Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2018
Penfolds
Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2018
Penfolds
Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2018
Overview
Overview
Bin 389 was often referred to as ‘Baby Grange’, in part because components of the wine are matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange. First made in 1960 by the legendary Max Schubert, this was the wine that helped forge Penfolds reputation with red wine drinkers by combining the structure of cabernet sauvignon with the richness of shiraz. Exemplifying the judicious balance of fruit and oak, Bin 389 highlights the generous mid-palate Penfolds in known for.
| Varietal | Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz |
|---|---|
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | Multi-Region Blend |
| Volume | 750 mL |
| Closure | Screw Cap |
| Alc/Vol | 14.5% |
| Peak Drinking | 2023 - 2050 |
| Winemaker | The Penfolds Team |
Awards and Accolades
Awards and Accolades
| 98 points | Andrew Caillard MW |
| 97 points | Nick Stock - James Suckling |
| 96 points | Huon Hooke |
| 96 points | Tony Love |
| 96 points | Ken Gargett |
| 96 points | Ray Jordan |
| 96 points | Erin Larkin |
| 94 points | Tyson Stelzer |
| 93 points | Joe Czerwinski (Robert Parker Wine Advocate) |
| 93 points | Angus Hughson |
Andrew Caillard MW
"Deep crimson. Intense pure blackcurrant, blackberry aromas with dark chocolate notes. Generously proportioned wine with dense inky cassis, blackberry mulberry fruits, plentiful chocolaty tannins, mocha espresso oak complexity, attractive mid-palate viscosity and superb mineral length. Finishes grainy firm. A classic powerful Bin 389 year with superb fruit complexity, density and attack. Should last the distance. An Australian wine tradition that rarely disappoints. The 2018 highlights exceptional sourcing and the beautiful partnership between cabernet sauvignon and shiraz where the wine represents far more than the sum of its parts. A landmark wine of the 2020 collection offering collectors and drinkers the quintessential Penfolds experience."
Food Pairing
Food Pairing
Beef
Lamb
Duck
Veg
Taste Description
Taste Description
Nose
Lifted, fragrant. Immediately Penfolds. Aficionados may quickly identify and proclaim 389.
Opulently: Trifle: layers of custard and port-wine dark jelly with flaked coconut and juniper/cassis. Cake: old-fashioned hummingbird cake, with coconut flakes and nutty flavours.
Overheard: “Petrichor aromas gradating to silkworm-eaten mulberry leaf”. Honestly!?! Familial youthful Bin 389 oak – subtle matchstick and a hint of vanilla powder. As they say – what is there not to like?!
Flavours and Palate
Balance of the sweet (cabernet) and the savoury (shiraz).
Possesses what has now often been referred to as a black forest cake 2018 vintage flavour profile.
Darker fruits – closer to that of a black cherry liqueur than a crème de cassis component of Kir.
Flavours of roasted beetroot – a venison sauce beetroot reduction … similar texturally to a congealed sweet fat (a custardy emulsion/film – not a grainy paste).
Oak and tannins absorbed. Both are certainly present, yet not at all demanding their own space on this Bin 389 stage. Substantial, intense.
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
Viticulture Vintage & Winemaking
South Australia
Home to the oldest vines in the country, and no less than 18 wine growing regions, South Australia accounts for almost 50% of Australia’s wine production. The Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and Coonawarra are well known for their world class reds, with Adelaide Hills, Clare Valley and Eden Valley praised for their exceptional Chardonnay and Riesling.
Vintage Conditions
Relatively dry conditions coupled with near long-term winter/spring temperatures indicated an early start to the growing season. However, a spell of cold weather in November slowed grapevine development. Warm and sunny weather prevailed throughout spring providing optimal conditions for flowering and fruit-set. Barossa Valley experienced 22 days of temperature greater than 35°C in summer, while McLaren Vale experienced 17 days greater than 35°C. Coonawarra, Robe and Wrattonbully also had a warm, dry growing season by regional standards. Late flowering and the delayed onset of veraison throughout the south-east slowed harvest by a few weeks. The warm, dry weather carried into autumn, setting up an Indian summer with favourable conditions for ripening grapes. A fine vintage for all Penfolds South Australian growing regions.
The Penfolds Team
Key to the success of Penfolds has been a lineage of visionary winemakers. There have only ever been four Chief Winemakers at the helm of Penfolds – Max Schubert, Don Ditter, John Duval and Peter Gago, each a custodian of a rich winemaking tradition that goes back for more than 170 years.
Our current Penfolds winemaking team has more than 100 years between them as Penfolds winemakers. They are constantly refining and improving their work, whilst honouring the winemaking techniques of their predecessors.