x
  • Country ranking ?

    202
  • Producer ranking ?

    138
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    2020-2035

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

Close

The Story

Bin 311 is considered one of the very finest, best-value cool-climate Chardonnays in Australia. In the context of Penfolds’ Chardonnay, Bin 311 is to Yattarna as Bin 389 is to Grange. The wine is made from declassified parcels of A1-graded Chardonnay grapes that would otherwise go into Yattarna and matured in the same French oak barrels that previously held Yattarna.

Close

Latest Pro-tasting notes

<10 tasting notes

Tasting note

Be the first one to make a 20s tasting note!

Written Notes

I’ll confess that Bin 311 has never really flicked the switch for me. I've never seen the value, but it does suffer from having to compete with Reserve Bin A and Yattarna every year. There has been a bit of a push to call this the ‘Baby Yattarna’, but this seems to me, way more like marketing-speak than a true reflection of the wine (remind anyone of 389 as the ‘poor man’s Grange’ or ‘baby Grange’, although that had a little more justification). Some speak of the initial Bin 311 from 2005 as a bit special – how often is the first release of a new wine one that stands out (think 1990 Bin 407)? A blend of Tasmania, Adelaide Hills and Tumbarumba. Eight months in French barriques, 35% new. 

Finally, however, we have a contender. For me, far and away the best Bin 311 I've seen.

Extremely pale, even for a young wine. Plenty of nutmeggy oak but it shrouds quality fruit. Stonefruits notes, spices, layered and focused. Good complexity. Nice underlying flick of acidity. Good length. Peach notes emerged towards the end. Florals. A wine of finesse. For me, 92 to 93.

Next day, the wine seemed to offer even greater focus and certainly more length. 93.

  • 93p

Pale gold. Fresh grapefruit white apricot aromas with tonic water/ flinty complexity. Supple fruit sweet palate with intense grapefruit, peach, bitter lemon flavours, creamy textures, some al-dente notes and long fresh linear acidity. Finishes crisp with plentiful apricot, peach notes. Seal; screwcap Now-2026 13% alc 93 points
 
A crisp delicious early drinking chardonnay with attractive fruit complexity, creamy textures and mineral line.
 
Tasmania, Adelaide Hills & Tumbarumba
 
Eight months in 35% new and 65% seasoned French oak barriques
 

  • 93p
Load more notes

Information

Origin

Magill, South Australia

Other wines from this producer

50-Year-Old Rare Tawny Series 3

802-A Superblend

802-B Superblend

Bin 128 Shiraz

Bin 149 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley & South Australia

Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz

Bin 170 Kalimna Shiraz

Bin 19A Reserve Bin Chardonnay

Bin 20A Reserve Bin Chardonnay

Bin 21 Grenache

Bin 23 Pinot Noir

Bin 2 Shiraz Mourvedre

Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz

Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon

Bin 51 Riesling

Bin 62

Bin 620

Bin 798 RWT Shiraz

Bin 7 Coonawarra Cabernet Kalimna Shiraz

Bin 820

Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz

Bin 90 A

Bin 920 Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz

Bin 98 Quantum Cabernet Sauvignon

Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon

Block 42 Kalimna Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Cellar Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Cellar Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

Cellar Reserve Fiano

Cellar Reserve Pinot Noir

Cellar Reserve Sangiovese

Cellar Reserve Tempranillo

CWT Cabernet Sauvignon Marselan, Shangri-La & Ningxia

FWT 585 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Petit Verdot

g3

g4

g5

Grange Hermitage

Howell Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc

Koonunga Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

Koonunga Hill Cabernet Shiraz

Koonunga Hill Chardonnay

Magill Estate Shiraz

Max's Shiraz

Penfolds Bin 138 GMS

Penfolds Bin 138 Grenache Mourvèdre Shiraz

Penfolds Bin 169

Penfolds Bin 23 Pinot Noir

Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz

Penfolds Bin 407

Penfolds Bin 51 Riesling

Penfolds Bin 600 Cabernet Shiraz, California

Penfolds Bin 60A Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

Penfolds Bin 704 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Penfolds Bin 707

Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon

Penfolds Bluestone Grand Tawny

Penfolds Grandfather's Tawny

Penfolds Great Grandfather's Tawny

Penfolds II Dourthe x Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz Merlot

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon

Penfolds Reserve Bin 09A Chardonnay

Penfolds RWT

Penfolds V

QoN

Rawson's Retreat

Rawson's Retreat Bin 202 Riesling

Rawson's Retreat Merlot

Rawson's Retreat Riesling

Rawson's Retreat Shiraz Cabernet

Reserve Bin 17A Chardonnay

Reserve Bin 5A

Reserve Bin A

Reserve Bin A Adelaide Hills Chardonnay

RWT Shiraz

Special BIN 111A Shiraz

St Henri Shiraz

Thienot x Penfolds Blanc de Blancs Lot 2-175

Thienot x Penfolds Blanc de Noirs Lot 3-175

Thienot x Penfolds Brut Vintage Lot 1-175

Thomas Hyland Adelaide Hills Chardonnay

Thomas Hyland Sauvignon Blanc

'V' Chardonnay

Vintage Fortified

Yattarna Chardonnay

Incorrect Information
If you found some information that is wrong, let us know
Are you sure you want do delete this wine? All information will be lost.
Are you sure you want to recommend this wine?
Are you sure you want hide this written note ?
Are you sure you want show this written note ?
UPGRADE MEMBER PLAN
Upgrade your membership now, it's quick and easy. We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards. Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal. You can cancel your membership at any time.
Thank you for your support!
 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

User

 

Insight Member

 
Type a message ...
Register to Tastingbook
Sign up now, it's quick and easy.
We use PayPal, the world's largest payment system, it accepts all credit cards.
Once you've chosen your membership level, you'll go directly to PayPal, where you can sign up for a free 7-day trial period. You can cancel your membership at any time. We wish you a rewarding journey to the world of Fine Wines.

Free 7 days Member trial

 

Member

 

Pro Member

 

Winemerchant Member

 

Winery Member

 

Insight Member

  Register