Jay Kline

9.5

I have dreamed of the 1981 Grange for many, many years. Why? Well, it’s quite simple: I’m an ‘81 baby and that year doesn’t have the strongest reputation for producing great wines. Spain and Italy faired better and of course, there were always exceptions. However, most have long been drank or forgotten as it was a tough year in many of the classic wine growing regions. All of that being said, Australia didn’t suffer the same conditions and Penfold’s managed to make a very good expression of Grange in 1981…if only one could find it and then of course, afford it. But, sometimes you just have to put it out into the universe and she answers. Tonight, a dear brother in wine who also happens to share 1981 as a birth year, provided this bottle from his cellar to share. And while my 45th remains a couple months off, we were celebrating life and friendship tonight!

Opened prior to dinner and enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 1981 pours a deep purple color moving towards a garnet rim and a near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and desiccated tart black, red and blue fruits and rotundone: blackberries, raspberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, black olive, cocoa, coffee, eucalyptus, leather, toasted coconut, earth and baking spices. On the palate the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is looooong. What a stellar showing and this bottle certainly lived up to hype. Drink now through 2041+. — 3 days ago

Diane Heyboer

8.9

Had the 2021 in February of 2026. Lots of blueberry and vanilla with some spice with this one. Enjoyed this one more with food rather than sipping alone. — 2 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Lots of mint on the nose (69% Cabernet Sauvignon; 31% Shiraz) together with blackberry. On the palate plenty of drive and power in this Cabernet Shiraz blend - layers of fruit, oak and spice. Rich and full bodied - the perfect accompaniment for a vintage Porterhouse steak - Waygu marbelling. Oak has integrated since the tasting 5 years ago. A pity that it takes 20 years for Yalumba’s Signature red to reach its peak but probably true. Interestingly the wine is matured for 22 months in American, French and Hungarian barrels coopered at Yalumba. This was the last bottle from a dozen originally purchased. — 2 months ago

Mary

9.5

One of my favorite reds — 23 days ago

Sam Friedland

9.1

Very nice, cherries, mild tannins. — a month ago

Kaitlyn Kosarek

9.0

Sweet but not overly, smokey, fruit notes coming through. Pleasant — 2 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2023
South Australia 🇦🇺

Overview
A more tightly wound and concentrated expression of Bin 389, showcasing the same Cabernet-Shiraz framework (Cabernet for backbone, Shiraz for richness) but delivered with greater tension, density, and youthful drive. This vintage leans more serious and structured than 2022, highlighting the fascinating impact vintage conditions have on balance, ripeness, and extraction in agricultural wines.

Aromas & Flavors
Intense blackcurrant, crushed blackberry, dark cherry, and graphite dominate the aromatics, layered with fresh cedar, cocoa nib, and subtle minty spice. The palate is compact and powerful, showing darker fruit concentration, savory spice, and tightly coiled oak structure that promises excellent evolution with time.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and more compact than the 2022. Tannins are firmer and more youthful, giving a punchier, more linear profile. The wine feels energetic and focused, with impressive density and length, clearly built for further integration.

Food Pairings
Char-grilled steak or venison. Slow-braised beef cheeks. Pepper-crusted lamb. Smoked meats and firm aged cheeses.

Verdict
A bolder, more muscular Bin 389 that trades immediate plushness for intensity and aging potential. A striking reminder of how vintage variation shapes personality, same blueprint, very different expression.

Did You Know?
Penfolds sources fruit for Bin 389 from multiple South Australian regions, blending different terroirs and climates to build complexity, consistency, and layered structure across vintages.

🍷 Personal Pick
If you enjoy tracking wine evolution, this is a fantastic candidate for short-to-mid-term cellaring, revisit in a few years to watch the structure melt into harmony. Also check my previous 2022 review!
— 2 months ago

Angela Filosa

9.5

omg got better and better even a week later — a month ago

Frank Lin

8.9

Rich and full bodied. I decanted it for 4 hours and it was a lot better than the last bottle. Amazing structure after 16 years. Would get more in the future. Nutty and spicy. — a month ago

Diane Heyboer

8.9

Had the 2022 in February of 2026. Blackberry and dark cherry with a barrel forward character on the nose. Not super tannic- berry/cherry throughout. Short finish with hints of tannin on the end. — 2 months ago

with Matthew, Ethan and 2 others