Pnp before dinner. Pared with Grilled (local Cardiff Crack) tri tip. Still dark in color, light sediment, Nose still ailve with red fruits and earth. Soft and silky on palate. Still has nice red fruits present. Nice mouth feel. Good structure. Easy drinking and pared well with food tonight. A pleasure to drink. And a nice memory of an old friend.
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Pop n poured from a friend's wine fridge. Cedar, spice, tobacco, Mint, Palate was light almost gone, finish just holding on to some fine tannins and spice Enjoyable well aged bin 389, but mostly all secondary.
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~20 min decant into a cylindrical plastic pitcher which was immed closed until serving; Private Preserve after Day 1
C.S. & Shiraz matured in AM oak barrels for 16 mos; 13.5% ABV, 6.70g/L T.A., & 3.39 pH
N: Leather, tobacco (poss earth) atop blk cherry cola with notes of spice
P: Med, poss LM, body; NICE "frt" firmed by a puckerish astringency which fairly seamlessly morphs into a LONG, balanced, ult bitter/SWT finish which is QUITE food compatible (lovely with Chicken Kebobs) even @ age 26. Though likely SOMEWHAT on the decline, I can see this at least approaching its 30th! My EXC. // Day 2: Held nicely; Noticed some choc today, & occasional notes of raisins. 93 pts James Halliday, 92 ea Jeremy Oliver & WS, 89 Huon Hooke, & 85 The Wine Front.
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Taken to Zucca's on the day that I learnt that they are to close at the end of the year. This bottle was part of a mixed Penfolds case acquired from one of my very first pay-checks back in the day and boy am I glad that I held onto it until now! Georgeous wine at its very peak now - this is why I collect and mature wine.
No decant, but this wine was singing from the first sip. Fruit and tannins fully integrated, with tertiary notes of leather and smoke. Lovely balance and absolutely fantastic. Shamefully, I have bought far too little Penfolds since that case...
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds Bin 389 1988-97 (Alio's, Surry Hills): [13.5%, cork] {Stephen} Sweet meaty aromas with aging raspberry fruits dominate a surprisingly lively nose. The palate manages an initial burst of ripe, sweet red fruit flavours before fading a bit quickly. Medium tannins are a bit grainy; it’s a medium-bodied wine all round, with a slightly simply palate, finishing a bit short. A decent enough showing from a weaker vintage, but nothing to be gained from holding further.
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Not far off other notes...was brought out for a birthday - has held up well over the last 20yrs - light dark fruit on nose and palate. Light tannins and acid with a medium finish that has a little oaky vanilla quality with a touch of ?leather...Don't wait - drink now!
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds 96-98 +ring-ins (Alio's, Surry Hills): This Bin 389 is warm mid-garnet, with only the smallest fading in colour at the rim hinting at its age. The bouquet is as you’d expect at fifteen years, with aged blackberry and currant aromas, with a smattering of characteristic Penfolds blurred vanilla oak. The fruit remaining on the palate is a little sweet and confected, the chalky tannins have softened out nicely; the wine is medium-full bodied. Nicely balanced; lacks ultimate excitement but remains a good wine from an average year drinking at peak right now.
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Some bricking at the rim, this bottle was quite reticent after the Goundrey. More house style than cabernet-specific, it still managed a streak of decent herbaceousness beneath the sweet oak. Not particularly intense. Structural elements have softened out considerably, and people who dislike powerful tannic wines will have no problem here! Not very dramatic though. Best drunk soon.
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NobleRottersSydney - Old Penfolds & 2001 Bin releases (Lucio's, Paddington): A slightly murky brick red, this has an attractive nose of developed secondary aromas, with some brambly fruit and dusty spice. Tannins are gone. Again, this is balanced very much towards the front palate – I can’t help feeling it was a struggle to get the cabernet to ripen sufficiently this year. Drink up.
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Still plenty of red colour left. A classic example of Penfolds’ ability to put together a pretty respectable wine in mediocre vintages. This is showing some red berry fruit, a smattering of oak, soft tannins and a little acid still. It’s got some power still – certainly not insipid – but it really feels like it’s struggling to offer anything really interesting. I would say it has aged without really developing the multilayered complexity that the better vintages of 389 display.
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NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 95 + 1998 Bin releases (Darling Mills, Glebe): In the fairly dim restaurant light this seemed to be a much darker colour than the 91, and though the nose bore a distinct similarity, it was much lighter and less intense, and clearly suffers in comparison to it’s predecessor. More a savoury style, clearly with less focus and potential. Drink now, or keep for a bit, but it will never challenge the ’91.
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Meal: Vegetarian Brandade, Pasta with Clams and Mirpoix vegetables, Roast Pork with Cauliflower puree, Pear souffle/Boysenberry sorbet and apricot sauce
Other wines tassted: Shingle Peak SB 1995, Corbans Fume Marlboroough 1989, Ata Rangi Reserve PN 1990
Note: Soft rich structured red with heaps of American oak - excellent wine and well priced. Quintessential Aussie wine. This was the best of the Penfolds 1992 that I have had thus far.
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3/25/2023 - Whine-oh Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pnp before dinner. Pared with Grilled (local Cardiff Crack) tri tip. Still dark in color, light sediment, Nose still ailve with red fruits and earth. Soft and silky on palate. Still has nice red fruits present. Nice mouth feel. Good structure. Easy drinking and pared well with food tonight. A pleasure to drink. And a nice memory of an old friend.
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10/3/2022 - QbnSteve Likes this wine: 95 Points
30 years old and it could have gone a few more.
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2/15/2020 - ShirazTrain wrote: 91 Points
Pop n poured from a friend's wine fridge.
Cedar, spice, tobacco, Mint,
Palate was light almost gone, finish just holding on to some fine tannins and spice
Enjoyable well aged bin 389, but mostly all secondary.
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9/29/2018 - srh Likes this wine:
~20 min decant into a cylindrical plastic pitcher which was immed closed until serving; Private Preserve after Day 1
C.S. & Shiraz matured in AM oak barrels for 16 mos; 13.5% ABV, 6.70g/L T.A., & 3.39 pH
N: Leather, tobacco (poss earth) atop blk cherry cola with notes of spice
P: Med, poss LM, body; NICE "frt" firmed by a puckerish astringency which fairly seamlessly morphs into a LONG, balanced, ult bitter/SWT finish which is QUITE food compatible (lovely with Chicken Kebobs) even @ age 26. Though likely SOMEWHAT on the decline, I can see this at least approaching its 30th! My EXC. // Day 2: Held nicely; Noticed some choc today, & occasional notes of raisins. 93 pts James Halliday, 92 ea Jeremy Oliver & WS, 89 Huon Hooke, & 85 The Wine Front.
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10/21/2015 - Cooky474 wrote: 93 Points
Taken to Zucca's on the day that I learnt that they are to close at the end of the year. This bottle was part of a mixed Penfolds case acquired from one of my very first pay-checks back in the day and boy am I glad that I held onto it until now! Georgeous wine at its very peak now - this is why I collect and mature wine.
No decant, but this wine was singing from the first sip. Fruit and tannins fully integrated, with tertiary notes of leather and smoke. Lovely balance and absolutely fantastic. Shamefully, I have bought far too little Penfolds since that case...
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4/6/2013 - kkazaks wrote: 87 Points
Red red and very clear, translucent. Some aging at the edges but not as much as I've seen on other 20 year old wines.
Nose of mintiness and hints of licorice.
Lots of lively acidity on the palate, very zingy and uplifting and upfront. Top-notey with more bright red fruit I typically look for in a wine.
And then on the finish some residual acidity not quite so pleasant, almost certainly the result of acidification.
Good for what it is, if not for me. Still kicking and alive. Others might give it 90 pts.
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8/6/2012 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds Bin 389 1988-97 (Alio's, Surry Hills): [13.5%, cork] {Stephen} Sweet meaty aromas with aging raspberry fruits dominate a surprisingly lively nose. The palate manages an initial burst of ripe, sweet red fruit flavours before fading a bit quickly. Medium tannins are a bit grainy; it’s a medium-bodied wine all round, with a slightly simply palate, finishing a bit short. A decent enough showing from a weaker vintage, but nothing to be gained from holding further.
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6/20/2010 - YWG Wine Guy Likes this wine: 89 Points
Not far off other notes...was brought out for a birthday - has held up well over the last 20yrs - light dark fruit on nose and palate. Light tannins and acid with a medium finish that has a little oaky vanilla quality with a touch of ?leather...Don't wait - drink now!
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12/26/2007 - jwcnd69 wrote: 92 Points
Amazing fruit, given its age.
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8/6/2007 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds 96-98 +ring-ins (Alio's, Surry Hills): This Bin 389 is warm mid-garnet, with only the smallest fading in colour at the rim hinting at its age. The bouquet is as you’d expect at fifteen years, with aged blackberry and currant aromas, with a smattering of characteristic Penfolds blurred vanilla oak. The fruit remaining on the palate is a little sweet and confected, the chalky tannins have softened out nicely; the wine is medium-full bodied. Nicely balanced; lacks ultimate excitement but remains a good wine from an average year drinking at peak right now.
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1/17/2006 - shine wrote: 89 Points
Nose of coffee, cedar and spice. Rich jammy cherry and spice with fine integrated tannins. Nice finish.
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5/6/2005 - graemeg wrote:
Some bricking at the rim, this bottle was quite reticent after the Goundrey. More house style than cabernet-specific, it still managed a streak of decent herbaceousness beneath the sweet oak. Not particularly intense. Structural elements have softened out considerably, and people who dislike powerful tannic wines will have no problem here! Not very dramatic though. Best drunk soon.
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2/2/2004 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Old Penfolds & 2001 Bin releases (Lucio's, Paddington): A slightly murky brick red, this has an attractive nose of developed secondary aromas, with some brambly fruit and dusty spice. Tannins are gone. Again, this is balanced very much towards the front palate – I can’t help feeling it was a struggle to get the cabernet to ripen sufficiently this year. Drink up.
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10/10/2002 - graemeg wrote:
Still plenty of red colour left. A classic example of Penfolds’ ability to put together a pretty respectable wine in mediocre vintages. This is showing some red berry fruit, a smattering of oak, soft tannins and a little acid still. It’s got some power still – certainly not insipid – but it really feels like it’s struggling to offer anything really interesting. I would say it has aged without really developing the multilayered complexity that the better vintages of 389 display.
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3/5/2001 - graemeg wrote:
NobleRottersSydney - Penfolds prior to 95 + 1998 Bin releases (Darling Mills, Glebe): In the fairly dim restaurant light this seemed to be a much darker colour than the 91, and though the nose bore a distinct similarity, it was much lighter and less intense, and clearly suffers in comparison to it’s predecessor. More a savoury style, clearly with less focus and potential. Drink now, or keep for a bit, but it will never challenge the ’91.
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2/19/1997 - dbg wrote:
very nice, opens tannic but mellows in 30-45 minutes
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5/31/1996 - dbg wrote:
excellent
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8/12/1995 - Marc wrote: 89 Points
with Graeme, Toni, Jake, Matt R. and Isolbel.
Meal: Vegetarian Brandade, Pasta with Clams and Mirpoix vegetables, Roast Pork with Cauliflower puree, Pear souffle/Boysenberry sorbet and apricot sauce
Other wines tassted: Shingle Peak SB 1995, Corbans Fume Marlboroough 1989, Ata Rangi Reserve PN 1990
Note: Soft rich structured red with heaps of American oak - excellent wine and well priced. Quintessential Aussie wine. This was the best of the Penfolds 1992 that I have had thus far.
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