark fruits with chocolate on the palate. After 3 hours it smelled of coffee, finished the last of the bottle with some vanilla ice cream and it was incredible.
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11/5/2021 - SimonPh Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great blend, right in its drinking window, but no rush.
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10/21/2021 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 93 Points
Massive dark fruit, tannins still evident, not a lot of acidity but a nice textural mouthfeel.
Still has years of development ahead.
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10/11/2021 - culater Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mouthfilling with backbone, acidity and fruit. With red meat. Bdx glas at 18-20C. Very nice and popular wine. Start to enter its window now and solid for at least 5 years.
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10/4/2021 - Idontknow wrote:
Very good - could cellar longer
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9/10/2021 - Jimmy_D wrote: 88 Points
There was a time when a 389 was more reasonably priced and offered some enjoyment. Not the case here. It’s riddled with American oak, the fruit is anonymous. Hard pressed identifying much by way of Shiraz or Cabernet expression. And you won’t see anything reflecting place. Typical one dimensional penfolds house style. Ho hum…
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3/24/2021 - jfolbe wrote: 94 Points
So youthful still. Need to love Shiraz. The Cabernet/Shiraz blend is perfect like A super Tuscan that has the right blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet. Full body, a lot of fruit, and plenty of tannins. Still has at least five years at its peak. Enjoy!
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3/22/2021 - antkorbel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Screwcap. Rich chocolate and raspberry pudding, dark berries. Yum. Full bodied, mouthful of red and dark berries, rippling tannin. Penfolds doesn’t always make the most complex wines, but they can be delicious. I very much enjoyed this wine.
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2/27/2021 - dreamingtree1855 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fruit has given way to notes of cherry and black currants. Drank with steak. Only on bottle left, drink now I believe this is peaking.
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10/20/2020 - Screwcaps Likes this wine: 96 Points
2010 Bin 389, under screwcap.
Impressive full bodied and muscular modern Aussie red, not yet at mid life. Opaque and deep red -red brick. Perky red and black fruit tic tac with herbal (rosemary) and vegetal (black olive, soy, and a touch of mushroom) savoury flavours with a touch of very dark chocolate in its mix. Its length, and spread and grip of flavour is very impressive. A finish that lasts for minutes finishes light on its feet for a wine of this size and density. On day two the vanilla and coconut blows off to reveal more cedary wood shavings and grape tannins which are so lovely in a Cabernet. Acid, tannins, alcohol and flavour are all exceptionally well balanced. It’s a big company luxury wine, but an exceptional one. Drink now on day two, or leave for another 10 years. It’s not yet achieved the elegance that this wine can achieve with extended age, but that squishy black and blue fruit that comes with time is starting to show in the aftertaste with a neat touch of spearmint leaves candy keeping it fresh. Under screwcap this will live a very long time. 1998 still drinking well under cork, 2004 likewise has barely entered tertiary development. 95 pts.
NB- Charles- give it a bit longer in the decanter. This did not open up at all after 7 hours- and was much better on day two.
Brought up by a point based on early morning taste. All it needs is air and/or time.
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10/10/2020 - CharlesHK wrote: 87 Points
3 hour decant, perfect provenance, cork. Served at 18 degrees Celsius. 3rd bottle from a case of six and my opinions haven't changed a bit over two years.
Hmmm. Great rich dark colour and viscosity. Taste: blockish, one-dimensional, uninspiring.
Then the realization . . . there was a time when I really used to enjoy Penfold's 389. Vintages from the 1990s up until about 2005 had complexity and interest. You would want to drink more than just one glass. Now, the wine is just rather boring and one-dimensional. You drink one glass and think: is there anything else in the cellar I can open?
Given the conditions of the 2010 season in SA, this should be amazing. A rock star, but sadly it just isn't.
Moreover, the heavy use of new American oak is not just really noticeable, it is a turn off. If you are inviting a family of beavers over for dinner, man, this is the Australian wine to serve! They will chew on it for hours. (Note to self: do beavers fell oak trees? Must research.)
In my opinion, there are so many more interesting Cab-Shiraz blends from Australia today - Elderton Ode Lorraine (with Merlot); Yalumba Signature; Rockford Rod and Spur; Good Doctor (with Tannat); Jim Barry PB Reserve. Does Henschke have a Cab/Shiraz blend? If so, I know it will be better than the 2010 Penfold's 389.
If buying, honestly, I would encourage you to look elsewhere.
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6/21/2020 - red.red.vino wrote: 95 Points
4 hr decant prior to drinking. All cabernet upfront, bay leaf predominate, blackcurrant and black olive. Very tightly bound still, but time open and the shiraz rounds the mid to back palate very nicely, providing a juiciness to otherwise long fine tannins and long lingering cab driven finish. Probably the best Penfolds wine I have ever had. Long long future ahead, at least a decade.
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6/1/2020 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - ten and twenty reds (Geoffrey's place): {screwcap, 14.5%} [Stephen] Still quite dark. The 389 from central casting; meaty, with tar, vanilla, chocolate. On the palate a bit fumey and warm, with ripe blackberries, some currants too; it’s dominated by black rather than red spectrum fruit. Very Penfolds. Teeters on the edge of over-ripe a bit for me; full-bodied, with medium acidity and medium chalky and oaky tannins. Not much presence on the back-palate, but that’s being picky. Warmth is kept under control. Hefty, medium/long finish. At ten years still very youthful and should improve and develop further complexity. Very good overall, and possibly the pick of this label this century.
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5/25/2020 - mpricher wrote: 92 Points
So glad I had held onto this one... bit hint of aging really. Just loads of cab/Shiraz goodness. Blended tannins were very smooth. Still bright fruit on nose, and finish is still minutes long.. great with grilled Tuscan pork tenderloin.
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4/29/2020 - rooman Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened on night one, had a glass and then resealed. First night dense, full bodied. Spice, cedar, mulberry fruit. Tannins starting to integrate. Night two, we had the balance of the bottle. The wine has opened up more over night but still dense. It does have a wonderful weight and balance that in time should produce a superb wine. If you have a six pack or more of bottles then open and decant it 5-6 hours before drinking. If you only have a couple, leave for another 5-7 years.
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4/23/2020 - Yorgos wrote: 93 Points
Dark ruby with garnet hues. Expressive nose with deep black fruit, quite a bit of cedar that dissipates with time, spice and chocolate. Medium+ body with balancing acidity and medium tannins, deep and long and relatively youthful.
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2/28/2020 - ppearson9 wrote: flawed
:(
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12/30/2019 - il_diavolo wrote: 89 Points
mellowing a bit with age while still having some time to go. Black cherry, plum - rich in a new world way but not over the top and somewhat appealing. I wouldn't buy it, but YMMV.
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12/24/2019 - Marmot Rod wrote:
Only 1
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11/30/2019 - A_Steady Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark red, impenetrable. Long legs, full body with long finish. I like it
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11/9/2019 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Overly prominent oak upon first opening but it dissipated fairly quickly. Lush dark fruit, chocolate and spice. A big wine but, to my taste at least, not over the top. I doubt this is a bottle that will add more complexity with time. A good drinker now though so no need to overthink it.
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8/26/2019 - CC-OZ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not as complex and concentrated as expected, Medium body, slightly oakly and noticeable tannin. Still needs more time. Will wait and open another one in the next 5 years and see how it developes.
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6/16/2019 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Similar taste profile as last bottle. Super concentrated dark berry and plummy fruit. Just short of being over the top and jammy, but very easy drinking and delicious. No formal TN.
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5/14/2019 - nulla Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle was decanted, half into a 375ml bottle for two nights later and half into a 500ml carafe through a fine cloth. The wine was allowed to stand and breathe for two hours then consumed with dinner. The difference between this bottle and the previous bottle was remarkable. This bottle was full bodied, a lush dark red with purple hues, aromas of floral and fruit (red & dark berries) and vanilla wood. On the palate, (front, mid and back) the fruit was interspersed with layers of creamy chocolate, fine tannins and a light tang of acid. Really well balanced and lingering length. Confidence restored and the remaining four bottles will likely be left for another 3-5 years. The second half of the bottle was consumed last night and was every bit as good. 92+
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11/5/2018 - UofM Likes this wine: 92 Points
Last bottle was back in 2014. Not sure it has really changed, but not necessarily a bad thing. It was as good as I remember
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8/30/2018 - kfrench150 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really enjoyed this wine! Bursting with plummy dark ripe fruit. Just delicious! Sadly, not impressed with the tripling in price over the past 5 vintages or so. Crossing that one off my list.
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8/24/2018 - A_Steady Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking nicely now, but plenty of life left
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6/8/2018 - gkentm Likes this wine: 95 Points
My first bottle of a case plus of this vintage. Too early, but such a delicious, complex and substantial wine. Black stained cork...the wine has no visable signs of aging at 8 years and has the stuffing for the long haul. A nose of chocolate, currants and dark berry leaps from the decanter across the room. Complex palate of bramble, currants, chocolate, graphite which evolved over the few hours we drank it. The fine tannins are pervasive and create a welcoming mouth feel. Lengthy finish. Buy this one if you can find it. I will open the second bottle in a few years, but I believe this wine will be delicious for decades.
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6/1/2018 - Bin707LoversDetroit Likes this wine: 91 Points
Well CT readers of our reviews (the few of you that can handle our short books on each bottle) here it is, our Bin 389 review. After mentioning this King of Juice in numerous other Notes & Reviews, we finally get around to setting this one out on its own...
Drank after a two hour aeration, which allows one to take in its gorgeous whiff from half a room away, this big buttery red offers structure, richness, depth, complexity to describe it differently from the first sip to the last. Dry & still tight, it has girth, body; rack-able for another 10+ years. Muscular in its density, there's a lot to chew on here. Yet it is immediately approachable. A touch of dark chocolate on the finish. Big and delicious! You’ll be pleased with Bin 389 as a vin, BUT… pick up a better vintage! - maybe it was just this bottle.?.
We have been enjoying Bin 389 for decades, and each bottle, in general, became more legendary, more representative of what we LOVE in Aussie blends. Bigger. More story-worthy.
Until this one.
Maybe this is the only 2010 we have ever had. Maybe we do not know how this bottle was stored for 4 years before we brought it home.
Maybe 2010 was just not Penfolds’ best 389 year.?. We have not done the research.
Our score reflects what we think of this bottle after drinking it, not of this vin, enjoyed since 2001. It only reflects what we thought of this OK bottle.
But Bin 389 is such a pertineer perfect wine, that an OK Bin 389 scores 91, where the 389 WE remember is more of a 93-or-so pointer…
So glad we have a dozen of these in various vintages in the cellar. And honestly, we are glad they are NOT 2010s.
In general, not this bottle, but in general, this is our GO TO wine for a standard-bearing delicious big bold buttery red.
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4/8/2018 - Jayarr wrote: 90 Points
Not nearly as good as pervious years. A bit austere with color fully mature. Maybe a flawed bottle but none of us were impressed and weve been drinking Bin 389 for decades. Frankly I was disappointed.
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12/25/2017 - Avid Wino wrote: 94 Points
Monumental. A cacophony of ripe currants and berries. Vanilla oak. Touch of leather and meat juice. Grainy tannin that fans out and mugs your entire mouth. Rich. Yet, a balanced beast. Length to burn. Touch and go for a higher rating. This will drink well for several decades.
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12/11/2017 - libero wrote: 93 Points
Full body, dark red Cab+shyraz is well ballanced, round, long and dry finish. A solid 93 .
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6/25/2017 - _Xenon wrote: 91 Points
Ready to drink after providing some minutes of air. Muted nose but the palate is rich, bold and with the right amount of tanin sweetnes.
Would I pay € 55 for this wine again? Definetly not. Would I pay € 24, which penfolds used to charge some years ago, before increasing prices in an almost ridiculous way? Certainly.
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6/6/2017 - Seb Frefranc wrote: 88 Points
This is an enjoyable wine especially with the right food. As a stand alone performe the wine is rather just good without driving me crazy. Quite soft and lots of volume. Cherries. Tannins are a bit off. A very slight oxidative note is also there.
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5/14/2017 - VinCapitan Likes this wine: 95 Points
violets, boom, sweet fruited, dark fruit, vanilla musk, feminine, nice oak treatment, 95
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11/20/2016 - marko2016 Likes this wine: 94 Points
dark ruby red, blueberry, black currant, elegant tannins, smooth, extremely well balanced and rounded nicely, long aftertaste (1min+)
score: 94+
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11/18/2016 - Tbone74 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not cheap but very nice. Glad I bought a few of these.
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11/12/2016 - PSPatrick wrote: 93 Points
The wine was dark ruby in colour and offered dark fruit, dark cherry, chocolate and spices on the nose. On the palate the wine showed dark fruit, cherry, black currant, blackberry compote, chocolate, coffee, a touch of mint and some spice as well as hints of soy sauce and eucalyptus, with high, fine tannin, good, medium-plus acidity and superb length. The dense, full-bodied wine had very good structure and great fruit concentration. A result of modern, very precise winemaking; without the charm of peasantry of course, but very appealing.
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7/13/2016 - Martnmac wrote: 90 Points
Excellent. Deep dark delicious
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3/19/2016 - Mossrose wrote: 94 Points
Opaque black, with deep black fruit aromas of blackberry and black currant. The sip coats the entire mouth with powerful fruit, bright acidity, and drying tannin. Although opened for 5 days, the main thing missing remains any lush or caressing texture, which is more a testament to the grip of the tannin and a sign of how worthy this wine is to be aged for years longer. In California, Syrah is frequently added to blends of Bordeaux grapes to make fruit more forward and the texture softer, but often in Australia the Shiraz is equally structured and tannic as the Cabernet. Although powerful and big, this wine is not marred at all by over ripeness, jammy sweetness, or heaviness. Under rated at 92 points in the Wine Advocate and 91 in the Wine Spectator, where neither properly forecasts how great this wine will become as it ages, where keeping the bottle open and patiently warming the wine by vigorously swirling in the glass shows the first glimpse of the evolution that can be expected.
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3/13/2016 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
Another terrific bottle. This one seemed a bit softer and also more concentrated, deep and fruit-forward than most prior bottles. But still with that same wonderful combination of smoothness, power, rich fruit and lush texture that makes this wine so enjoyable.
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1/10/2016 - rickspicks wrote: 93 Points
Opened and drank about a half-bottle last night and then re-corked. Now trying another glass in the late afternoon. Almost nothing has changed in the past 20+ hours. Still big, ripe, rich, powerful, and firmly-structured with lots of acidity and some hard, rough edges. If anything has changed, it is that it tastes even darker than it did last night with black fruits, licorice and tar dominating. No elegance or subtlety here, this is a brooding, beast of a wine ... like a nasty linebacker who wants to rip your head off (think Dick Butkus). It is also extraordinarily consistent from bottle to bottle (and vintage to vintage). 92-93
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1/1/2016 - wineotim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Not a good showing tonight compared to previous bottles. This one is kind of acidic, out of balance. Will report second day tasting later.
Second day update: the wine came out of hibernation, ripe, rich, balanced, full and round. Will bump up the score from 91 to 92.
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11/8/2015 - wirelesswine wrote: 93 Points
Consistent with prior note, great stuff.
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10/31/2015 - tekygeek wrote: 92 Points
Whoa. Wow. What? Let me taste that again... Those were the first impressions. This wine is as spectacular as other tasters have assessed. Bold, caressing, integrated, unique flavor profile, power in the mid palette, silky mouthfeel, pleasant loooooooong finish. There are over 2300 bottles in the community as of this post. You lucky bastards!!
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10/14/2015 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with my last note. May improve with time but too good now to wait.
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10/5/2015 - mpricher wrote: 92 Points
Would tend to agree with the tasting trends on this lovely Cab/Shiraz blend.. Huge floral nose. Dark brooding color. But OOOH soooo smooth on the palate. Silky even. Soft and just lovely. Lots of red and black cherry berry fruit, with some spice/anise, and cocoa finishing notes. Did not register the oak that some others have noted.. but I let this bottle breath for a couple of hours. Not cheap, but for the the $$ I thought this was a very fair price for a lot of nice return. glad to hold onto my other bottle for a bit.
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7/26/2015 - Mech-E Likes this wine: 93 Points
7 months later, this wine is exactly the same. For the price, you cannot go wrong. Dark red-purple in the glass. Wafting cassis aromas with a touch of nice vanilla oak. Decant this for maximum enjoyment. Fruit forward. Delicious.
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4/23/2015 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Our first bottle of Bin 389. Smells big and boisterous with a floral component. Full and rich on the palate as well but far from over the top. Blackberry, cherry, anise, spice and mocha with a touch of pepper on the finish. Plenty of tannins but they are well integrated. Great acidity. Reminds me a bit of a spicy Caymus in one of its less plump years. My wife and I both loved it. Not inexpensive but an excellent value nonetheless. Will buy more.
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4/6/2015 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 88 Points
The primary scent on the nose was one of sweet cassis which became dominant on the second day, along with some spice. To taste, the wine was full bodied, big, bold , powerful and super concentrated by day 3. Like the nose, the sweet cassis was the dominating flavour by the third day (which I didn't like but others may). I initially scored this 91-92 but with reflection, and following this over 3 days, scored this down to 88 (largely influenced by my preference for less subtle cassis).
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4/1/2015 - rickspicks wrote: 93 Points
Another terrific bottle. Big, rich, ripe and powerful with complex flavors of cassis, blackberry, oak, licorice and tar. Very muscular with a firm structure, but not at all harsh. While drinking it, I realized that it reminded me a lot of Silver Oak - Napa from the 80's and 90's.
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1/31/2015 - rickspicks wrote: 93 Points
Terrific wine - big, powerful, deep, rich and complex. Flavors of blackberry, cassis, tar, leather and licorice. Full-bodied and concentrated with a firm structure, chewy texture, slightly drying tannins and a long finish. About as close as you can get to a Grange for $50.
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1/16/2015 - wineotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with previous bottles.
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1/3/2015 - fm1488 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wonderful wine. Dark fruits and cherries mingle. Let it open for an hour or more
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12/29/2014 - Mech-E Likes this wine: 93 Points
Simply put, this bottle impressed me to no end. I've heard "Mini Grange", and though I've never even seen a bottle in person, I can only imagine. Dark, expressive....dark(!) fruit...solid. Very impressed and, unlike lower priced bottles from this producer, this was on-point.
Wish I bought more....
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12/25/2014 - Canawhoop wrote: 85 Points
A little to sweet for my taste, but a very good wine.
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12/4/2014 - rmcnees wrote: 91 Points
Dark garnet colored, full bodied, dense, concentrated, complex black berry fruits accented by tones of spicy mocha, coffee, hints of tar and vanilla oak on a lingering moderate tannin finish. A slight off tone of metallic detracts from the accent tones on the finish.
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11/26/2014 - Pwpayne Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 2+ hours. Aromas of dark fruits, woods, licorice, and spices. Very smooth and tasty wine with a solid tannic backbone. I will definitely be picking up a few more bottles to see how this evolves over time.
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11/7/2014 - wirelesswine wrote: 93 Points
This wine is a heck of a treat. Very dark fruits on the nose, brambly, with hints of licorice, leather and tar. This wine has some serious weight to it, but the acidity never makes it feel heavy. Flavors are mostly around the blackberry family with notes of smoke. Great structure without the tannin overwhelming - this drank very well with a brief decanting. Would be perfect with a nice charred steak, but is great on its own as well.
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10/29/2014 - libero wrote: 92 Points
Just pop and pour ...drinking...this Cabernet Sauvignon and shyraz is a heavy body , red with sub tons of violet, few legs, with secondary aromas. After 2 hours chocolate and tobacco came across. At the palate is round, balanced tannin and 20 seconds finish.
We drunk it with a very spyce Indian food ( Birihami a la Nauhabi ) wich overpowered the wine.
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8/20/2014 - rickspicks wrote: 92 Points
I had high hopes, but not high expectations for this wine. Happy to note that it exceeded both my hopes and my expectations. Terrific deep, ripe shiraz flavors of blackberry, leather, tar and licorice - with notes of violet, earth and smoke.. Concentrated, deep and intense with a firm structure, slightly chewy texture and a long, big, fruity finish. Nothing meek or mild about this beauty - this is a big, vivacious, voluptuous, hedonistic wine. Not quite a Grange, but certainly a close relative.
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7/22/2014 - UofM Likes this wine: 91 Points
3 hour decant. Wonderful nose; picking up leather, spice and mineral notes. Went well with ribeye steaks. Nice dark fruits and some lead pencil. Not much heat to speak of. My only complaint is that after the first glass I noticed it began to fall apart a bit. Will let the other bottles sit for a another year.
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6/8/2014 - wineotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Gaining some subtle complexity and maturity since last bottle, tannins are more polished and smooth.
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6/6/2014 - mystycreek wrote: 91 Points
Dark inky color. Nose of violet, black pepper and oak. Full body. Blackberry, plum, leather, minerals, coffee, bitter-sweet chocolate and dry herbs on the palate. Very dry and tannic in the end. Young, concentrated, dense and serious, I think this needs 5 more years to develop.
Although Bin 389 is not an ace, but it's very distinctive, once you drink it you will always remember it. 5 years ago me and my friends celebrated one of my classmates' B-day, and my best friend Sunny brought a bottle of 05' Bin 389 which he stole from his father. I can still remember we complained about this wine, well Sunny and I both prefer old fashion stuff, but drinking this always brings back my old memories.
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5/8/2014 - JDani Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 2 hours prior to consuming. Black fruit, mint, and lots of sage. The finish was medium to long. This would go well with smoked ribs or spicy barbecue. Potential for higher score, but will wait 5 years to open another bottle.
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5/2/2014 - drunken sommelier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasted non-blind in WSET Level 3 class. Pronounced intensity nose dominated by violet, mint, eucalyptus, lavender and medicinal along with licorice, blueberry, fig, sultana, black currant, black cherry, vanilla, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. There is a ton going on here. Medium plus acidity, high tannins and full bodied. The minty and eucalyptus notes carry over to the palate alongside bramble, blackberry, black cherry, black currant, lavender, sweet spices, charred wood and tobacco. Long finish. Outstanding wine with many years left to develop.
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4/18/2014 - jfpwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes. Opened relatively quickly. Mouthwatering nose, with lots of fruits. Full bodied, smooth on the palate. The Syrah adds a nice edge to it. Great food wine, as it is powerful but not overly so. During the evening noticed that notes of tobacco on the palate started to emerge. Once again, this producer does not disappoint.
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3/26/2014 - rc@ughey wrote: 88 Points
Impressive wine with ripe, expansive fruit but lacking subtlety.
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1/6/2014 - libero wrote: 93 Points
Very dark red color, dense, complex aromas. Taste of red and black berries, earth, smoke and tobacco. Recommend with heavy cheese like gorgonzola and blue cheese and with heavy food.
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1/4/2014 - Duncan wrote: 96 Points
My first 389: stunning from first sip to last. Seductive dark purple, with an enticing nose of chocolate mint. Velvety smooth on the palate, with one layer of flavour giving way seamlessly to the next, on and on. I know this will age beautifully, but already it's one of the finest wines it's been my pleasure to meet. With steak. 14.5% - though that relatively high alcohol level was in no way apparent: it joined harmoniously with every other element - fruit, oak, very fine tannins - to create a hugely satisfying whole.
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12/25/2013 - Sskolnick75 wrote: 93 Points
Heavier wine to drink with steak etc. good flavor
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12/24/2013 - christ80 wrote: 90 Points
nice wine, full bodied Aussie
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12/4/2013 - alohashirt wrote: 86 Points
Second bottle looked like cork was leaking. Tasted big and flat. Not noxious or undrinkable, but nothing like the wine I tasted two months ago. Second time in a week I have a disappointing wine that cost over $75.
In Australia this wine comes with a screwcap.
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12/1/2013 - libero wrote: 92 Points
It Paired very well with grilled meat.
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11/7/2013 - GTFreek wrote:
Killer profile. Eucalyptus stands out, dark fruit, currant, deep blackberry, roasted cherry, baking spice, finish medium plus, slight fresh game quality to it. Recommend.
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11/3/2013 - wineotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Teeth staining opaque black fruit. Consistent with previous bottle.
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9/28/2013 - alohashirt Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big fleshy blackcurrant notes with a smooth long finish. This is a big, delicious cabernet, probably the nicest I can remember drinking in years. Its good with grilled cheese but I want to try it with a fatty, marbled steak.
This was my goto red wine in the 1990s when I drank it by the case. I loved it then but the idea that it was good because it was made in last years Grange barrels seemed silly. It's now more than ten years since i last tasted a Bin 389. I have to say that either this is better than I remember, or my taste has changed. It has a great spicyness, and amazing length. This is a superb red wine and worth seeking out.
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6/15/2013 - wineotim Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opaque, inky, full bodied, nose of stawberry jam. Deep juicy flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, and dark cherry. Surprisingly approachable, tannins are soft and velvety. Had this with a '07 St. Henri and this was clearly more satisfying and complex.
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6/5/2013 - Paco55 wrote: 96 Points
In a line up of current release icon penfolds wines the 2010 389 shone very brightly against the likes of grange, st Henri, 707 and RWT. Obviously stylistically different to the others even in blend alone, nevertheless it's quality was clear and given the price it is outstanding value.
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5/7/2013 - MyCellar01 Likes this wine:
Langton's Penfolds Masterclass with Andrew Caillard MW.
The 2010's are very dark in colour, almost black with a bright rim. Fresh nose. Fine chocolaty tannins and dark fruit, no heat on the palate.
Approachable very young, more so than the Bin 150 and less fruit up front than the RWT.
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3/8/2013 - JerM wrote: 92 Points
(Tasting at Magill Estate) Complete and full on nose, showing licorice gumdrops and spices, with rich dark berries. Juicy youthful tannins, puckery, with plums and dark, dusty cherries. Finishes with leather, gravel and rich espresso black loam. Keeps giving. Try again in 10 years.
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3/7/2013 - startinoz wrote: 92 Points
As with my Bin 407 note, this has a mint dominant profile and is heavy on the oak. Interestingly, we tried to re-make this wine with a base of 407 plus some 28 and the result was a weedy second rate 389. What does this mean? Well, it certainly made this wine look good and shows what good grapes go into making it. Will be nice in 5-10 year's time. 92++
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3/1/2013 - henrygjeffreys Likes this wine:
opaque colour
n very spicy, plums, coffee, concentrated
t - lots of tannin, ripe, chewy,
needs time
long finish
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