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| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.8 pts. and median of 91 pts. in 47 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | Tasted by Goodjob! on 11/30/2023 & rated 93 points: Very good and ready to go with a little bit of air. I prefere this to the 2012 Bin 407. (1272 views) | | Tasted by Hanh on 8/10/2023 & rated 93 points: Soft generous palate. Excellent example of Penfolds wine. A great cab sav (1616 views) | | Tasted by Hover low 64 on 6/5/2023 & rated 92 points: Lovely effort by Penfolds. We drank this as a mini vertical with the 2015, and the younger sibling came out on top The 2014 is solid, with lighter red fruits coming forward, nice tannins, and great mouthfeel. Less Cabernet in this edition than the 2015. I think this might benefit from a few more years before opening. (1721 views) | | Tasted by Pzknkt on 2/7/2023 flawed bottle: Didn’t like it at all, not sure if it was going off! Disappointed (2141 views) | | Tasted by nulla on 9/14/2022 & rated 92 points: Opened before dinner, half a bottle poured off and sealed for the next night. Beautiful fragrance of fruit, licorice, and subtle vanilla oak. First sip, blown away by the layers of flavour, cassis, plums, red and black berries, licorice, subtle oak, smooth tannins and a nice line of acid. The wine continued to evolve and delight through the course of the meal and the half bottle put aside for the next night didn't make it. 92+ (2915 views) | | Tasted by Marbruck on 8/11/2022 & rated 91 points: Softened and is less tannic. It is not particularly vibrant. (2415 views) | | Tasted by Bradman on 5/23/2022 & rated 91 points: superb (2484 views) | | Tasted by willmark on 4/17/2022 & rated 86 points: 17th April 2922 Underwhelming! (2341 views) | | Tasted by BobMcK on 8/2/2021: Still chewy tannins, huge casis fruit. revisit in 5 years! (3266 views) | | Tasted by greydog on 7/23/2021 & rated 90 points: A nice blend that can still age well. A bit of fruit and tobacco but a warm soft finish. Served with rack of lamb.... opened up nicely as the meal progressed. (2753 views) | | Tasted by Hanh on 7/4/2021 & rated 91 points: Drinking nicely. Lots of time left. (2595 views) | | Tasted by robferguson1 on 4/27/2021 & rated 92 points: Hides its high alcohol well . Very drinkable now. (3059 views) | | Tasted by Rune_73 on 11/6/2020 & rated 91 points: Very nice wine. Full body, powerful but still elegant. Great value. (2978 views) | | Tasted by ieatprawnsss on 5/18/2019 & rated 91 points: No formal notes, but good concentration and length. Not too jammy as other examples from the region can be. Actually really nice. Will be looking to pick up more. (4639 views) | | Tasted by Dave Herzig on 5/9/2019 & rated 91 points: Enjoyed with good friends in Ladysmith. Wine was ruby in color with slow legs and medium to full bodied with a fleshy texture and an acidic lingering finish. Aromas of black pepper and tobacco with tastes of smokey bacon and oak. (3889 views) | | Tasted by BBPP on 12/27/2018: Reviewing 389 is so easy. Vintage variation is there, but it never changes its style. It is big and rich and coats the mouth like raspberry jam.
The 2014 is excellent, not the greatest vintage of all, but slightly above average. It hits the centre of the dartboard. It leaves your teeth stained and your lips tacky like drying paint.
Each time I show a 389 to friends they immediately comment. You could almost bank on at least one “ohhh, that’s really nice...” And each time you could almost bank on me thinking to myself, like I did today, “I know I have tonne of this already, but really, why do I buy any anything else?”
Buying wine, and life at large, is really only about happiness. This label makes me happy and you can never have too much. (4900 views) | | Tasted by The wine yummy wise on 5/11/2018 & rated 85 points: Shy nose but with effort, dark plums, cherries, dark chocolate and strawberry wafers. There were moments where a little nail vanish component came through which alothough not off putting, it was not attractive too. There was consistent delivery of lushes cherries and dark berries throughout the palate and no hollow or dipping points. Overall it was enjoyable and can tell that it’s a well made wine but there is nothing exciting about it at the moment. (5982 views) | | Tasted by Matt@5453 on 1/11/2018 & rated 90 points: Medium to full bodied with dark fruits, cherries, a touch of cassis, dark chocolate and a fair kick of vanilla. 'Furry' type tannin structure in the mouth, with a reasonable finish. I felt it was a bit disjointed at this stage with the oak dominating a bit too much for my preferences. (5793 views) | | Tasted by Cailles on 1/10/2018 & rated 90 points: No detailed notes. While I like the structure, the wine is a bit too extracted, a tad too artificial with full throttle sweet red and dark red fruit and tons of eucalyptus. Quite monolithic. I enjoyed a glass but wouldn't wanna drink a bottle of it. (5147 views) | | Tasted by Elvis1969 on 12/13/2017 & rated 89 points: Lite för ung men fin koncentration. (4676 views) | | Tasted by shaunzhang on 8/24/2017 & rated 91 points: The typical penfoldz bin 389.Easy to drink.plunty of aroma vanilla.black chrries.medium/full body.not complex but drinkable. (5482 views) | | Tasted by riskyc on 7/12/2017: Decanted for an hour. Pre-decanting, it was bland initially but tannic towards the end with notes of oak, blackberries and chocolates. After an hour, flavors were slightly milder but the initial strong alcohol was still present. Was shocked that it is 14.5%.
Overall a pleasant wine for someone who prefers full bodied wines. Goes well with oily food, especially chinese. (4192 views) | | Tasted by Dionysusx on 5/10/2017 & rated 91 points: Big and tannic with bright cherry, oak and blackberry. Still young. Could use a few years to mellow. Decant at least an hour. (4063 views) | | Tasted by jmcmchi on 4/26/2017 & rated 90 points: Brambly tar on nose
Chewy cab tannins dominate front and mid-palate. Acidity rides over dark juicy fruit into powerful finish
Needs several years to come into its own. (3733 views) | | Tasted by Bobhelge on 2/4/2017 & rated 91 points: Penfolds Masterclass at Verite Oslo (Verite Oslo): Dark sweet ripe blackberry and blackcurrant on the approach with combination of cinnamon and baking spices. A bit alcoholic at first that vanishes after a while. Big chewy tannins with dark fruit and balanced oak. 91-92 points. (4830 views) | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Josh Raynolds Vinous, The Barossa: An Ascent to Higher Quality (Dec 2021) (12/1/2021) (Penfolds Wines Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz Bin 389 Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling JamesSuckling.com (1/11/2017) (Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz South Australia Bin 389, Australia) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling JamesSuckling.com (12/7/2016) (Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz South Australia Bin 389, Australia) Subscribe to see review text. | By Anthony Rose Decanter, Decanter.com Tastings (10/18/2016) (Penfolds, Bin 389, South Australia, Australia, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Campbell Mattinson The WINEFRONT (10/6/2016) (Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW JancisRobinson.com (9/28/2016) (Penfolds, Bin 389 Cabernet/Shiraz South Australia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Halliday Halliday Wine Companion (9/9/2016) (penfolds bin 389 cabernet shiraz) Subscribe to see review text. | NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JamesSuckling.com and Decanter and The WINEFRONT and JancisRobinson.com and Halliday Wine Companion. (manage subscription channels) |
| Penfolds Producer website Producer Cellar Door - Barossa (Google Maps)
About Us
Australia's winemaking history of less than two hundred years is brief by European measures though, like Europe, punctuated by periods of extreme success and difficult times. From the earliest winemaking days Penfolds has figured prominently and few would argue the importance of Penfolds’ influence on Australia’s winemaking psyche.
Without the influence of Penfolds the modern Australian wine industry would look very different indeed. Sitting comfortably outside of fad and fashion, Penfolds has taken Australian wine to the world on a grand stage and forged a reputation for quality that is without peer.
Penfolds’ reputation for making wines of provenance and cellaring potential might suggest a mantle of tradition and formality is the preferred attire of a company with so much history to defend. But to label Penfolds as simply an established and conventional winemaker, would be to confuse tradition with consideration and to overlook the innovative spirit that has driven Penfolds since its foundation, and continues to find expression in modern times.
If there is anything traditional about Penfolds, it is the practice of constantly reviewing the wines it already does well, and continuously evolving and refining styles as vineyards mature and access to ever older and more varied vineyard sites improves.
Making The Best Possible Wine
At Penfolds, the role of the winemaker is to make the best possible wine within the constraints of each vintage. Penfolds’ house style emerged from a fortified-wine producing culture and evolved as a winemaking philosophy – a way of making wine – which has had a profound effect on the entire Australian wine industry.
The concept of multi-regional and vineyard blending, a feature of the Penfolds house style, is an amplification of the ‘all-round wine’. Without the constraints of a single vineyard, winemakers could choose the best possible fruit with the outstanding characteristics of each vineyard.
While American oak has played a central role in the development of Penfolds red wines, French oak has been increasingly used in the evolution of new wines – particularly RWT and Yattarna. Maturation in oak, which follows fermentation, is also key to the Penfolds house style.
The Penfolds approach to winemaking has percolated through the entire Australian wine industry over the last 50 years. The techniques employed in research and development of Penfolds wines are remarkable and many of the discoveries and innovations have had a lasting impact on winemaking thinking.
Winemakers
In Max Schubert, Don Ditter, John Duval and Peter Gago, Penfolds has nurtured four of Australia's great winemakers. They have passed the Chief Winemaker’s baton of responsibility for crafting some of Australia's most iconic wines, down through the past six decades.
Joining Peter Gago in the Penfolds winemaking team are Senior Red Winemaker Steve Lienert, Senior White Winemaker Kym Schroeter, and Red Winemakers Andrew Baldwin, Adam Clay, Stephanie Dutton and Matt Woo - also the Penfolds Fortified Winemaker. All members of the Penfolds winemaking team ensure that Penfolds’ reputation for outstanding quality is upheld.
Vineyards
Barossa Valley
Penfolds draws fruit from a combined vineyard area of 618 hectares in the Barossa region of South Australia. The Barossa is about 70 kilometres north of Adelaide and in 1911 Penfolds established a winery at Nuriootpa, completed in time for the 1913 vintage. The Barossa region is known for its relatively low rainfall with many vineyards dry grown on single wire trellising.
Magill Estate The historic and heritage-protected Magill Estate Vineyard was established in 1844 by Dr Christopher Rawson and Mary Penfold—just eight years after the foundation of Adelaide. It was originally known as the Grange Vineyard, named after their new homestead ‘The Grange’, a cottage which still stands intact amongst the vines.
Eden Valley
Joseph Gilbert planted the first vines in the Eden Valley in 1842 and since that time the region has become synonymous with producing elegant riesling and complex shiraz. While its name suggests a concave nature, Eden Valley is actually a wide ridge, situated east of the Barossa Valley with an altitude ranging from 440 – 550 metres.
McLaren Vale McLaren Vale is located approximately 40km to the south of Adelaide, with the vineyards in the region located between 6 and 15 kilometres from the Gulf of St Vincent. The elevation ranges from 50 to 350 metres above sea level. Penfolds has company owned vineyards throughout the region, using the fruit as blending components for premium red wines such as Grange and Bin 389.
Coonawarra Penfolds has had a long history with the Coonawarra region, dating back to their first vineyard purchase in 1960. It is one of the most famous red wine regions in Australia with weathered limestone terra rossa soils, relatively cool climate and overall water availability. Coonawarra has played a significant role in many of Penfolds' multi-regional wines as well as the single region wines such as Bin 128.
James Halliday Australian Wine Companion Winery Of The Year 2014: Penfolds
Penfolds is Australia’s foremost winemaker, with an unbroken line dating back to its establishment in 1844 when medical practitioner Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold and wife Mary purchased ‘the delightfully situated and truly valuable of Mackgill … Comprising 500 acres (202 hectares) of the choicest land’. Here they built the house that still stands today, and within a few years had begun the winery and cellar on the site of today’s buildings at Magill Estate.
Mary took charge of winemaking, initially producing grenache prescribed by her husband as a tonic for anaemic patients. By 1870 she, son-in-law Thomas Hyland and cellar manager/winemaker Joseph Gillard had formed Penfolds & Co. With markets in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, their wine production was over one-third of South Australia’s total.
Growth continued unabated, and in 1945 Penfolds acquired the jewel of the Magill Vineyard, at that time the largest vineyard in South Australia. It now has 2100 hectares of vineyards, the largest share of Australia’s total. Two men came together in the 1950s to lay the foundation of Penfolds today: winemaker Max Schubert, and research chemist Ray Beckwith (who died shortly after his 100th birthday in 2012); indeed, their contribution transcended Penfolds to the entire Australian wine industry.
The architecture for the Penfolds wine portfolio of the twenty-first century was established in the 1960s, half a century ago. There has been growth, both in the range of labels and their price points, but it has been cleverly – indeed sensitively – managed; demand-driven growth has been achieved without any quality compromise whatsoever.
There is no possibility that the pre-eminence of Penfolds will ever be challenged by any other Australian wine business. Equally certain is that the Penfolds brand value will continue to gain ground on the world stage of all consumable products. If proof be needed, the overall quality of the wines in this Wine Companion is the best Penfolds has ever presented to the markets of the globe.
Author: James Halliday Jul 2013Penfolds Bin 389The Rewards of Patience (7th Edition)
Vintage Label Cabernet Shiraz
2010 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 51% 49% 2009 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 51% 49% 2008 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 52% 48% 2007 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 54% 46% 2006 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2005 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 52% 48% 2004 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 53% 47% 2003 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2002 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 54% 46% 2001 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2000 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1999 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1998 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 58% 42% 1997 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1996 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1995 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1994 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1993 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1992 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1991 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 67% 33% 1990 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1989 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1988 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1987 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1986 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 68% 32% 1985 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 52.5% 47.5% 1984 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1983 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1982 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1981 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1980 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1979 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1978 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1977 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1976 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1975 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1974 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1973 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1972 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1971 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1970 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1969 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1968 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1967 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1966 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1965 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1964 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1963 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1962 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1961 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1960 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 1959 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz
Cabernet-Shiraz BlendA very popular blend in Australia-particularly from South Australia, where the two varietals work well together. The most famous of these would be the Penfolds Bin 389, considered Australia's most cellared wine. In years gone by this was referred to as "Baby Grange" as some of the wine used barrels from the vintage of Grange.
The 2018 Paternus states only McLaren Vale Shiraz (no Cab Sav).Australia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)South Australia South Australian Wine Industry Association | South Australian Wines (Wikipedia) |
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