Penfolds
Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet Shiraz
South Australia, Australia
Having my annual 2002 Penfolds Bin 389 - now 3 bottles left. Definitely a beautiful mature Cabernet Shiraz from this cool vintage. Has the Penfolds DNA of. Chocolate, Mocha and Black fruits. Wonderful balance - very polished with at least 5 to 10 years in front of it. This is why one cellars Penfolds Reds. Your patience is repaid in spades with the finished product…..maturing at glacial pace. My plan is to have the next one in 2024, then 2026, then 2028.
Having my annual 2002 Penfolds Bin 389 - now 3 bottles left. Definitely a beautiful mature Cabernet Shiraz from this cool vintage. Has the Penfolds DNA of. Chocolate, Mocha and Black fruits. Wonderful balance - very polished with at least 5 to 10 years in front of it. This is why one cellars Penfolds Reds. Your patience is repaid in spades with the finished product…..maturing at glacial pace. My plan is to have the next one in 2024, then 2026, then 2028.
Sep 10th, 20234 left after this one. Following my plan of having one per year until complete. This has not changed much from 12 months ago. At its peak sitting on the plateau. Notes of dark chocolate, mocha and blackberry - the Penfolds DNA in essence. Tastes a lot younger than 20 years of age. Medium plus bodied with a savoury twist at the finish. 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Shiraz.
4 left after this one. Following my plan of having one per year until complete. This has not changed much from 12 months ago. At its peak sitting on the plateau. Notes of dark chocolate, mocha and blackberry - the Penfolds DNA in essence. Tastes a lot younger than 20 years of age. Medium plus bodied with a savoury twist at the finish. 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Shiraz.
Nov 28th, 2022See many previous notes for this wine and vintage. Last year I had 6 left and I decided to have one each year until they are finished. This is the one for 2021. Pure Penfolds DNA - plum prune mocha and chocolate. Tannins resolved - the wine has great balance. A gorgeous medium weight plus palate. The definitive Australian Cabernet Shiraz blend - 54/46%. Next one in 2022
See many previous notes for this wine and vintage. Last year I had 6 left and I decided to have one each year until they are finished. This is the one for 2021. Pure Penfolds DNA - plum prune mocha and chocolate. Tannins resolved - the wine has great balance. A gorgeous medium weight plus palate. The definitive Australian Cabernet Shiraz blend - 54/46%. Next one in 2022
Oct 8th, 2021See many previous notes. Just a brilliant Cabernet Shiraz blend and proof of the ultra longevity of Bin 389. The good news is that there are still 7 bottles left in the cellar. Difficult to see them lasting past 2025, meaning I won’t be able to keep my hands off them.
See many previous notes. Just a brilliant Cabernet Shiraz blend and proof of the ultra longevity of Bin 389. The good news is that there are still 7 bottles left in the cellar. Difficult to see them lasting past 2025, meaning I won’t be able to keep my hands off them.
May 21st, 2020A complex nose of red and black berries (raspberry) with mocha, dark chocolate and coffee beans. Medium to full bodied rich earthy and berry flavours on the palate with soft yet persistent tannins. An amazing inner core strength even at 18 years which will go on for at least another decade. Richard Hemming MW had a drinking window of 2010 to 2042!! He could well be right. I have been collecting Penfolds Bin 389 for many years and the best practice is to buy at least a dozen, put it in a cool dark corner of your cellar for at least 15 years. I have 8 bottles of this 2002 left. This was a cool vintage with a long hang time for the grapes making it exceptional. 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Shiraz.
A complex nose of red and black berries (raspberry) with mocha, dark chocolate and coffee beans. Medium to full bodied rich earthy and berry flavours on the palate with soft yet persistent tannins. An amazing inner core strength even at 18 years which will go on for at least another decade. Richard Hemming MW had a drinking window of 2010 to 2042!! He could well be right. I have been collecting Penfolds Bin 389 for many years and the best practice is to buy at least a dozen, put it in a cool dark corner of your cellar for at least 15 years. I have 8 bottles of this 2002 left. This was a cool vintage with a long hang time for the grapes making it exceptional. 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Shiraz.
Feb 27th, 2020Buried a dozen of this in the back of the cellar and still have 9 bottles left after this one. Great intensity yet still medium weight. Mocha Chocolate savoury plum and herb garden. A sweet medium to full bodied palate with fine grained Tannins. Just cruising at 17 years of age from a cooler vintage which resulted in a longer hang time for the grapes. Resolved Tannins. Penfolds say this will live until 2030. Lovely wine.
Buried a dozen of this in the back of the cellar and still have 9 bottles left after this one. Great intensity yet still medium weight. Mocha Chocolate savoury plum and herb garden. A sweet medium to full bodied palate with fine grained Tannins. Just cruising at 17 years of age from a cooler vintage which resulted in a longer hang time for the grapes. Resolved Tannins. Penfolds say this will live until 2030. Lovely wine.
Sep 15th, 2019I had one of these only 3 weeks ago - see previous notes but will add a few here. Have another 10 of these so will only record every 3rd one over the next 5 years or so. Looks way younger than 17 years apart from the tawny edges. Mocha, Chocolate and fading Black Currant. Some herbal notes finishing with powdery Tannins. 389 is a good example of choosing between youthful power and black fruits or more savoury balanced aged characters. No answer is correct - up to the individual. I can see the charms of both approaches. After a couple of hours in decanter - intoxicating aromatics. Excellent Wine.
I had one of these only 3 weeks ago - see previous notes but will add a few here. Have another 10 of these so will only record every 3rd one over the next 5 years or so. Looks way younger than 17 years apart from the tawny edges. Mocha, Chocolate and fading Black Currant. Some herbal notes finishing with powdery Tannins. 389 is a good example of choosing between youthful power and black fruits or more savoury balanced aged characters. No answer is correct - up to the individual. I can see the charms of both approaches. After a couple of hours in decanter - intoxicating aromatics. Excellent Wine.
May 26th, 2019Mid Crimson with a tawny rim. Sometimes takes a while for the top Penfolds reds to show maturity and this Bin 389 at 17 years is starting to show more savoury herbal characters with nothing standing out - just beautiful “claret”. Light resolved tannins at an age where everything is in balance and making it hard to identify the Penfolds DNA of mocha, chocolate and blackberry. The firmness in its youth has softened. Penfolds suggested window says to 2030. I think I will have consumed my remaining bottles before then.
Mid Crimson with a tawny rim. Sometimes takes a while for the top Penfolds reds to show maturity and this Bin 389 at 17 years is starting to show more savoury herbal characters with nothing standing out - just beautiful “claret”. Light resolved tannins at an age where everything is in balance and making it hard to identify the Penfolds DNA of mocha, chocolate and blackberry. The firmness in its youth has softened. Penfolds suggested window says to 2030. I think I will have consumed my remaining bottles before then.
May 1st, 2019See many previous notes. Holding up comfortably from this excellent cooler vintage . 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Shiraz. I am lucky to have 6 bottles left from back in the day when I bought 2 dozen. Definitely drinking on the plateau and will carry on for a while yet. Medium weight palate but with great length and persistence. Will probably consume the rest over the next 3 to 4 years. Penfolds 2020 collection (17 wines)just released in Australia. The 2018 Bin 389 received 96 points from Halliday. The 2016 Grange is being talked about as one of the greats - 99 points from Halliday.
See many previous notes. Holding up comfortably from this excellent cooler vintage . 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46% Shiraz. I am lucky to have 6 bottles left from back in the day when I bought 2 dozen. Definitely drinking on the plateau and will carry on for a while yet. Medium weight palate but with great length and persistence. Will probably consume the rest over the next 3 to 4 years. Penfolds 2020 collection (17 wines)just released in Australia. The 2018 Bin 389 received 96 points from Halliday. The 2016 Grange is being talked about as one of the greats - 99 points from Halliday.
1 person found it helpfulAug 15th, 2020Slightly dusty corky note which hung around longer than it should have. Also on the nose Herbs and Mint rule the roost with berry fruit in the background. Cabernet makes its presence felt in this Cab Shiraz blend with its structure and a touch of austerity. Restrained fruit and an elegant style still with a good future.
Slightly dusty corky note which hung around longer than it should have. Also on the nose Herbs and Mint rule the roost with berry fruit in the background. Cabernet makes its presence felt in this Cab Shiraz blend with its structure and a touch of austerity. Restrained fruit and an elegant style still with a good future.
Jun 22nd, 2017