Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2020

Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2020 (A$100) – As ever, this iconic Aussie blend tips marginally to Cabernet dominance – 51%, as opposed to 49% for Shiraz. The famous Baby Grange, made since the 1960 vintage, even though Grange has never been a Cabernet dominant blend. The name comes from Penfolds’ habit of often using the barrels which once were home to Grange for components of this wine. Multi-regional, this is from McLaren Vale, Barossa and Padthaway. It spent a year in American oak hogsheads, a third of them new. It is, almost inevitably, a cracker. 

An opaque purple colour, the immediate impression is of a wine bursting with pent-up energy and power, which is still very much in its infancy. A wine which really does need the advantage of time – certainly, this is something we are seeing with the wines from 2020 and this is no exception. Intense, dark brooding black fruits, coffee beans, root vegetables, cloves, a light dusting of mocha, dry herbs and bay leaves. There is oak, but it has been sucked up by the fruit. Has some real grip and even though there are satiny tannins, there is also a firmness to the wine. Great length. Still very young and has a lot of improving ahead of it. Twenty years will not be a problem for this wine. A great 389? Perhaps not quite and not yet, but even at this early stage it is a very, very good one. Why wouldn’t you want a case of this in your cellar? 96.

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. The 2020 is composed of 51% Cabernet and 49% Shiraz.

Deep crimson. Lovely blackberry, blackcurrant, dark plum aromas with roasted chestnut, chinotto, dark chocolate notes. Generously concentrated and beautifully integrated wine with plentiful blackberry, blackcurrant, fruits, fine slinky/ chocolaty, hint al dente/bitter-sweet tannins, superb mid-palate volume, some inky complexity, lovely mocha/ espresso oak notes and fresh long juicy acidity. Builds up claret firm with graphite minerally notes. Very impressive extract, density and torque. A reference Penfolds wine. McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Padthaway. 12 months maturation in American (33% new) and seasoned oak hogsheads Drink 2025 – 2038 14.5% alc 97 points

This wine is like sticking your nose over a fish bowl, there is not much to the aromas, maybe a hint of salinity detectable. Further inspection of what is in the glass the ocean of flavours awash over your palate like a current.  Palate tight red plums, raspberries, and high tannins. The palate is drying yet filled with jubey fruits at the same time. You can taste the weight of the cabernet like the visible fish in the fishbowl.  Finishing with a little fruit sweet vanilla sweet mocha. A vintage for the ages and cellar.