Ok, I have drank quite a few 389’s from thr 04, 05 & 06 vintage and still a few of them in my cellar, this is the first vintage I have tasted since those bottles. I purchased the 2019 at a restaurant in old town Winchester VA for a very nice restaurant price of $70.00. This 389 was 53% cab and 47% Shiraz, very young primary flavors, pepper notes were dominate, with more red fruit than the above mentioned vintages, plenty of tannins and good acidity suggesting a lot of years ahead. Would love to revisit sometime in the next decade.
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Dark purple color with slow legs. Lots of oak and cassis on the nose. Plum, blackberry, tobacco and black tea on the palate. Long leathery finish. Excellent QPR.
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Solid dark colour with a rich purple hue. Dusty aroma of sawdust, grilled meat and dark berries. Fine grained tannin, grippy finish. Plum, blackberry, dark chocolate. The tannin tends to overtake everything else at this stage, especially when first opened. This tasting is on the third night. Full body, well balanced, just needs more time, at least 2- 3 years.
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Nose of cola, blackberry and chocolate that is very rich and expressive. It's a flashy palate (as described by the server) and I agree with that note. I also get plum skin, black currant and more chocolate especially into the finish.
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Going off of memory: I have been remiss lately with good notes. Okay, we pnp’d. We sat outside. The weather was gorgeous. I remember thinking, oh you Aussies really love your cassis and oak. I got hot and was thinking a Sauvignon blanc would have been a better choice to go along with my swass, but then this baby let the oxygen do its thing and it was just right. 92+
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tasted @Vancouver International Wine Festival 2023: Lotsof vanilla, red and black fruit, soft tannins, elegant, very good wine. Drinks well already. - 90-91 points
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Pronounced nose of plums, blackberries, a little raisin. Rich and concentrated blackberry but without being overly so. While the tannin is quite approachable, the oak needs time to integrate. Overall, beautiful nose and nice wine that will need a few more years to come together.
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dense dark fruits, a little jammy, some spices, liquorice and oak. thick but fine grained tannins, full body, long lingering with chocolate and a little bacon notes. very good balance between fruity and savoury flavours, though it's still very young. very good intensity and concentration. a classic South Australia red blend.
JH 96, AC 96, HH 96, WS 94, JO 89
Ap 5/5, Ar 13/15, Palate 17/20, Overall 4+5/10 Total 94+/100
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Similar as the Bin600, this too young to fully enjoy at this moment. Impeccably made wine, with a great concentration, tremendous color and long finish.This will age nicely nd there is tremendous potential for improvement. Lovely!
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At charity tasting…Penfold table, wine #3 $65. Bigger wine, but blended quite well. Pleasant moderated shiraz notes on the nose. Some nice flavors at this young stage noting dark and red fruit, oak, spice working together well. Surprisingly good, curious how it would taste 10 years.
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At three years of age, after three hours in a decanter, this wine is suprisingly balanced. Dark fruits (plums, blackcurrants, cherries) blend beautifully with pepper, spice, quince paste, vanilla oak and gripping tannins. This is truly an Australian classic - arguably the world’s finest example of Cabernet and Shiraz in sync. Make no mistake - it’s a very big wine that coats the mouth and lingers for minutes. However, for a wine that will last at least thirty years, it’s actually quite approachable. Personally, I wouldn’t open another bottle for at least a decade. But if you like your SA reds big and fresh, it’s a very enjoyable wine right now.
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CellarDoor TWE Tasting (Langham Hotel, Kent Street, Sydney): Blacked hued fruit, plenty of oak, a little peppery spice, polished, balanced in an oak heavy way. Juicy, fleshy, slightly hard tannins but chewy. Oak shows through on the palate as well. Nice in an oaky way.
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I agree with some other comments here, especially on the youth of this wine. This wine needs to age more for better consumption. I decanted for 30 minutes but still not enough. Like the mixture quality of spice and tannins from both shiraz and cabernet sauvingnon, which means easier to drink. Dark fruit, medium plus alcohol with richness. Finish is nether short or long.
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Cabernet + Shiraz blend which is light, expressive and easy to digest. Lots of freshness and bright fruit, with good balance and a nice finish. The baby Grange indeed.
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Ah Bin 389, the Aussie classic! Deep ruby in the glass with violet hues. Youthful, very very youthful. Love the integration of rich Shiraz with the elegance of Cab Sauv here. Way too young, but it has all the elements to make it age gracefully - high acidity, fruit richness, alcohol and great tannic grip. Lovely wine, representing the Old School firmly.
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Scored on the Cellar Tracker scale as 'Outstanding', but note that this style will not appeal to all. If you hate big, SA Shiraz styles then run, run now, run far and run fast, for this is like lava and poison to you. Personally, i am not without some ambivalence to the style, but like Glenn Miller, if in the mood ...
Colour is the typical Penfolds inky dark crimson- purple well. A chorus about a lost winemaker could easily have been added to the song 'Highwayman'.
Nose is alcoholic, rambunctious, blackberry, dark plums, a hint of black currant (but you have to look), spice, vanilla and pencil shaving.
Palate is as above and the finish goes on forever. It is also intense and with enough acid to carry the weight of fruit. This isn't baked or dead. From a great SA vintage, I have little doubt that this will improve over 10-20 years. If you open now, I suggest you decant and allow at least 8 hours before pouring for guests (for yourself, in the meantime, well, sacrifices must be made). There are days when you want to taste the sun and feel the soil and have no reminders of storm clouds - this is the wine for that time.
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Cellar at 14° Drinking nicely now but will definitely age well. Could be 30+ years Air for longer the younger. Older, open at the table. (According to this winemaker)
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It is too young too rate. I had this at a Zoom tasting and I found the wine to be beautifully balanced between the dark fruit and generosity of the Shiraz, and the structure, shape and tannin of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Plenty of acid to enable the wine to grow old gracefully. First source of concern was the finish - yes, it had depth but not sure it tells a story. My other nagging doubt is the depth of flavours - not sure it is all there.
It is easily a 15+ years proposition. I look forward to having it then.
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3/21/2024 - Montana Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very nice wine with lots of fruit and long on flavor. The bottles i have are actually mis-dated and should be 2018.
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3/12/2024 - Sauvyfan Does not like this wine: 81 Points
This was closer to prune juice than wine. Big gloppy mess. Embarrassing really.
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3/8/2024 - Philshawsa wrote:
This one does not exist. Trialing app
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2/11/2024 - kksvail@aol.com wrote: 93 Points
$55 93
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8/27/2023 - CaptBmann Likes this wine: 92 Points
Big n Bold decant and aerate for an hour
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7/22/2023 - wineshaman wrote: 91 Points
Ok, I have drank quite a few 389’s from thr 04, 05 & 06 vintage and still a few of them in my cellar, this is the first vintage I have tasted since those bottles.
I purchased the 2019 at a restaurant in old town Winchester VA for a very nice restaurant price of $70.00. This 389 was 53% cab and 47% Shiraz, very young primary flavors, pepper notes were dominate, with more red fruit than the above mentioned vintages, plenty of tannins and good acidity suggesting a lot of years ahead. Would love to revisit sometime in the next decade.
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7/16/2023 - Twopawsup wrote: 93 Points
Dark purple color with slow legs. Lots of oak and cassis on the nose. Plum, blackberry, tobacco and black tea on the palate. Long leathery finish. Excellent QPR.
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6/27/2023 - cdoyle31 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really great interplay between the tannins and fruit. Slightly perfumey nose but not overwhelming. Would like to know more
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6/18/2023 - Bsmith457 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Solid dark colour with a rich purple hue. Dusty aroma of sawdust, grilled meat and dark berries. Fine grained tannin, grippy finish. Plum, blackberry, dark chocolate. The tannin tends to overtake everything else at this stage, especially when first opened. This tasting is on the third night. Full body, well balanced, just needs more time, at least 2- 3 years.
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5/5/2023 - tomoem wrote: 90 Points
Nose of cola, blackberry and chocolate that is very rich and expressive. It's a flashy palate (as described by the server) and I agree with that note. I also get plum skin, black currant and more chocolate especially into the finish.
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4/29/2023 - ERU wrote: 92 Points
Going off of memory: I have been remiss lately with good notes. Okay, we pnp’d. We sat outside. The weather was gorgeous. I remember thinking, oh you Aussies really love your cassis and oak. I got hot and was thinking a Sauvignon blanc would have been a better choice to go along with my swass, but then this baby let the oxygen do its thing and it was just right. 92+
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4/27/2023 - isbjoern wrote: 90 Points
tasted @Vancouver International Wine Festival 2023: Lotsof vanilla, red and black fruit, soft tannins, elegant, very good wine. Drinks well already. - 90-91 points
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4/17/2023 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
Pronounced nose of plums, blackberries, a little raisin. Rich and concentrated blackberry but without being overly so. While the tannin is quite approachable, the oak needs time to integrate. Overall, beautiful nose and nice wine that will need a few more years to come together.
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3/11/2023 - evanqian wrote: 94 Points
53% cabernet, 47% shiraz
dense dark fruits, a little jammy, some spices, liquorice and oak. thick but fine grained tannins, full body, long lingering with chocolate and a little bacon notes. very good balance between fruity and savoury flavours, though it's still very young. very good intensity and concentration. a classic South Australia red blend.
JH 96, AC 96, HH 96, WS 94, JO 89
Ap 5/5, Ar 13/15, Palate 17/20, Overall 4+5/10
Total 94+/100
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3/11/2023 - bordeauxman777 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar as the Bin600, this too young to fully enjoy at this moment. Impeccably made wine, with a great concentration, tremendous color and long finish.This will age nicely nd there is tremendous potential for improvement. Lovely!
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2/24/2023 - shellylowen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark fruit, lots of acid which gives it its long finish, medium body, a little rough at the end
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2/11/2023 - Enht Likes this wine: 95 Points
Otroligt gott vin. Tung fruktig smak.
Drack det tillsammans med ost och charkbricka.
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11/7/2022 - Vinomazing Likes this wine:
At charity tasting…Penfold table, wine #3 $65. Bigger wine, but blended quite well. Pleasant moderated shiraz notes on the nose. Some nice flavors at this young stage noting dark and red fruit, oak, spice working together well. Surprisingly good, curious how it would taste 10 years.
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7/11/2022 - Edeon Likes this wine: 94 Points
Big dense balanced wine with no annoying euc. Reasonably approachable now. I'll pass on more at that price, though. Not quite the right value for me.
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6/11/2022 - preid wrote: 90 Points
Rally nice wine, but needs more time in the cellar.
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6/11/2022 - Marbruck Likes this wine: 93 Points
(A$100) Black fruits, cherry, and peppery spice. Magnificent full bodied but poised match of Cabernet and Shiraz. A long lingering finish of spice.
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6/3/2022 - RoscoPurvisColtrane Likes this wine: 90 Points
At three years of age, after three hours in a decanter, this wine is suprisingly balanced. Dark fruits (plums, blackcurrants, cherries) blend beautifully with pepper, spice, quince paste, vanilla oak and gripping tannins. This is truly an Australian classic - arguably the world’s finest example of Cabernet and Shiraz in sync. Make no mistake - it’s a very big wine that coats the mouth and lingers for minutes. However, for a wine that will last at least thirty years, it’s actually quite approachable. Personally, I wouldn’t open another bottle for at least a decade. But if you like your SA reds big and fresh, it’s a very enjoyable wine right now.
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5/18/2022 - chatters wrote:
CellarDoor TWE Tasting (Langham Hotel, Kent Street, Sydney): Blacked hued fruit, plenty of oak, a little peppery spice, polished, balanced in an oak heavy way. Juicy, fleshy, slightly hard tannins but chewy. Oak shows through on the palate as well. Nice in an oaky way.
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5/2/2022 - GiantRam Likes this wine: 89 Points
I agree with some other comments here, especially on the youth of this wine. This wine needs to age more for better consumption. I decanted for 30 minutes but still not enough. Like the mixture quality of spice and tannins from both shiraz and cabernet sauvingnon, which means easier to drink. Dark fruit, medium plus alcohol with richness. Finish is nether short or long.
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4/19/2022 - hajoha wrote:
Her er det masse stuffing!
Dog ganske brutalt å drikke nå.
En veldig flott vin, men man bør sikkert vente 10 år.
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12/17/2021 - Benoit Hardy Likes this wine: 91 Points
Cabernet + Shiraz blend which is light, expressive and easy to digest. Lots of freshness and bright fruit, with good balance and a nice finish. The baby Grange indeed.
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11/28/2021 - grapenomad wrote: 91 Points
Ah Bin 389, the Aussie classic! Deep ruby in the glass with violet hues. Youthful, very very youthful. Love the integration of rich Shiraz with the elegance of Cab Sauv here. Way too young, but it has all the elements to make it age gracefully - high acidity, fruit richness, alcohol and great tannic grip. Lovely wine, representing the Old School firmly.
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10/30/2021 - Rote Kappelle Likes this wine: 94 Points
Scored on the Cellar Tracker scale as 'Outstanding', but note that this style will not appeal to all. If you hate big, SA Shiraz styles then run, run now, run far and run fast, for this is like lava and poison to you. Personally, i am not without some ambivalence to the style, but like Glenn Miller, if in the mood ...
Colour is the typical Penfolds inky dark crimson- purple well. A chorus about a lost winemaker could easily have been added to the song 'Highwayman'.
Nose is alcoholic, rambunctious, blackberry, dark plums, a hint of black currant (but you have to look), spice, vanilla and pencil shaving.
Palate is as above and the finish goes on forever. It is also intense and with enough acid to carry the weight of fruit. This isn't baked or dead. From a great SA vintage, I have little doubt that this will improve over 10-20 years. If you open now, I suggest you decant and allow at least 8 hours before pouring for guests (for yourself, in the meantime, well, sacrifices must be made). There are days when you want to taste the sun and feel the soil and have no reminders of storm clouds - this is the wine for that time.
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10/10/2021 - @Bin389lover Likes this wine:
Cellar at 14°
Drinking nicely now but will definitely age well. Could be 30+ years
Air for longer the younger.
Older, open at the table. (According to this winemaker)
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9/1/2021 - tanduybui Likes this wine:
It is too young too rate. I had this at a Zoom tasting and I found the wine to be beautifully balanced between the dark fruit and generosity of the Shiraz, and the structure, shape and tannin of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Plenty of acid to enable the wine to grow old gracefully. First source of concern was the finish - yes, it had depth but not sure it tells a story. My other nagging doubt is the depth of flavours - not sure it is all there.
It is easily a 15+ years proposition. I look forward to having it then.
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