Dark garnet. Cassis nose with some oak. Palate shows cassis again with sweetness perhaps slightly too prominent although there is an acidic spine that balances and lifts the wine through the mid-palate and medium length final. Medium to generous body. Tannins well integrated although oak is perhaps too prominent here for some.
Very enjoyable and drinking well. I doubt it will improve much although it will be interesting to see if there is some further resolving of the oak notes.
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NobleRottersSydney - 2010 & prior (Fix, St James, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} [DavidH] Blackberry and Ribena nose with subtle vanilla oak. A bit of a formula, but it works. Palate of black fruit, faint coconut. Doesn’t have the 20-year integration you used to find in last century’s vintages; lacks the polish somehow. Medium/full weight, low/medium powdery tannins. Medium length finish, but in a rough-and-ready way I don’t associate with this label. No real rush to drink this, but will it ever lose the edges?
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Beautiful 389. It needed to breath for 90 minutes. It had a slight bottle odour that disappeared completely with breathing. The wine still is a deep dark red colour. The wine was balanced with identifiable Cabernet flavours and drying tannins. It had lovely richness but not overripe. Drinking really well now and will hold up for at least another 5+ years
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Decanted with surprisingly light sediment, last tasted over 7 years ago, bottle#6 of 7. This bottle was spot on tonight, though initially quite tart it quickly evolved to show a complex assortment of fruit, minerals and toasty oak, with a smooth, extremely long pleasant finish. According to CT, this bottle has been personally cellared since 12/07 and to the best of my recollection has not moved since. I will not be in a hurry to drink my last bottle
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After tasting this with the Coravin quite recently I thought I'd give it a good angry decant to see if some of that reticence could be blown away...fortunately it could and this displayed ripe berries, plums, touch of blackcurrant, plenty of vanilla and caramel oak with sweet spices in support, generous and ripe. One of those bottles that seems to evaporate before the eyes...
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Þvílík sorg að þetta skuli hafa verið síðasta flaskan. Síðast smakkað 2014, þá mjög gott. Nú enn betra. Mjög fjölbreytt angan. Sterkir kirsuberjatónar í bragði, einnig vanilla og kókos. Langt og þétt eftirbragð. Hefði örugglega enst nokkur ár enn.
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I have always had a problem with Penfolds; IMO they produce far too many different cuvees and bottlings for me to discern any identifiable house style or give me any reason to buy the Penfolds brand without confusion. Chatters provided me this chance to experience their main mid market "baby Grange". This was a pleasant blend, more cab cassis and plums than shiraz black fruits, pepper or spice. Pleasant. Medium in both mouth feel and length. (Thanks Chatters.)
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Some bottle variation from this case, but this was a lovely wine. Lots of perfume and fruit. Excellent with roast chicken and then cheese. More like a good mid-level Bordeaux (cru bourgeois and then some) than a big Barossa Shiraz, fairly reflecting the Cabernet dominance. Not as complex as a top Bordeaux, with softened tannins, but pure pleasure to drink.
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Some bottle variation in the last 2 or 3 from this case, but this one was lovely. Lots of fruit & perfume. Not very complex, but a very enjoyable wine with chicken and then cheese. More like a good Bordeaux rather than a big Barossa Shiraz, though without the detailed side tastes of a top level Bordeaux. Pure pleasure—not to be underestimated.
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Cork in great shape, not many lees in bottle. Decanted and left it for 30 mins. Superb wine - smooth on the palate, full flavour expected of this blend. Will hold for years to come.
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Bought 8 bottles in 2008 and put in wine cooler at 55 degrees. Drank 5 by 2015 and all ok. tried to open 1 today and cork crumbled, spoiled. Remaining two were the same. not sure if they were originally bad or if they would have been ok if I had not forgotten them.
Great relief—after the dead bottle last time. This was in perfect condition with lots of Cabernet dominated fruit and considerable length and intensity. No hurry to drink the rest of the case: I suspect it might gain more complexity. For now, this bottle was wholly pleasurable but had not quite developed the tertiary characteristics or depth of a fully mature 389. Even if it does not, it is pure hedonism in a glass.
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Drinking beautifully right now! Deep garnet color, almost black; aromas of dark fruit, cedar, and light spice notes. Medium bodied, with flavors of red and black currants, cassis, vanilla, wood, and hints of spice box. Very smooth and refined tannins. Lingering finish of fruit, hints of wood, and spice. Decanted, and continued to evolve and open up over the next 2+ hours. Very refined and mature; I remember the first bottle I tasted back in its youth, full of exuberance and energy. Now, after 15 years in the cellar, has evolved into an elegant, refined, lovely “Grand Dame”!
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Dried out, no fruit left. Not at all as 389 should be. I hope it’s just an odd bottke, since I have several more of the same vintage. Stored in a cool, dark cellar.
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Thankfully I still have a few left of this beauty, rich black fruit, subtle but persistent vanilla oak, rich and long, lovely on its own but even better with food, especially rare meat.
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Cork in perfect condition as I would expect from careful cellaring. The wine is still very youthful, quite a surprise. Wish I held on for longer. The Cabernet component dominates, the structure holding firm and showing no sign of wavering. A tasty wine for sure, but was overshadowed by a Runrig that was opened alongside it.
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NobleRottersSydney - a fine finale (Fix, St James, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} [Kim] As for the St Henri, another soft crumbly cork saw this open-decanted about two hours before consumption. I wasn’t convinced by this, finding the nose raw and chippy, like bottled particle-board, with a hint of volatility. Palate is more gluhwein-like, with baked fruit and a carpet-like flavour. There’s some jam character too, with lots of vanilla oak. Feels like a bit of a side-show alley wine after the St Henri. I suspect pH is too high, alcohol is too high… Dunno what’s happened to my relationship with Bin 389 over the last 20 years; it used to be the world’s most dependable wine; now it seems to have developed a bipolar disorder or something. Or is it me?
Have been waiting for an occasion to open this bottle. However the last few reviews seem to have indicated that it has past its prime. Not true! Colour remains bright and clear. A deep ruby red. Nose still has fresh fruits and a little vanilla. The wine does not disappoint in the mouth. Soft feel with a good balance of tannin. Overall a nice long finish.
11/20. Kerry not so sure. I liked this wine. Good fruit nose and good balance. Time to drink remaining bottles. 8/21. Again Kerry did not like. A lot of wood and tannin and not enough fruit. Drink last bottle
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Blackberry, blackcurrant, soy, pan juices, crushed ants, licorice, and chocolate.
What the fruit lacks in outright freshness, it makes up for in concentration and power. Fine, dusty, and very persistent tannins. The oak is always present, however it doesn’t shout out too much.
Opinion: Good wine. Could handle another decade of cellaring easily.
this is drinking so well ,bright and fragrant and well balanced . Black fruit on the nose with a nice long finish. Look forward to seeing how this ages over the coming years
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Opaque, violet, youthful. Dark chocolate, sweet black cherry, plum, blackberry, a little mint, coffee. Meaty, iron, dry, slightly elevated acidity. Oak well integrated, but there's still a green/wood character coming out that I didn't expect. Much, much better after about 45 minutes. Green notes disappeared and were replaced by milk chocolate and ripe black fruits, much like those on the nose. Soft tannins. Medium length.
I'm not really sure where this is right now. It seems like it can develop a bit more. Just good. I expected more.
53% Cabernet, 47% Shiraz.
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Day three it’s better than day one. A real savoury dimension comes in to play today. I’m not in the best shape for tasting wine, but I’ve treated myself to a glass as the Aussie PM toughened the Self Isolation screws just that little bit more.
Kopiko candy creamy coffee oak, leather, mushroom, menthol and soft red and blue fruits. Length for minutes and then some.
Long and wide but with puppy fat still to shed. Pulsating.
Wait another 10 years for it to become elegant- these American oak Penfolds wines look best for me when babies or in old life. I have one bottle left, will take to a recorking clinic a couple of rounds away to judge when best to square out this vintage.
4.5/5.
Makes me feel 18 years old again. One of the first ‘serious’ wines I connected with. I have since moved on to more elegant and detailed styles, but there’s no denying the quality here despite the old school feel. This one was under cork. Under screw caps these will go 40 years, easily. Even the Penfolds winemakers are surprised at how long these wines age in a wide range of cellaring conditions.
Wow. Opened for my daughters 10th birthday to have with family. From the first pop of the cork, the aroma was magic. Fruit and spice and everything nice. Proof that this is penfolds best wine. I think from an underrated year. I have one more bottle. Maybe for her 20th?
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Decanted and enjoyed straight away. Luscious dark berry fruits married nicely with coffee and chocolate aromas. There is nice juiciness overall, but it generally is not exactly my type. Maybe was expecting more looking at fellow members reviews.
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Tawny brick red rim with a a hint of aniseed on the caramel like nose. The palate still has some sour acid on the edges supporting the fully matured fruit. Not the greatest 389 compared to say 1991. It represents a rather old fashioned Australian matured red and not without drinking merit.
An Australian benchmark blend of Cabernet and Shiraz. Still going strong at 15 years old. Mellowed fruit, soft caramelised wood, light chalky tannins. Dark red with a brick/brown tinge, subtle acid and very nice length. 93
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Magnum. Great wine. Great depth. Good berry and chocolate. Slight pepper and smooth tannins. Deep nose. Keeping well as you would expect from 15 year old magnum.
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Glorious wine. Real complexity and full bodied. I think this could easily have cellared a few more years, but fortunately I have another two bottles so will give it another few years.
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Excellent. Still in its teenage years, yet to fully mature. An elegant iteration, with very good oak handling. Some age complexity starting to creep in, but our never guess blind that it’s 14 years old. Tannins and acids still to resolve, fruit is ripe without much signs of decay or age. With the right bottle, this will develop for another 10-15 years with careful cellaring and hold for many years after. Down to my last two bottles, this was and remains one of my favourite wines. 4.5/5. Now to 20 years.
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Wow, this has really matured since my last bottle 7 years ago. On opening, there were some off smells, and I was concerned because the cork was not in top condition. But within 15 minutes, this was smelling, and drinking, beautifully. Dark, rich blend, with just the barest hint of orange on the rim. This was showing cedar and sandalwood, coffee, dark fruits, plenty of acid, lots of complexity. This is ready to drink but can probably hold for many years to come.
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Superb blend of Shiraz and Cabernet. No wonder 389 is sometimes called baby Grange. This vintage sure lives up to the name tag. Beautiful dark fruit, great mouth coating texture and very long finish.
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Deep dark blood red, a slight tawny hint, clear 3/3 Rich and complex nose, full. Fruit, sweet violet perfume, spice. Cigar box, vanilla, crushed leaf. A hint of smoke. Caramel or toffee. It goes on and on. Lovely. 7/7 Full bodied, full flavour, rich, round, even. Dry, mild acidity. Lots of cassis fruit character beautifully balanced with delicate, dry, soft, spicy tannins. Very well structured, slightly lower intensity on the finish but it does linger. Cigar smoke and cedar finish. 9/10 A wonderful wine, classic.
On the nose, aromas of dark fruit, leather, tobacco, soil. Cocao, black pepper, dark fruit (black cherry, plum) on the palate. Chewy tannins, firm acidity. Drinking beautifully out of a bottle aerator.
Fully mature, still some blackcurrant from the cab, and spicy licorice from the shiraz, with some developing tertiary flavours. Drink now or over next few years.
Breathed for 3 hours. The complexity & smoothness of this wine was undeniable. Dark ruby in colour with a hint of oak,cedar & burnt cigar to the nose. Medium on the palate with a long lasting finish with notable tannins and an interesting pine & cherry taste through the middle. Not quite as good as the last bottle but still excellent. There is light sediment in the bottle which is to be expected. Excellent wine!
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Coravin fun - Ready to drink (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Medium plus intensity aromas of caramel, vanilla, ripe blackcurrant and blackberry, sweet spice. A little dusty leather but still a very primary nose. It's a little more subdued on the palate with a liquorice note joining the fruit. Tannins are talc textured and persistent. Very nice but hold for the moment.
Coravin Kraze (Njálsgata 6): Talsvert dekkra en vínin tvö á undan. Líka farin að koma brúnka í jaðrana. Kannski ekki skrítið því vinið er 14 ára gamalt. Lokað í byrjun. Opnast við þyrlun. Mjög dökkir og þungir tónar. Paprika, leysiefni. Jafnvel ananas í nefi. Á tungunni dökkir ávextir, brómber. Karamella og brenndir tónar. Mikil sýra. Gott jafnvægi. Frábært vín.
Decanted for 5 hours. Lovely bottle. Nice tannins with a velvety finish. The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is moderate sediment in the bottle.
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Sort of into the solid and dependable phase. Tannins have softened and integrated but there is still little secondary development showing with this full bodied wine. I do suspect however in another 5-6 years as the wine takes on more complexity that it will be more interesting. It’s just not quite there yet. I will try and not open another bottle this decade.
A friend opened a bottle of the Bin 389 2004. Decanted for 6 hours. The complexity & smoothness of this wine was undeniable. Dark ruby in colour with a hint of oak,cedar & burnt cigar to the nose. Medium on the palate with a long lasting finish with notable tannins and an interesting pine & cherry taste through the middle. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long & has low acidity. There is light sediment in the bottle which is to be expected. Outstanding wine! I felt guilty having two glasses but it was well worth it.
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@ Penfolds Wine evening at 'Les Cavistes'. Very dry tannins. This wine was very closed, after being opened 3 hours prior I was expecting more however I feel this wine was missing something. It was still great however compared to the other 389's it was disappointing. Smokey. It worked a lot better with some beautiful confit d'agneau however this is one of those wines that need some food to elevate it. If holding some of these bottles I would recommend leaving another few more years prior to opening.
Hmm. Not sure what to make of this. Decanted through an aerator. Colour is dense opaque red. Closed on the nose and palate at first. Quite thick in the mouth with alcohol evident along with some sweetness from the American oak. Fruit was recessed. After an hour, the wine began to open a bit but it seemed like there was more to give but not forthcoming. Not sure if the wine needs more time or not. This bottle was very shut down.
Drunk over 2 nights. Lovely wine just coming into its drinking window. Dark fruit with soft tannins. Long palate. Will wait another 4 years for the next bottle
Splash decanted before dinner. Fine sediment. Minimal bricking. Nice dark fruits. No flaws. Resolved tannins. Nice length and balance. Went well w Passover brisket dinner. Drink now or hold for short term.
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2007 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} (Aaron) Decanted at start of dinner. Still fairly youthful, but flanked as it was by slightly older St Henri’s, it seemed very baked, sharp and harsh to me. The palate is raw and blocky, with medium gritty tannins, blackberry and sour cranberry fruit, medium/full body, and a medium-length finish tending hot and harsh. Not convincing. Age will tone it down, but the gritty heat it shows won’t help I suspect.
2 hours in the decanter. Raspberry, light white pepper, silky tannins, oak, sour cherry, paper, strawberries, almost a lime aftertaste. I keep hoping it will last but it's very light for a bin 389, i Think this is a drink now.
This is superbly balanced between fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry and redcurrant) subtle oak and the complex coffee, olive and savoury notes that bottle age brings. This is delightful now and I can't wait to see how it will develop over the next 5 to 10 years. Even better on day 2 - probably worth a 94!
Decanted 3 hours. Big beautiful black fruit in decanter but fell apart in the glass a little . Nice notes of black cherry fruit still on the palate . Very little fruit notes ,but nice black tea and notes of mineral and leather . Tannic structure holding everything in place nicely and should hold several more years . Drink through 2018
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2 hours in the decanter. Solid nose, raspberry, cranberry, chocolate, leather, paper, white pepper. The mouth feel is silky and lingers. Unfortunately the fruit has faded. The flavour is rasberry, pepper and the tanin lingers just long enough to let you know what could have been. If there was a touch more fruit, this would be good for a few more years and could have been truly great, as it is I agree with all the other commenters, drink now. A very pleasant drop with the right red meats, worth the time and space to cellar.
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds Bin 389 1998-07 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} (Stephen) Langhorne Creek, Bordertown, Padthaway. Deep garnet/ruby colour. This seems more cabernet-driven than the immediately preceding vintages; perhaps the effect of so much Langhorne fruit? At any rate, there are lots of currant-derived flavours here, and the wine seems better for it. Medium powdery tannins, medium acid, balanced oak (not too overt or vanilla-laden). It’s medium/full-bodied, and picks up some tar and tobacco flavours on the medium/long finish. No sign of heat either. Table opinion seemed split between this and the 2002 for wine-of-the-night; I thought this the better wine. Has another decade left easy. Excellent.
Opened this wine tonight at my parents' place for our reunion dinner.
Tight, closed and a faced a formidable wall of tannins upon opening. Dark purple in colour with a brickish-red rim.
Decanted for 3 hours and the wine opened up beautifully. Ripe plums coupled with notes of sweet cassis, black coffee, blackcurrant, blueberries and fruitcakes.
The build up is very nice: from the entry, to a solid mid-palate and wonderful long finish. A classy and well-made wine.
Remember to decant if you are drinking it soon; alternatively, leave it in the cellar for a few more years.
First bottled opened from a case of 6. Cork in excellent condition. 3 hour decant. Tannins starting to soften with fruit to the fore. A very good drop now and based on this bottle, I am very comfortable to sit on the others for a few years yet.
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Decanted for 14 hours due to experience from last bottle and being out of the house. Still tannic, over the top fruit and acidic....hmmm....not pleasurable. Had some left in the decanter so tried in another 22 hours. Much better - still not great but fruit more approachable, tannins a little less obvious and acid seemed to have integrated. Thats a biiiiig decant. Will definitely (famous last words) leave minimum of 3 years (making 15 years) before next bottle. This reminds me why I went off 389. However saying that very much enjoyed the 2013 recently - a much preferred lower throttle style.
Decanted 1hr, 6th bottle tasted of 8, best showing yet, last tasted 8/12, 1st tasted 2008, has been in the same cellar location since 2007. That being said, secondary flavors have clearly taken hold of this Shiraz/ Cab blend and for the better, plenty of evolving aromas and flavors. Big earthy licorice notes, with wild blackberry, currants, cassis, dark sweet plum and bitter coffee notes that added to the complexity. Based on this well stored bottle, ready for action, but no hurry to consume, maybe over the next 5 years or so. Extra note: (Heavy sediment)
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Opened an hour prior. Dark garnet with some suspended sediment. Plum cassis bouquet with a whiff of oak and spice. Attack builds quickly to a full bodied red with dark fruits balanced with ample acidity and nicely integrated tannins. Alcohol perceptible on the long final but not objectionable.
This drank very nicely. A bit heavy handed for some perhaps but if you want a big red with everything more or less tucked in which will go well with food then this does just that. Look forward to my others over the next 5 years or so.
Ok I didn't wait until 2016. Same notes as last time really. Didn't enjoy or start to soften and open more until 10 hours in decanter. Nose of big rich aus Shiraz - too much. Palate of predominantly Shiraz character profile. Still lots of tannin and fruit and acidity. I would say a min of another 2 years, preferably 3-4 (should be drinking much better)......so 2017-2018 for next bottle ? I think it will evolve positively but may just soften and reduce richness and no more complexity ?
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Interesting how this wine was not nearly as nice as my other two cellar'd next to each other for the same period. Actually seemed past its best. Lighter than I expected with a hint of turps. Strong tannins with a tart dryness to the finish.
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Rich and bold and plush. Blackberries, blackcurrant, plum, mint, chocolate, licorice, christmas-cake spice. Silky tannins and wonderful length. You have to like the style but within that mould it's very good.
Penfolds Tasting with 5 vintages of Grange and a bunch more (Downtown Cleveland): This was a last minute addition, so it saw about two hours of air prior to serving. The nose is dusty with black raspberries, blueberries and smoked meat. Nice. Both the nose and the palate are drinking well. Perhaps at peak but just barely. At ten years, this is ageing slowly. It is a blend of Cab and Shiraz. Nice juicy black raspberries, with layers of complexity. IIRC, this was about $30 on release and a great value. I think the price on new releases is at least double. I was surprised how young this drank.
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Cabernet dominating the wine at the moment, quite firm tannins. Blackberries, plums and olives, bold oak but not overdone. Good wine, probably needs a bit more time and a really good decant before drinking.
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Struggled to drink after a couple of hours decant. Too rich, heavy oak, and a bit of a fruit bomb. However the next day was much more subdued, open and complex - not too bad. Needs anothe couple of years min. Open next bottle 2016 min.
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Decanted 30 minutes. Glossy blood red opaque garnet in colour. Heady nose of blackberry, mint, blood plum and licorice. Fruit forward and spice hits the front palate, blackberry, black currant, blue berry delish. Wonderful follow thru the mid palate with very integrated acidity and tannins finding a homogenous lingering finish of freshness. A vibrant stage in its development, looking forward to many more.
A couple of hours open, fine chocolate tannins emerge.
NobleRottersSydney - Ten & Twenty years - 04 & 94 reds (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork,14.5%} (Glenn) Still very youthful ; it’s a big meaty, blackcurrant noseful of aromas in the standard Penfolds style. Medium acid and high powdery tannins really hit the palate at the start; it’s got great mid-palate presence of blackcurrant and green olive flavours; with a scorched touch too; I find the alcohol rather too noticeable, I must say. Medium/long dry, almost brutal finish; I’d recommend another 15 years in the cellar, with the alcohol caveat. Possibly the best vintage of this wine between 1999 and 2010, so a bit of age will probably help; it’s not exactly polished right now. Wait.
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Deep ruby red but with browning just appearing at the rim. Lovely aromatics, lifted floral with a hint of savoury meaty. Rich, Xmas cake flavours, long, well-integrated, good structure with robust tannins. I like this, plenty of life in it still.
Predominantly classic with eucalyptus on the fore with dark chocolate and mocha and a smooth vanilla toasted dark plum blueberries and currants mid. Should get better with time. A compromise between te new and the old
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Decanted 30 mins, and became so very smooth over the next two hours. Dark, impenetrable purple garnet. Exciting nose of blackberries, raspberry, licorice, vanilla spices and mint! Love it! Full bodied palate, a frontal assault with fruit to the fore, sweet, flavoursome blackberries, dark plums, blueberries. Then spicy oak, powdery tannins (teeth staining), and a long, long chocolaty finish. A great vintage 389. At ten years of age the 'baby Grange' is just warming up!
1.5L offering. Pop and poured and tasted great out of the bottle. Solid tannins, integrated with a lingering lightly oaked finish.
Half the bottle was decanted and instead of improving, the tannins dropped out and this wine took a step back. One more bottle left with no plans of decanting next time.
- Brick color - Tannic and impressive. This vintage has many years ahead yet, with intense black, dark stone fruit and black currant, the finish is long and savoury, with silky fine tannins in abundance, still young and extraordinarily intense, somewhat similar to that of Grange. Another 8+ years easily ahead for this vintage, and a step up on the 2003 in terms of cellaring potential.
Had this the other night at a friends. I think the bottle had been opened an hour or so beforehand, no decant. Appealing and generous bouquet of ripe fruits. Smooth and polished on the palate with nice lift and a long final filling things out beautifully. Tannins are just distinguishable and very fine grained.
Nice acidic lattice that generates the lift - I would say these are in the start of their optimal window now and will hold on this plateau for at least another 5 years.
Cabernet Shiraz Tasting: Expressive nose - blueberry, floral and cinnamon notes. Palate is bright with the blueberry character balanced against the oak, there is good structure and length. Very youthful and will improve significantly given the chance.
Opened just to see how it was progressing. Gave it a 5 hour decant and it was very tasty, but still pretty closed down. Would probably give it an 89-90 at this point, but it's best to wait a few more years on this one. Second night this was at a really nice place, something like a 92 in my book.
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Typical big fruit, big oak Penfolds style, oak a bit dominant for now, softened very nicely after a few days though. Obviously needs 5+ years at least.
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Deep inky purple with a translucent fringe and think legs. The nose is full of cassis, blackberry, herbs. spice box and roasted meat. The black fruits are upfront with blackberry, & currants followed by a vanilla leather, herbs, lavendar (could be more vanilla), white pepper & spice. This wine has a plenty of tannins for a full mouth feel and plenty of aging and leaves you with a long finish. I will let the rest stay awhile in the cellar.
I took this to a blind tasting of Aussie Cab & Cab blends and loved the chocolate, mint and dark smoky berry nuances of the wine. I decanted it earlier for several hours, which smoothed out the tannins and gave it a lovely texture. But the group was mixed in response--some thought it was too smooth.
Had 1/2 bottle vacu vin for 6 days, did not taste first 1/2 bottle. The nose was filled with licorice, anise, game and a hint of pepper. There was blackberry and subtle hints of licorice/anise and oak on the palate. Very tannic finish, that seem to overwelm the fruit. Will have to try a freshly opened bottle soon, but based on this bottle, the 04 389 needs some time and it will be a race between the fruit and tannin.
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Quite closed and tannic at this point. I would decent it for several hours before drinking it again. Hard to assess because of this dumb phase, but clearly there's some wonderful structure and fruit hiding in there.
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After a slew of disappointing Aussies recently, this was a welcome change. Solid complexity, balance and acidity. Nice minty menthol notes that offest the solid fruit. So well made I can look past the signifiicant oak. Very good. 91+?
The color of this wine is rich deep dark purple and is opaque and is most certainly a tooth stainer. The nose gives off hints of chocolate and fresh berries, tea and is herbal and medicinal. On the palate, the front is pure fruit with a port like richness with sinewy tannins over a long smooth finish. Even with its high alcohol levels, there is no heat at all and it is balanced and fresh and very delicious. Do yourself a favor and the next visit to your local market, splurge and seek this one out. It is a cellar candidate for another 15+ years but is accessible and enjoyable today.
Very deep purple in the glass this wine plum and tell-tale toasty American oak on the nose. The palate is full bodied. It shows baked blackberry, spice, white pepper and tobacco. Long dry finish.
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Very deep purple in the glass this wine plum and tell-tale toasty American oak on the nose. The palate is full bodied. It shows baked blackberry, spice, white pepper and tobacco. Long dry finish.
Taking the cork out of the bottle, the end was literally black! This is reflected in the colour of this wine in the glass - very, very deep purple. The nose shows plum and tell-tale toasty American oak. The palate is full bodied. It shows baked blackberry, spice, white pepper and tobacco. Very dry finish.
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full bodied, perfect dryness, well rounded, very smooth.. a little bit o berries, a little bit o oak, and a lot of nose.. i could smell this wine all day long with all it's full bodiednessss. drank alongside kurosawa's film "seven samurai". perfection.
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Outstanding young high end Australian shiraz / cab blend, enjoyed tonight with Kim with grilled lamb shanks, shiitake mushrooms, grilled potatos and stove top zucchini - superb combination. The wine was deep deep purple almost black, surprisingly well integrated and smooth, big and full bodied with long pleasant aftertaste. Nose of dark stone fruit, eucalyptus and allspice, primary flavor profile included dark stone fruit, oak, unexpected cassis, dark currant and smoke on the aftertaste. This wine is a reasonable QPR at this price point and I do expect improvement in the ratings with age, I feel that this wine has a lot of cellar life left and at this point is really not yet in a prime drinking window despite how good it is at this point. Definitely recommend this wine.
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Had with grilled lamb loin chops, grilled eggplant, farfalle pasta salad. Deep purple. Big nose with lots of oak. Cassis, cigar box, smoke, vanilla, occasional hint of eucalyptus. On the palate rich blackberry, syrup, expresso. Nice blend pairing well with the lamb chops. Wife would probably say 90 points.
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Decanted and poured, the tannins have intergrated nicely since I last tried this, plum, spice and oak are balance making this very aprochable, however plenty of room for improvement, Will try again in 6-12 months.
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Rich and full; showing oak, plum, black pepper, and chocolate bar. Smooth texture, and a generous finish. A little overoaked, but a well made wine. Ready to drink, but should evolve over the medium term. Drink now- 2015
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Bouquet dead initially, and taste had no complexity, so decanted for several hours. A beautiful deep plum wine with a nice bouquet of cassis and dark fruits and a little spice box. Tastes initially of blackberry followed by a core of black currant and some pepper, with silky smooth tannins. The finish has leather, white pepper, cinnamon and a touch of chocolate in the background. A nice medium length finish.
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Opaque, teeth staining purple in the glass, with a big nose of ripe fruit and cedar. Just entering its drinking window, with firm tannins and sweet fruit on the palate. Balanced, with room for added development in the next 5 or so years. One of those very good Aussie values.
Decanted for 1 hour. Deep purple, medium bodied wine with thick legs. Dark fruit, spce on the nose; palate of blackberry, a little pepper; firm tannins, medium-long finish. Beautiful wine, but still a baby - give this one time.
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Decant for 3 hrs befor tasting. White and black pepper, with a touch of smoke in the nose, rich and conentrated, with lots of black fruits on the palate, will be even better in a couple of years @ $22 insane QPR.
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This is quite tasty, and manages to be very Aussie, without being over the top. Lots of roasted notes to this wine. Even though there is more cab, the shiraz dominates. Not nearly as many tannins as I remember, it's a solid bottle of wine.
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Had this in comparison to a bottle of '01 we opened, and it was much sweeter on the nose, and noticeably more peppery and tannic, that said it was fabulous as well - Dark purple almost black, well concentrated with notes of black fruit, plum, pepper, mint and vanilla on the nose, big and brawny, but very well structured, nicely balance, silky smooth with an amazing finish, excellent! (92 Points).
vertical comparison to 03 - not as full bodied and finish pales compared to year previous - drinking a little prematurely at present but still has good dark fruit on the palate/nose and spice
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Decanted for 1 hour. Deep garnet, medium bodied, nose of dark fruits, palate of blackberry, cassis, spice, with some floral notes, nice acidity, fine tannins, medium-long finish. Held up well over three nights.
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it was a few days ago but deep color, pleasant nose, good fruit up front, weak on the mid, pleasant finish of medium length. enjoyable overall but not good QPR
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comparing to Peter Lehmann Clancy's ( both 90 in WS ) but $14 cheaper in Ontario --the Penfolds has a poorer QPR. Not sure why Penfolds is so expensive in Ontario while Clancy's is fair priced to what the USA pays.
Nice - but for $34 not great.
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Curry spice and herbs on the nose. Very good in a non-Oz way. Very good balance with lots of tannins on the dry finish. Obviously very young but has the stuffing to become an outstanding wine given time.
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Very wise choice to decant this wine as it was not much to begin with, but evolved very nicely into something quite enjoyable. If you are looking for a bottle to open and drink right now I would say look elsewhere. A nose full of cassis, mint, and blackberries, along with some meat. Fruit quickly gives way to leathery herbs, a small amount of toast, and pretty full tannins. Will be most excellent in a couple of years - I'm bummed I drank it too early.
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Very nice for an inexpensive cellar saver wine! Deep, full bodied, some earthiness along with the berries. One of my main everyday wines at the moment. Can't go wrong...
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Consistently good wine, though fairly poor QPR. Great spiciness in the nose with dark berries, ripe strawberry, hints of chocolate, and toast. It is luscious in the mouth with abundant ripe fruit -- blackberry, currant, plum mixed with distinct wood flavors. Cedar and charred oak lead to a tobacco-like spiciness, leather, and mocha. Lots of layers of flavors. Ends with a tannic punch -- should have decanted. Big mouthful of flavors, solid tannins, nice balance.
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Decanted this bottle one hour before based upon other comments in cellar tracker. This was one wonderful wine when it opened up. Very inky purple with lots of flavor. Will buy again.
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53% cab 47% shiraz. Great nose and balance. Spicy, full body, tons of oak, tobacco (cuban cigar box) and cocoa. Pairs wonderfully with Wisconsin cheese fondue and filet mignon.
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Deep inky purple with a translucent fringe and think legs. The nose is full of cassis, blackberry, herbs. spice box and roasted meat. The black fruits are upfront with blackberry, & currants followed by a vanilla leather, herbs, lavendar (could be more vanilla), white pepper & spice. This wine has a plenty of tannins for a full mouth feel and plenty of aging and leaves you with a long finish. I will let the rest stay awhile in the cellar.
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Referred to as "Baby Grange;" aged in old Grange barrels and can last for years. Can be found at good sale prices. I'd like to taste a vertical of this. Very Good.
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This is a BIG wine! Deep ruby red Cabernet/Shiraz blend. I let it sit for an hour hoping to mellow it out a bit, but it still needs to breath more--it has a ton of alcohol smell. Still excellent! Has cherries starting out, and transitions to wood flavors at the mid-pallet. It's surprisingly smooth at the finish for as strong as it is (14.5%).
I let it open over night and finished the bottle the next day. Most of the excess alcohol smell and taste were gone. It had much more of a berry bouquet mixed with wood. There is much more noticeable oak finishing it off, but not over powering. This really helped the wine, and I think it would really benefit from aging a year or so.
I'll definitely have to purchase some more to store for a couple years. Great wine at $23!
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In my experience hard to beat around the $20 price point from a winery that consistently makes great value wines; Rawson's Retreat, Koonunga Hill all the way up to some of Australia's best reds (Grange, Bin 707). Oak on the nose. Rich, fruity, balanced with depth and complexity, this wine will improve further with cellaring.
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Dense, opaque plummish purple. On opening, the Cabernet Sauvignon stands out like the exoskeleton of the Center Pompidou; structure and support for the 47% Shiraz. However, with time in the glass, the elements start to blend seamlessly. Oak integrates with rich, ripe plum and blueberry fruit; laced with dried herbs, black pepper, and leather. While the subtlest nuances of chocolate lift from the final glass coating swirls. I am forced to quote the winemaker, Peter Gago, when I say that the texture is impressive with well-defined, powdery tannins. A mouth-smacking acidity carries the full-bodied "Baby Grange" to a long, dry and savoury finish. An impressive wine that will no doubt reward a decade lost in the darkest recesses of the cellar.
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Big wine (no suprise). Started with an alcoholic nose and big leathery fruit and, after a couple of hours ended with rich cedar and leather laced cherries. A great everyday wine
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Purchased at the recommendation of a local wine merchant, the balance between the shiraz and cabernet becomes apparent as the wine decants over an hour or two and the taste slides back and forth over the line. A nice, approachable, drinkable wine that makes us want to try more of the Penfolds suite.
On our 4-point scale, we'll give it a 3 = "Will definitely drink again" (though we're more likely to try another Penfolds first)
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4/15/2024 - barryjkeller@gmail.com Does not like this wine:
Initially porty. Did open some after an hour-ish. Next day porty again.
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1/1/2024 - David Meddings Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark garnet. Cassis nose with some oak. Palate shows cassis again with sweetness perhaps slightly too prominent although there is an acidic spine that balances and lifts the wine through the mid-palate and medium length final. Medium to generous body. Tannins well integrated although oak is perhaps too prominent here for some.
Very enjoyable and drinking well. I doubt it will improve much although it will be interesting to see if there is some further resolving of the oak notes.
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10/14/2023 - J Pas Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice cab/shiraz. Drinking well now but likely has 3-5 years left in it
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8/2/2023 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - 2010 & prior (Fix, St James, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} [DavidH] Blackberry and Ribena nose with subtle vanilla oak. A bit of a formula, but it works. Palate of black fruit, faint coconut. Doesn’t have the 20-year integration you used to find in last century’s vintages; lacks the polish somehow. Medium/full weight, low/medium powdery tannins. Medium length finish, but in a rough-and-ready way I don’t associate with this label. No real rush to drink this, but will it ever lose the edges?
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7/22/2023 - AKC Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful 389. It needed to breath for 90 minutes. It had a slight bottle odour that disappeared completely with breathing. The wine still is a deep dark red colour. The wine was balanced with identifiable Cabernet flavours and drying tannins. It had lovely richness but not overripe. Drinking really well now and will hold up for at least another 5+ years
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4/14/2023 - wineshaman wrote: 94 Points
Decanted with surprisingly light sediment, last tasted over 7 years ago, bottle#6 of 7.
This bottle was spot on tonight, though initially quite tart it quickly evolved to show a complex assortment of fruit, minerals and toasty oak, with a smooth, extremely long pleasant finish. According to CT, this bottle has been personally cellared since 12/07 and to the best of my recollection has not moved since. I will not be in a hurry to drink my last bottle
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4/11/2023 - chatters wrote:
After tasting this with the Coravin quite recently I thought I'd give it a good angry decant to see if some of that reticence could be blown away...fortunately it could and this displayed ripe berries, plums, touch of blackcurrant, plenty of vanilla and caramel oak with sweet spices in support, generous and ripe. One of those bottles that seems to evaporate before the eyes...
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2/18/2023 - GuBe wrote: 92 Points
Þvílík sorg að þetta skuli hafa verið síðasta flaskan. Síðast smakkað 2014, þá mjög gott. Nú enn betra. Mjög fjölbreytt angan. Sterkir kirsuberjatónar í bragði, einnig vanilla og kókos. Langt og þétt eftirbragð. Hefði örugglega enst nokkur ár enn.
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2/9/2023 - Aussiechic wrote:
Fantastic wine
Dickie thought it was gone off but it was beautiful
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2/8/2023 - Stoic Warrior Likes this wine:
I have always had a problem with Penfolds; IMO they produce far too many different cuvees and bottlings for me to discern any identifiable house style or give me any reason to buy the Penfolds brand without confusion. Chatters provided me this chance to experience their main mid market "baby Grange". This was a pleasant blend, more cab cassis and plums than shiraz black fruits, pepper or spice. Pleasant. Medium in both mouth feel and length. (Thanks Chatters.)
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2/8/2023 - chatters wrote:
Cellartracker in the flesh with Stoic Warrior (Donald) (Fix St. James, 111 Elizabeth Street, Sydney): From Coravin. Quite reticent initially with touches of clumsily adjusted acidity but opens to show ripe black fruit - blackberry and plum with a hint of raisin, plenty of sweet spice and a little caramel and vanilla. A little tannic burr. Hmm.
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12/31/2022 - empire80 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cork crumbled but underneath was a classic Bin 389, loads of black and red currants, some spicy notes, plenty of structure, fully mature but no rush.
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12/25/2022 - corkcellar wrote: 92 Points
Absolutely spectacular. Fruit is wonderfully intergrated. Colour and palette left no hint of cresting down.
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12/21/2022 - swiftr Likes this wine: 89 Points
Some bottle variation from this case, but this was a lovely wine. Lots of perfume and fruit. Excellent with roast chicken and then cheese. More like a good mid-level Bordeaux (cru bourgeois and then some) than a big Barossa Shiraz, fairly reflecting the Cabernet dominance. Not as complex as a top Bordeaux, with softened tannins, but pure pleasure to drink.
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12/21/2022 - swiftr Likes this wine: 89 Points
Some bottle variation in the last 2 or 3 from this case, but this one was lovely. Lots of fruit & perfume. Not very complex, but a very enjoyable wine with chicken and then cheese. More like a good Bordeaux rather than a big Barossa Shiraz, though without the detailed side tastes of a top level Bordeaux. Pure pleasure—not to be underestimated.
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12/11/2022 - mhellyer65 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Cork in great shape, not many lees in bottle. Decanted and left it for 30 mins. Superb wine - smooth on the palate, full flavour expected of this blend. Will hold for years to come.
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11/9/2022 - Renny wrote: flawed
Bought 8 bottles in 2008 and put in wine cooler at 55 degrees. Drank 5 by 2015 and all ok. tried to open 1 today and cork crumbled, spoiled. Remaining two were the same. not sure if they were originally bad or if they would have been ok if I had not forgotten them.
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10/18/2022 - RichardsEric1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Definitely a lot of memories with every 389 I drink. This vintage is a departure from the 2001-2003 style. Doesn't have the huge punch of past 389s.
Color. Dark inky red.
Nose. Cinnamon, Cinnamon red hots, blackberries, cassis, tobacco, vanilla. Very restrained at first.
Palate. Thick, inky, blueberries, thin tannins, a little acidity. Very restrained.
1 hour later. It's turning into a monster. Denser, chewier, and better. Very enjoyable now.
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7/27/2022 - swiftr Likes this wine: 90 Points
Great relief—after the dead bottle last time. This was in perfect condition with lots of Cabernet dominated fruit and considerable length and intensity. No hurry to drink the rest of the case: I suspect it might gain more complexity. For now, this bottle was wholly pleasurable but had not quite developed the tertiary characteristics or depth of a fully mature 389. Even if it does not, it is pure hedonism in a glass.
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7/3/2022 - Otis Wine Lover Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking beautifully right now! Deep garnet color, almost black; aromas of dark fruit, cedar, and light spice notes. Medium bodied, with flavors of red and black currants, cassis, vanilla, wood, and hints of spice box. Very smooth and refined tannins. Lingering finish of fruit, hints of wood, and spice. Decanted, and continued to evolve and open up over the next 2+ hours. Very refined and mature; I remember the first bottle I tasted back in its youth, full of exuberance and energy. Now, after 15 years in the cellar, has evolved into an elegant, refined, lovely “Grand Dame”!
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7/3/2022 - swiftr wrote: flawed
Dried out, no fruit left. Not at all as 389 should be. I hope it’s just an odd bottke, since I have several more of the same vintage. Stored in a cool, dark cellar.
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4/17/2022 - archambault wrote: 80 Points
Bouchonneux!
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2/19/2022 - empire80 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Thankfully I still have a few left of this beauty, rich black fruit, subtle but persistent vanilla oak, rich and long, lovely on its own but even better with food, especially rare meat.
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2/9/2022 - kfjincott wrote:
Gift to Dave
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1/19/2022 - Raki Likes this wine: 89 Points
Cork in perfect condition as I would expect from careful cellaring. The wine is still very youthful, quite a surprise. Wish I held on for longer. The Cabernet component dominates, the structure holding firm and showing no sign of wavering. A tasty wine for sure, but was overshadowed by a Runrig that was opened alongside it.
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12/8/2021 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - a fine finale (Fix, St James, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} [Kim] As for the St Henri, another soft crumbly cork saw this open-decanted about two hours before consumption. I wasn’t convinced by this, finding the nose raw and chippy, like bottled particle-board, with a hint of volatility. Palate is more gluhwein-like, with baked fruit and a carpet-like flavour. There’s some jam character too, with lots of vanilla oak. Feels like a bit of a side-show alley wine after the St Henri. I suspect pH is too high, alcohol is too high… Dunno what’s happened to my relationship with Bin 389 over the last 20 years; it used to be the world’s most dependable wine; now it seems to have developed a bipolar disorder or something. Or is it me?
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11/20/2021 - RichardsEric1 wrote: 94 Points
From a magnum. Double decanted. One of my favorite wines for its ability to recall previously drank bottles. It's so ethereal.
Color. Dark opaque red-purple.
Nose. Anise, plum, cedar, tobacco, kirsch, Blueberry jam, clove, an amazing compilation of smells in here.
Palate. Rich mouth watering flavor. Cherry liquor, thick mouth coating tannins, tons of vibrant acidity.
In a word, amazing.
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10/23/2021 - Redback wrote:
All I can say that this wine is still so young. I have 1 more bottle and am happy to sit on this for another 10 years.
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8/28/2021 - erajoma wrote:
Trevlig och provades hos Roger&Ulla
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7/30/2021 - Frankie52 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very much styled in the Penfolds mold. We drank half a bottle, left the rest to open up further and taste tomorrow.
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1/8/2021 - GimpyBoy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Have been waiting for an occasion to open this bottle. However the last few reviews seem to have indicated that it has past its prime. Not true! Colour remains bright and clear. A deep ruby red. Nose still has fresh fruits and a little vanilla. The wine does not disappoint in the mouth. Soft feel with a good balance of tannin. Overall a nice long finish.
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11/14/2020 - Pins wrote: 89 Points
11/20. Kerry not so sure. I liked this wine. Good fruit nose and good balance. Time to drink remaining bottles.
8/21. Again Kerry did not like. A lot of wood and tannin and not enough fruit. Drink last bottle
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8/15/2020 - mphatic wrote:
Cork, 14.5% alc. Dense and opaque black-red.
Blackberry, blackcurrant, soy, pan juices, crushed ants, licorice, and chocolate.
What the fruit lacks in outright freshness, it makes up for in concentration and power. Fine, dusty, and very persistent tannins. The oak is always present, however it doesn’t shout out too much.
Opinion: Good wine. Could handle another decade of cellaring easily.
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6/27/2020 - Garylet1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
this is drinking so well ,bright and fragrant and well balanced . Black fruit on the nose with a nice long finish. Look forward to seeing how this ages over the coming years
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5/6/2020 - winesteward Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opaque, violet, youthful. Dark chocolate, sweet black cherry, plum, blackberry, a little mint, coffee. Meaty, iron, dry, slightly elevated acidity. Oak well integrated, but there's still a green/wood character coming out that I didn't expect. Much, much better after about 45 minutes. Green notes disappeared and were replaced by milk chocolate and ripe black fruits, much like those on the nose. Soft tannins. Medium length.
I'm not really sure where this is right now. It seems like it can develop a bit more. Just good. I expected more.
53% Cabernet, 47% Shiraz.
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3/29/2020 - Screwcaps Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cork third of the way up, even. Good seal.
Browning deep purple red.
Day three it’s better than day one. A real savoury dimension comes in to play today. I’m not in the best shape for tasting wine, but I’ve treated myself to a glass as the Aussie PM toughened the Self Isolation screws just that little bit more.
Kopiko candy creamy coffee oak, leather, mushroom, menthol and soft red and blue fruits. Length for minutes and then some.
Long and wide but with puppy fat still to shed. Pulsating.
Wait another 10 years for it to become elegant- these American oak Penfolds wines look best for me when babies or in old life. I have one bottle left, will take to a recorking clinic a couple of rounds away to judge when best to square out this vintage.
4.5/5.
Makes me feel 18 years old again. One of the first ‘serious’ wines I connected with. I have since moved on to more elegant and detailed styles, but there’s no denying the quality here despite the old school feel. This one was under cork. Under screw caps these will go 40 years, easily. Even the Penfolds winemakers are surprised at how long these wines age in a wide range of cellaring conditions.
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3/13/2020 - Buddha27 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow. Opened for my daughters 10th birthday to have with family. From the first pop of the cork, the aroma was magic. Fruit and spice and everything nice. Proof that this is penfolds best wine. I think from an underrated year. I have one more bottle. Maybe for her 20th?
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3/13/2020 - Lyubomir Lefterov wrote: 90 Points
Decanted and enjoyed straight away.
Luscious dark berry fruits married nicely with coffee and chocolate aromas. There is nice juiciness overall, but it generally is not exactly my type. Maybe was expecting more looking at fellow members reviews.
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2/3/2020 - cogo44 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tawny brick red rim with a a hint of aniseed on the caramel like nose. The palate still has some sour acid on the edges supporting the fully matured fruit. Not the greatest 389 compared to say 1991. It represents a rather old fashioned Australian matured red and not without drinking merit.
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12/16/2019 - nulla Likes this wine: 93 Points
An Australian benchmark blend of Cabernet and Shiraz. Still going strong at 15 years old. Mellowed fruit, soft caramelised wood, light chalky tannins. Dark red with a brick/brown tinge, subtle acid and very nice length. 93
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11/17/2019 - DrinkerTrev Likes this wine: 93 Points
Magnum. Great wine. Great depth. Good berry and chocolate. Slight pepper and smooth tannins. Deep nose. Keeping well as you would expect from 15 year old magnum.
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11/4/2019 - golfhawk Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fabulous baby grange that was rich and luscious. Had with a hanger steak and it matched beautifully. Could still have years left in it.
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10/26/2019 - PT Cruiser Likes this wine: 95 Points
Glorious wine. Real complexity and full bodied. I think this could easily have cellared a few more years, but fortunately I have another two bottles so will give it another few years.
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10/25/2019 - Screwcaps Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent. Still in its teenage years, yet to fully mature. An elegant iteration, with very good oak handling. Some age complexity starting to creep in, but our never guess blind that it’s 14 years old. Tannins and acids still to resolve, fruit is ripe without much signs of decay or age. With the right bottle, this will develop for another 10-15 years with careful cellaring and hold for many years after. Down to my last two bottles, this was and remains one of my favourite wines. 4.5/5. Now to 20 years.
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10/14/2019 - Quarked wrote: 94 Points
Wow, this has really matured since my last bottle 7 years ago. On opening, there were some off smells, and I was concerned because the cork was not in top condition. But within 15 minutes, this was smelling, and drinking, beautifully. Dark, rich blend, with just the barest hint of orange on the rim. This was showing cedar and sandalwood, coffee, dark fruits, plenty of acid, lots of complexity. This is ready to drink but can probably hold for many years to come.
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6/8/2019 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 95 Points
Superb blend of Shiraz and Cabernet.
No wonder 389 is sometimes called baby Grange.
This vintage sure lives up to the name tag.
Beautiful dark fruit, great mouth coating texture and very long finish.
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4/19/2019 - KonradGee Likes this wine: 95 Points
Deep dark blood red, a slight tawny hint, clear 3/3
Rich and complex nose, full. Fruit, sweet violet perfume, spice. Cigar box, vanilla, crushed leaf. A hint of smoke. Caramel or toffee. It goes on and on. Lovely. 7/7
Full bodied, full flavour, rich, round, even. Dry, mild acidity. Lots of cassis fruit character beautifully balanced with delicate, dry, soft, spicy tannins. Very well structured, slightly lower intensity on the finish but it does linger. Cigar smoke and cedar finish. 9/10
A wonderful wine, classic.
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2/15/2019 - empire80 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Spicy liquorice up front, underpinned by black fruit, quite fresh but still a little bit tannic, and a little dry at the finish.
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1/12/2019 - behm0027 Likes this wine: 91 Points
On the nose, aromas of dark fruit, leather, tobacco, soil. Cocao, black pepper, dark fruit (black cherry, plum) on the palate. Chewy tannins, firm acidity. Drinking beautifully out of a bottle aerator.
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12/27/2018 - empire80 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fully mature, still some blackcurrant from the cab, and spicy licorice from the shiraz, with some developing tertiary flavours. Drink now or over next few years.
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12/13/2018 - empire80 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Blackcurrant and plum, warm spice and a hint of aniseed, this bottle finished a fraction short, but still very enjoyable.
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11/18/2018 - corkcellar wrote: 92 Points
worth the wait. will be drinking last two in short order, do not see this developing further.
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9/26/2018 - thebatcavewines Likes this wine: 93 Points
Breathed for 3 hours. The complexity & smoothness of this wine was undeniable. Dark ruby in colour with a hint of oak,cedar & burnt cigar to the nose. Medium on the palate with a long lasting finish with notable tannins and an interesting pine & cherry taste through the middle.
Not quite as good as the last bottle but still excellent.
There is light sediment in the bottle which is to be expected. Excellent wine!
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9/8/2018 - chatters wrote:
Coravin fun - Ready to drink (Kennards, Waterloo): From Coravin. Medium plus intensity aromas of caramel, vanilla, ripe blackcurrant and blackberry, sweet spice. A little dusty leather but still a very primary nose. It's a little more subdued on the palate with a liquorice note joining the fruit. Tannins are talc textured and persistent. Very nice but hold for the moment.
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4/2/2018 - bitdrerik wrote: 94 Points
Coravin Kraze (Njálsgata 6): Talsvert dekkra en vínin tvö á undan. Líka farin að koma brúnka í jaðrana. Kannski ekki skrítið því vinið er 14 ára gamalt. Lokað í byrjun. Opnast við þyrlun. Mjög dökkir og þungir tónar. Paprika, leysiefni. Jafnvel ananas í nefi. Á tungunni dökkir ávextir, brómber. Karamella og brenndir tónar. Mikil sýra. Gott jafnvægi. Frábært vín.
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10/7/2017 - thebatcavewines Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 5 hours. Lovely bottle. Nice tannins with a velvety finish.
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are medium. There is moderate sediment in the bottle.
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10/2/2017 - rooman Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sort of into the solid and dependable phase. Tannins have softened and integrated but there is still little secondary development showing with this full bodied wine. I do suspect however in another 5-6 years as the wine takes on more complexity that it will be more interesting. It’s just not quite there yet. I will try and not open another bottle this decade.
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9/18/2017 - thebatcavewines Likes this wine: 95 Points
A friend opened a bottle of the Bin 389 2004. Decanted for 6 hours. The complexity & smoothness of this wine was undeniable. Dark ruby in colour with a hint of oak,cedar & burnt cigar to the nose. Medium on the palate with a long lasting finish with notable tannins and an interesting pine & cherry taste through the middle.
The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long & has low acidity.
There is light sediment in the bottle which is to be expected. Outstanding wine! I felt guilty having two glasses but it was well worth it.
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9/4/2017 - Mtnmd1 wrote: flawed
Cooked
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8/25/2017 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 91 Points
@ Penfolds Wine evening at 'Les Cavistes'. Very dry tannins. This wine was very closed, after being opened 3 hours prior I was expecting more however I feel this wine was missing something. It was still great however compared to the other 389's it was disappointing. Smokey. It worked a lot better with some beautiful confit d'agneau however this is one of those wines that need some food to elevate it. If holding some of these bottles I would recommend leaving another few more years prior to opening.
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5/15/2017 - VinCapitan wrote: 92 Points
caramel oak, plums, and speck of salt, Black Forest, drying tannin
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4/27/2017 - cerobo wrote: 90 Points
Hmm. Not sure what to make of this. Decanted through an aerator. Colour is dense opaque red. Closed on the nose and palate at first. Quite thick in the mouth with alcohol evident along with some sweetness from the American oak. Fruit was recessed. After an hour, the wine began to open a bit but it seemed like there was more to give but not forthcoming. Not sure if the wine needs more time or not. This bottle was very shut down.
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4/20/2017 - RobertLA wrote:
Drunk over 2 nights. Lovely wine just coming into its drinking window. Dark fruit with soft tannins. Long palate. Will wait another 4 years for the next bottle
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4/8/2017 - Whine-oh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Splash decanted before dinner. Fine sediment. Minimal bricking. Nice dark fruits. No flaws. Resolved tannins. Nice length and balance. Went well w Passover brisket dinner. Drink now or hold for short term.
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3/21/2017 - 30012309 wrote: flawed
Corked filthy
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2/6/2017 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 2007 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} (Aaron) Decanted at start of dinner. Still fairly youthful, but flanked as it was by slightly older St Henri’s, it seemed very baked, sharp and harsh to me. The palate is raw and blocky, with medium gritty tannins, blackberry and sour cranberry fruit, medium/full body, and a medium-length finish tending hot and harsh. Not convincing. Age will tone it down, but the gritty heat it shows won’t help I suspect.
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1/6/2017 - timmcneely wrote: flawed
I remember this wine being wonderful. I let it decant for several hours and it never opened up. It tasted a bit off. I think my bottle went bad :(
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12/16/2016 - Ulaa wrote: 92 Points
2 hours in the decanter. Raspberry, light white pepper, silky tannins, oak, sour cherry, paper, strawberries, almost a lime aftertaste. I keep hoping it will last but it's very light for a bin 389, i Think this is a drink now.
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9/17/2016 - empire80 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is superbly balanced between fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry and redcurrant) subtle oak and the complex coffee, olive and savoury notes that bottle age brings. This is delightful now and I can't wait to see how it will develop over the next 5 to 10 years. Even better on day 2 - probably worth a 94!
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8/16/2016 - Paytondogger wrote: 90 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Big beautiful black fruit in decanter but fell apart in the glass a little . Nice notes of black cherry fruit still on the palate . Very little fruit notes ,but nice black tea and notes of mineral and leather . Tannic structure holding everything in place nicely and should hold several more years . Drink through 2018
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6/12/2016 - nevmeijers wrote: flawed
Corked
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6/4/2016 - cerobo Likes this wine: 90 Points
Fairly chunky red, somewhat closed and needing more time in the cellar.
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3/20/2016 - Snag One Likes this wine: 91 Points
Popped and poured this bottle. Nice complexity and layers. We enjoyed this wine as it had notes of Bing cherries, herbs, mint and coffee.
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3/11/2016 - Ulaa wrote: 94 Points
2 hours in the decanter. Solid nose, raspberry, cranberry, chocolate, leather, paper, white pepper. The mouth feel is silky and lingers. Unfortunately the fruit has faded. The flavour is rasberry, pepper and the tanin lingers just long enough to let you know what could have been. If there was a touch more fruit, this would be good for a few more years and could have been truly great, as it is I agree with all the other commenters, drink now. A very pleasant drop with the right red meats, worth the time and space to cellar.
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3/7/2016 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds Bin 389 1998-07 (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork, 14.5%} (Stephen) Langhorne Creek, Bordertown, Padthaway. Deep garnet/ruby colour. This seems more cabernet-driven than the immediately preceding vintages; perhaps the effect of so much Langhorne fruit? At any rate, there are lots of currant-derived flavours here, and the wine seems better for it. Medium powdery tannins, medium acid, balanced oak (not too overt or vanilla-laden). It’s medium/full-bodied, and picks up some tar and tobacco flavours on the medium/long finish. No sign of heat either. Table opinion seemed split between this and the 2002 for wine-of-the-night; I thought this the better wine. Has another decade left easy. Excellent.
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3/6/2016 - guy12 wrote: 86 Points
Way too young, decanted a couple of hours. If I can leave the rest for a decade will be lovely. If
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2/7/2016 - stayhappy21 wrote: 92 Points
Opened this wine tonight at my parents' place for our reunion dinner.
Tight, closed and a faced a formidable wall of tannins upon opening. Dark purple in colour with a brickish-red rim.
Decanted for 3 hours and the wine opened up beautifully. Ripe plums coupled with notes of sweet cassis, black coffee, blackcurrant, blueberries and fruitcakes.
The build up is very nice: from the entry, to a solid mid-palate and wonderful long finish. A classy and well-made wine.
Remember to decant if you are drinking it soon; alternatively, leave it in the cellar for a few more years.
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1/26/2016 - Redback Likes this wine:
First bottled opened from a case of 6. Cork in excellent condition. 3 hour decant. Tannins starting to soften with fruit to the fore. A very good drop now and based on this bottle, I am very comfortable to sit on the others for a few years yet.
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1/23/2016 - barryjkeller@gmail.com wrote:
Decanted for 14 hours due to experience from last bottle and being out of the house. Still tannic, over the top fruit and acidic....hmmm....not pleasurable. Had some left in the decanter so tried in another 22 hours. Much better - still not great but fruit more approachable, tannins a little less obvious and acid seemed to have integrated. Thats a biiiiig decant. Will definitely (famous last words) leave minimum of 3 years (making 15 years) before next bottle. This reminds me why I went off 389. However saying that very much enjoyed the 2013 recently - a much preferred lower throttle style.
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1/23/2016 - h2o Likes this wine: 92 Points
earthy, meaty, dark berries. delicious with prime rib.
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1/15/2016 - wineshaman wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 1hr, 6th bottle tasted of 8, best showing yet, last tasted 8/12, 1st tasted 2008, has been in the same cellar location since 2007. That being said, secondary flavors have clearly taken hold of this Shiraz/ Cab blend and for the better, plenty of evolving aromas and flavors. Big earthy licorice notes, with wild blackberry, currants, cassis, dark sweet plum and bitter coffee notes that added to the complexity. Based on this well stored bottle, ready for action, but no hurry to consume, maybe over the next 5 years or so. Extra note: (Heavy sediment)
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1/14/2016 - jt037 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had for birthday very nice but probably getting close to peak drinking
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9/29/2015 - David Meddings wrote: 90 Points
Opened an hour prior. Dark garnet with some suspended sediment. Plum cassis bouquet with a whiff of oak and spice. Attack builds quickly to a full bodied red with dark fruits balanced with ample acidity and nicely integrated tannins. Alcohol perceptible on the long final but not objectionable.
This drank very nicely. A bit heavy handed for some perhaps but if you want a big red with everything more or less tucked in which will go well with food then this does just that. Look forward to my others over the next 5 years or so.
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8/2/2015 - thebatcavewines Likes this wine: 96 Points
Wow!
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6/21/2015 - barryjkeller@gmail.com wrote:
Ok I didn't wait until 2016. Same notes as last time really. Didn't enjoy or start to soften and open more until 10 hours in decanter. Nose of big rich aus Shiraz - too much. Palate of predominantly Shiraz character profile. Still lots of tannin and fruit and acidity. I would say a min of another 2 years, preferably 3-4 (should be drinking much better)......so 2017-2018 for next bottle ? I think it will evolve positively but may just soften and reduce richness and no more complexity ?
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5/10/2015 - thebatcavewines Likes this wine: 89 Points
Interesting how this wine was not nearly as nice as my other two cellar'd next to each other for the same period. Actually seemed past its best. Lighter than I expected with a hint of turps. Strong tannins with a tart dryness to the finish.
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4/20/2015 - Uncle John wrote: 90 Points
This wine is quite thick and extracted. Nice dark fruit with low acidity and plush mouth feel. Drinking well now.
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2/26/2015 - azzah Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich and bold and plush. Blackberries, blackcurrant, plum, mint, chocolate, licorice, christmas-cake spice. Silky tannins and wonderful length. You have to like the style but within that mould it's very good.
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12/24/2014 - GuBe wrote: 91 Points
Umhellt og loftað í tvo tíma. Mjög dökkt. Kröftugt, enn nokkuð mikil tannín. Berjamikið, jafnvel eikað. Getur eflaust batnað enn.
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11/22/2014 - Uglypinga Likes this wine:
Nose of smoke and licorice with some grilled meat. The palate is medium, crisp. Raw beef with a hint of herbs, currants and lots of blueberries. Good.
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11/21/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
Penfolds Tasting with 5 vintages of Grange and a bunch more (Downtown Cleveland): This was a last minute addition, so it saw about two hours of air prior to serving. The nose is dusty with black raspberries, blueberries and smoked meat. Nice. Both the nose and the palate are drinking well. Perhaps at peak but just barely. At ten years, this is ageing slowly. It is a blend of Cab and Shiraz. Nice juicy black raspberries, with layers of complexity. IIRC, this was about $30 on release and a great value. I think the price on new releases is at least double. I was surprised how young this drank.
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11/19/2014 - deverett wrote: 90 Points
Cabernet dominating the wine at the moment, quite firm tannins. Blackberries, plums and olives, bold oak but not overdone. Good wine, probably needs a bit more time and a really good decant before drinking.
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11/12/2014 - barryjkeller@gmail.com wrote:
Struggled to drink after a couple of hours decant. Too rich, heavy oak, and a bit of a fruit bomb. However the next day was much more subdued, open and complex - not too bad. Needs anothe couple of years min. Open next bottle 2016 min.
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11/4/2014 - MyCellar01 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 30 minutes.
Glossy blood red opaque garnet in colour.
Heady nose of blackberry, mint, blood plum and licorice.
Fruit forward and spice hits the front palate, blackberry, black currant, blue berry delish.
Wonderful follow thru the mid palate with very integrated acidity and tannins finding a homogenous lingering finish of freshness.
A vibrant stage in its development, looking forward to many more.
A couple of hours open, fine chocolate tannins emerge.
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10/9/2014 - Thim Engel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Has softened but still with wonderful fullness. Has still got some years in it but very drinkable now.
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9/21/2014 - jan erik wrote: 92 Points
Splendid ! consentrated and long soft tannins. Peaking about now?
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9/1/2014 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Ten & Twenty years - 04 & 94 reds (360 Bar & Dining, Sydney): {cork,14.5%} (Glenn) Still very youthful ; it’s a big meaty, blackcurrant noseful of aromas in the standard Penfolds style. Medium acid and high powdery tannins really hit the palate at the start; it’s got great mid-palate presence of blackcurrant and green olive flavours; with a scorched touch too; I find the alcohol rather too noticeable, I must say. Medium/long dry, almost brutal finish; I’d recommend another 15 years in the cellar, with the alcohol caveat. Possibly the best vintage of this wine between 1999 and 2010, so a bit of age will probably help; it’s not exactly polished right now. Wait.
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7/11/2014 - Roland H wrote: 90 Points
Deep ruby red but with browning just appearing at the rim. Lovely aromatics, lifted floral with a hint of savoury meaty. Rich, Xmas cake flavours, long, well-integrated, good structure with robust tannins. I like this, plenty of life in it still.
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2/15/2014 - Alex H wrote: 87 Points
Predominantly classic with eucalyptus on the fore with dark chocolate and mocha and a smooth vanilla toasted dark plum blueberries and currants mid. Should get better with time. A compromise between te new and the old
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2/14/2014 - MyCellar01 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 30 mins, and became so very smooth over the next two hours.
Dark, impenetrable purple garnet.
Exciting nose of blackberries, raspberry, licorice, vanilla spices and mint! Love it!
Full bodied palate, a frontal assault with fruit to the fore, sweet, flavoursome blackberries, dark plums, blueberries.
Then spicy oak, powdery tannins (teeth staining), and a long, long chocolaty finish. A great vintage 389. At ten years of age the 'baby Grange' is just warming up!
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12/31/2013 - mmoss wrote: 90 Points
1.5L offering. Pop and poured and tasted great out of the bottle. Solid tannins, integrated with a lingering lightly oaked finish.
Half the bottle was decanted and instead of improving, the tannins dropped out and this wine took a step back. One more bottle left with no plans of decanting next time.
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11/1/2013 - AgedGed Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark, brooding 389 with loads of fruit, acids and tannins. Nice middle palate, good finish, will continue to age. Good wine.
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10/13/2013 - Brettski80 wrote: 94 Points
- Brick color - Tannic and impressive. This vintage has many years ahead yet, with intense black, dark stone fruit and black currant, the finish is long and savoury, with silky fine tannins in abundance, still young and extraordinarily intense, somewhat similar to that of Grange. Another 8+ years easily ahead for this vintage, and a step up on the 2003 in terms of cellaring potential.
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7/28/2013 - David Meddings wrote: 90 Points
Had this the other night at a friends. I think the bottle had been opened an hour or so beforehand, no decant. Appealing and generous bouquet of ripe fruits. Smooth and polished on the palate with nice lift and a long final filling things out beautifully. Tannins are just distinguishable and very fine grained.
Nice acidic lattice that generates the lift - I would say these are in the start of their optimal window now and will hold on this plateau for at least another 5 years.
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7/27/2013 - LIE-user wrote: 89 Points
Nice Bin389 Penfolds. Full body and ripeness in the mouth. Does get along quite good with it's heavy load of dark berries.
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3/22/2013 - SadEdjo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Rich black fruit, cassis, licorice, fruitcake. Nicely resolved sweet tannins on a lingering finish. Lots of life left
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3/9/2013 - CamWheeler wrote: 90 Points
Cabernet Shiraz Tasting: Expressive nose - blueberry, floral and cinnamon notes. Palate is bright with the blueberry character balanced against the oak, there is good structure and length. Very youthful and will improve significantly given the chance.
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2/24/2013 - anneliesaga wrote:
- Crimsom color and aromas of licorice anise and tobacco and has flavours of black currant.
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2/1/2013 - MyCellar01 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking beautifully at the moment, whether the first glass after decanting or hours after, very smooth, well integrated oak.
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11/18/2012 - docwines wrote: 90 Points
very good wine, strong tannins, impressive fruit
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8/19/2012 - wineshaman wrote: 88 Points
Blackberry, menthol, hints of pepper and licorice, still tannic, needs a few more years. Classic battle between fruit and tannins!
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6/17/2012 - vancouvermatt wrote: 91 Points
Another fantastic bottle.. I see why they call this Baby Grange.
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4/21/2012 - Quarked wrote:
Opened just to see how it was progressing. Gave it a 5 hour decant and it was very tasty, but still pretty closed down. Would probably give it an 89-90 at this point, but it's best to wait a few more years on this one. Second night this was at a really nice place, something like a 92 in my book.
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4/17/2012 - vancouvermatt wrote: 91 Points
Still very youthful, lots of potential here.
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12/24/2011 - paulrossi99 wrote: 89 Points
sTILL A LITTLE TO MUCH TANNINS. nEEDS 3-5 MORE YEARS.
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11/29/2011 - TiggerK wrote: 89 Points
Typical big fruit, big oak Penfolds style, oak a bit dominant for now, softened very nicely after a few days though. Obviously needs 5+ years at least.
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7/4/2011 - jan erik wrote: 89 Points
It is childabuse to drink this now. It opened up in the same moment I decided to go to bed;approx 6 hours after have opened it. Fairly concentradet
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5/6/2011 - Wino Joe wrote: 89 Points
Deep inky purple with a translucent fringe and think legs. The nose is full of cassis, blackberry, herbs. spice box and roasted meat. The black fruits are upfront with blackberry, & currants followed by a vanilla leather, herbs, lavendar (could be more vanilla), white pepper & spice. This wine has a plenty of tannins for a full mouth feel and plenty of aging and leaves you with a long finish. I will let the rest stay awhile in the cellar.
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4/5/2011 - IlonaN wrote: 91 Points
I took this to a blind tasting of Aussie Cab & Cab blends and loved the chocolate, mint and dark smoky berry nuances of the wine. I decanted it earlier for several hours, which smoothed out the tannins and gave it a lovely texture. But the group was mixed in response--some thought it was too smooth.
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1/15/2011 - MJB wrote: 91 Points
Really perfect even without food...enjoyed this one!
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12/12/2010 - RandyC wrote: 90 Points
A nice solid bottle. Rich dark plum fruits and a nice backbone. This bottle pleased most at a recent gathering.
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10/30/2010 - wineshaman wrote: 87 Points
Had 1/2 bottle vacu vin for 6 days, did not taste first 1/2 bottle. The nose was filled with licorice, anise, game and a hint of pepper. There was blackberry and subtle hints of licorice/anise and oak on the palate. Very tannic finish, that seem to overwelm the fruit. Will have to try a freshly opened bottle soon, but based on this bottle, the 04 389 needs some time and it will be a race between the fruit and tannin.
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7/12/2010 - IlonaN wrote: 88 Points
Quite closed and tannic at this point. I would decent it for several hours before drinking it again. Hard to assess because of this dumb phase, but clearly there's some wonderful structure and fruit hiding in there.
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6/20/2010 - winegr wrote: 91 Points
After a slew of disappointing Aussies recently, this was a welcome change. Solid complexity, balance and acidity. Nice minty menthol notes that offest the solid fruit. So well made I can look past the signifiicant oak. Very good. 91+?
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1/17/2010 - jbengtsson wrote: 90 Points
Drink this wine to grilled kangaroo, perfect....
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1/17/2010 - lumpkins wrote: 90 Points
gorgeous with dark plum and cedar notes. very refined tannins. much better than the 03 which we had the night before
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12/31/2009 - BryAG wrote: 93 Points
The color of this wine is rich deep dark purple and is opaque and is most certainly a tooth stainer. The nose gives off hints of chocolate and fresh berries, tea and is herbal and medicinal. On the palate, the front is pure fruit with a port like richness with sinewy tannins over a long smooth finish. Even with its high alcohol levels, there is no heat at all and it is balanced and fresh and very delicious. Do yourself a favor and the next visit to your local market, splurge and seek this one out. It is a cellar candidate for another 15+ years but is accessible and enjoyable today.
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12/18/2009 - jamieirving wrote: 88 Points
Very deep purple in the glass this wine plum and tell-tale toasty American oak on the nose. The palate is full bodied. It shows baked blackberry, spice, white pepper and tobacco. Long dry finish.
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12/7/2009 - jamieirving wrote: 90 Points
Very deep purple in the glass this wine plum and tell-tale toasty American oak on the nose. The palate is full bodied. It shows baked blackberry, spice, white pepper and tobacco. Long dry finish.
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10/25/2009 - archambault wrote: 89 Points
Nez bien senti. Dégage arôme de fruits séchés. Bel équilibre. en bouche, laisse un agréable syrah...
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10/17/2009 - jamieirving wrote: 88 Points
Taking the cork out of the bottle, the end was literally black! This is reflected in the colour of this wine in the glass - very, very deep purple. The nose shows plum and tell-tale toasty American oak. The palate is full bodied. It shows baked blackberry, spice, white pepper and tobacco. Very dry finish.
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9/25/2009 - mr.spock wrote: 89 Points
full bodied, perfect dryness, well rounded, very smooth.. a little bit o berries, a little bit o oak, and a lot of nose.. i could smell this wine all day long with all it's full bodiednessss. drank alongside kurosawa's film "seven samurai". perfection.
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7/24/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 89 Points
Outstanding young high end Australian shiraz / cab blend, enjoyed tonight with Kim with grilled lamb shanks, shiitake mushrooms, grilled potatos and stove top zucchini - superb combination. The wine was deep deep purple almost black, surprisingly well integrated and smooth, big and full bodied with long pleasant aftertaste. Nose of dark stone fruit, eucalyptus and allspice, primary flavor profile included dark stone fruit, oak, unexpected cassis, dark currant and smoke on the aftertaste. This wine is a reasonable QPR at this price point and I do expect improvement in the ratings with age, I feel that this wine has a lot of cellar life left and at this point is really not yet in a prime drinking window despite how good it is at this point. Definitely recommend this wine.
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7/12/2009 - MindMuse wrote: 88 Points
Had with grilled lamb loin chops, grilled eggplant, farfalle pasta salad. Deep purple. Big nose with lots of oak. Cassis, cigar box, smoke, vanilla, occasional hint of eucalyptus. On the palate rich blackberry, syrup, expresso. Nice blend pairing well with the lamb chops. Wife would probably say 90 points.
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6/21/2009 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
Decanted and poured, the tannins have intergrated nicely since I last tried this, plum, spice and oak are balance making this very aprochable, however plenty of room for improvement, Will try again in 6-12 months.
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6/8/2009 - jnastynebr wrote: 90 Points
Rich and full; showing oak, plum, black pepper, and chocolate bar. Smooth texture, and a generous finish. A little overoaked, but a well made wine. Ready to drink, but should evolve over the medium term. Drink now- 2015
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2/6/2009 - The Kokopelli wrote: 89 Points
Bouquet dead initially, and taste had no complexity, so decanted for several hours. A beautiful deep plum wine with a nice bouquet of cassis and dark fruits and a little spice box. Tastes initially of blackberry followed by a core of black currant and some pepper, with silky smooth tannins. The finish has leather, white pepper, cinnamon and a touch of chocolate in the background. A nice medium length finish.
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1/30/2009 - WagesOfZin wrote: 88 Points
decent drink. the nose was much more interesting than the palate for me. full bodied. lots of dark fruits with a bit of tobacco and toastlike aromas.
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12/23/2008 - ychemburkar wrote: 90 Points
Leather, coffee notes.
Smooth tannins,
Long Finish, Very Powerful wine
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11/23/2008 - Grinder wrote: 91 Points
Opaque, teeth staining purple in the glass, with a big nose of ripe fruit and cedar. Just entering its drinking window, with firm tannins and sweet fruit on the palate. Balanced, with room for added development in the next 5 or so years. One of those very good Aussie values.
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11/16/2008 - green-steve wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Deep purple, medium bodied wine with thick legs. Dark fruit, spce on the nose; palate of blackberry, a little pepper; firm tannins, medium-long finish. Beautiful wine, but still a baby - give this one time.
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10/5/2008 - wineshaman wrote: 90 Points
Decant for 3 hrs befor tasting. White and black pepper, with a touch of smoke in the nose, rich and conentrated, with lots of black fruits on the palate, will be even better in a couple of years @ $22 insane QPR.
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10/3/2008 - hutch wrote: 88 Points
This is quite tasty, and manages to be very Aussie, without being over the top. Lots of roasted notes to this wine. Even though there is more cab, the shiraz dominates. Not nearly as many tannins as I remember, it's a solid bottle of wine.
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9/6/2008 - Tarrant wrote: 92 Points
Had this in comparison to a bottle of '01 we opened, and it was much sweeter on the nose, and noticeably more peppery and tannic, that said it was fabulous as well - Dark purple almost black, well concentrated with notes of black fruit, plum, pepper, mint and vanilla on the nose, big and brawny, but very well structured, nicely balance, silky smooth with an amazing finish, excellent! (92 Points).
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7/1/2008 - lumpkins wrote: 88 Points
vertical comparison to 03 - not as full bodied and finish pales compared to year previous - drinking a little prematurely at present but still has good dark fruit on the palate/nose and spice
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4/27/2008 - green-steve wrote: 89 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Deep garnet, medium bodied, nose of dark fruits, palate of blackberry, cassis, spice, with some floral notes, nice acidity, fine tannins, medium-long finish. Held up well over three nights.
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4/4/2008 - jwsobeck wrote: 89 Points
it was a few days ago but deep color, pleasant nose, good fruit up front, weak on the mid, pleasant finish of medium length. enjoyable overall but not good QPR
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4/3/2008 - GregGH wrote: 89 Points
comparing to Peter Lehmann Clancy's ( both 90 in WS ) but $14 cheaper in Ontario --the Penfolds has a poorer QPR. Not sure why Penfolds is so expensive in Ontario while Clancy's is fair priced to what the USA pays.
Nice - but for $34 not great.
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2/25/2008 - winesteward wrote: 89 Points
Curry spice and herbs on the nose. Very good in a non-Oz way. Very good balance with lots of tannins on the dry finish. Obviously very young but has the stuffing to become an outstanding wine given time.
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2/12/2008 - JR_Boston wrote: 91 Points
Excellent Cab Shiraz. Nice hints of fruit, some tanins (probably from the Cab grapes) and smooth finish. Did not decant - poured and drank
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1/2/2008 - beezer6 wrote: 89 Points
Impressive body. Wasn't expecting the depth that was presented in the wine.
Deep red berries and sweet spice. Excellent value.
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12/31/2007 - JerBru wrote: 88 Points
Nice finish. Still some time in the bottle. Holding remainder of inventory for several more years
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12/16/2007 - lumbarpuncture wrote: 91 Points
Very wise choice to decant this wine as it was not much to begin with, but evolved very nicely into something quite enjoyable. If you are looking for a bottle to open and drink right now I would say look elsewhere. A nose full of cassis, mint, and blackberries, along with some meat. Fruit quickly gives way to leathery herbs, a small amount of toast, and pretty full tannins. Will be most excellent in a couple of years - I'm bummed I drank it too early.
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12/13/2007 - du Beaune wrote: 91 Points
Very nice for an inexpensive cellar saver wine! Deep, full bodied, some earthiness along with the berries. One of my main everyday wines at the moment. Can't go wrong...
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12/2/2007 - SadEdjo wrote:
pickle juice, cassis, cedar, blackberry, spice & fruitcake.
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11/15/2007 - docjavadude wrote: 90 Points
Consistently good wine, though fairly poor QPR. Great spiciness in the nose with dark berries, ripe strawberry, hints of chocolate, and toast. It is luscious in the mouth with abundant ripe fruit -- blackberry, currant, plum mixed with distinct wood flavors. Cedar and charred oak lead to a tobacco-like spiciness, leather, and mocha. Lots of layers of flavors. Ends with a tannic punch -- should have decanted. Big mouthful of flavors, solid tannins, nice balance.
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10/16/2007 - knuckledragger wrote: 90 Points
Decanted this bottle one hour before based upon other comments in cellar tracker. This was one wonderful wine when it opened up. Very inky purple with lots of flavor. Will buy again.
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10/15/2007 - Alekos wrote: 87 Points
53% cab 47% shiraz. Great nose and balance. Spicy, full body, tons of oak, tobacco (cuban cigar box) and cocoa. Pairs wonderfully with Wisconsin cheese fondue and filet mignon.
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10/6/2007 - Wino Joe wrote: 90 Points
Deep inky purple with a translucent fringe and think legs. The nose is full of cassis, blackberry, herbs. spice box and roasted meat. The black fruits are upfront with blackberry, & currants followed by a vanilla leather, herbs, lavendar (could be more vanilla), white pepper & spice. This wine has a plenty of tannins for a full mouth feel and plenty of aging and leaves you with a long finish. I will let the rest stay awhile in the cellar.
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9/23/2007 - bbarber wrote:
Great full wine, great with acidic foods
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9/20/2007 - Currywm wrote: 91 Points
Best Shiraz/Cab for the price
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9/5/2007 - wombat wrote:
Referred to as "Baby Grange;" aged in old Grange barrels and can last for years. Can be found at good sale prices. I'd like to taste a vertical of this. Very Good.
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9/2/2007 - Pinot Evil wrote: 89 Points
A big wine, excellent value.
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8/11/2007 - cgatesman wrote: 90 Points
This is a BIG wine! Deep ruby red Cabernet/Shiraz blend. I let it sit for an hour hoping to mellow it out a bit, but it still needs to breath more--it has a ton of alcohol smell. Still excellent! Has cherries starting out, and transitions to wood flavors at the mid-pallet. It's surprisingly smooth at the finish for as strong as it is (14.5%).
I let it open over night and finished the bottle the next day. Most of the excess alcohol smell and taste were gone. It had much more of a berry bouquet mixed with wood. There is much more noticeable oak finishing it off, but not over powering. This really helped the wine, and I think it would really benefit from aging a year or so.
I'll definitely have to purchase some more to store for a couple years. Great wine at $23!
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8/5/2007 - MattJ wrote: 90 Points
In my experience hard to beat around the $20 price point from a winery that consistently makes great value wines; Rawson's Retreat, Koonunga Hill all the way up to some of Australia's best reds (Grange, Bin 707). Oak on the nose. Rich, fruity, balanced with depth and complexity, this wine will improve further with cellaring.
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7/15/2007 - PeterC wrote: 93 Points
Dense, opaque plummish purple. On opening, the Cabernet Sauvignon stands out like the exoskeleton of the Center Pompidou; structure and support for the 47% Shiraz. However, with time in the glass, the elements start to blend seamlessly. Oak integrates with rich, ripe plum and blueberry fruit; laced with dried herbs, black pepper, and leather. While the subtlest nuances of chocolate lift from the final glass coating swirls. I am forced to quote the winemaker, Peter Gago, when I say that the texture is impressive with well-defined, powdery tannins. A mouth-smacking acidity carries the full-bodied "Baby Grange" to a long, dry and savoury finish. An impressive wine that will no doubt reward a decade lost in the darkest recesses of the cellar.
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4/17/2007 - EJM5653 wrote: 87 Points
Big wine (no suprise). Started with an alcoholic nose and big leathery fruit and, after a couple of hours ended with rich cedar and leather laced cherries. A great everyday wine
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4/11/2007 - JavaMonkey wrote: 88 Points
Nice dark fruit. A little leather. Nice balance. A very approachable wine. Good value at this price.
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2/24/2007 - JeffnCin wrote:
Purchased at the recommendation of a local wine merchant, the balance between the shiraz and cabernet becomes apparent as the wine decants over an hour or two and the taste slides back and forth over the line. A nice, approachable, drinkable wine that makes us want to try more of the Penfolds suite.
On our 4-point scale, we'll give it a 3 = "Will definitely drink again" (though we're more likely to try another Penfolds first)
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2/3/2007 - EMichels wrote: 85 Points
Very tart cherry; Not much else
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