A little-known fact about Penfolds is the historical meaning of their Bin numbered wines. The moniker ‘Bin’ is an acronym for ‘Batch Identification Number’ and is a testament not to Penfolds legacy as one of Australia’s most revered wine houses but to the location where their coveted wines are cellared. Well, at least, that was once the case…

Max Schubert, the creator of Grange, started the Penfolds Bin system by labelling his first experimental Grange (then Grange Hermitage) as Bin 1 – the original location of the 1951 vintage. In 1959 the Penfolds winemaking team set about to create a Shiraz using grapes from their Barossa vineyards. They sourced parcels of fruit from their Kalimna vineyard and crafted their Bin 28 Shiraz, which was to become the first of Penfolds official Bin numbered wines.

Nowadays, Penfolds Bin numbers refer more to the style of wine, guiding you to what you can expect in the bottle. With that in mind, let’s explore a handful of Penfolds Bin numbered wines; how they garnered their name, their nascence, region (rather than cellar position) and style:

Bin 8 Shiraz Cabernet

First vintage 2003 | Multi Region | McLaren Vale, Wrattonbully, Padthaway, Coonawarra, Robe, Barossa Valley, Langhorne Creek

Crafted in traditional Penfolds style. A generous wine with balanced fruit flavours and softly integrated oak. Its Bin number was allocated not due to its position but because it uses the same oak barrels previously used for Bin 128, Bin 28 and Bin 389 – the ‘8’ being the common denominator.

Bin 23 Pinot Noir

First vintage 2009 | Multi Region | Henty, Adelaide Hills, Tasmania

Named after the cellar in which it is matured - ‘Cellar 23’ at Magill Estate. A bold and evolving style with strawberry hues and cherry-like characters.

Bin 28 Shiraz

First vintage 1959 | Multi Region | McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Wrattonbully, Clare Valley, Barossa Valley

Named after the famous Kalimna vineyard from which fruit was originally sourced. A showcase of warm climate Australian Shiraz. The flagship Bin 28 was in production whilst Grange was being made in secret.

Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay

First vintage 1995 | Multi Region | Adelaide Hills, Tumbarumba, Henty, Derwent Valley, Coal Valley, Central Highlands

Arguably one of the most anticipated white wine releases in Australian history – dubbed by the media as “White Grange”, gracing the front pages of national newspapers. Its name is drawn from the local indigenous language, meaning ‘little by little, gradually’. The result of 144 trials.

Bin 149 Cabernet Sauvignon

First vintage 2018 | International | Napa Valley, South Australia

 A wine of distinction with meticulous vineyard and block selection. Its name derived from the percentage of South Australian Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend.

FWT Bin 585 Cabernet Merlot Petit Verdot

First vintage 2019 | International | Bordeaux, Haut-Médoc

FWT is an acronym for ‘French Winemaking Trial’. Fruit is sourced from exceptional vineyards across the Médoc region using time-honoured Penfolds techniques. The Bin number was derived from Max Schubert’s total expenses from his first trip to Bordeaux in 1951.

Bin 600 Cabernet Shiraz

First vintage 2018 | International | Napa Valley, Sonoma, Paso Robles

Named after the original name of the vineyard ‘Creston 600 Ranch’, which is intrinsically linked to Penfolds beginning in California. Quintessential Australian blend, distinctly Penfolds yet altogether different being from Californian soil.

Bin 704 Cabernet Sauvignon

First vintage 2018 | International | Napa Valley

A wine that seeks to redefine Napa Valley Cabernet through Penfolds winemaking traditions and innovation. Its name a mirror image of its stablemate Bin 407.

RWT Bin 798 Barossa Valley Shiraz

First vintage 1997 | Single Region | Barossa Valley

RWT is an acronym for ‘Red Winemaking Trial’, a term given during the wine’s experimental phase. Bin 798 wasn’t bestowed upon the wine until the 2016 vintage. An opulent style with regional expression that is muscular and assertive. 

Today, Penfolds wines continue to be adored by oenophiles and collectors far and wide who take gentle assurance in those powerful two or three-digit numbers. 

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