Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz 1998

Wine Spectator Top 100 wines of the World of 2001  
Penfolds Rewards of Patience tasting panel 2021 - 5/5 rating

Penfolds Bin 128 is sourced from the unique terra rossa soils of Coonawarra, a region that exemplifies the perfume, transparency and seductive nature of cool climate red table wines. Coonawarra has remained the sole source of shiraz fruit for Bin 128 since the inaugural release of the 1962 vintage. In order to further enhance the regional qualities of Bin 128, the wine is matured in a mixture of new and seasoned French oak hogsheads, a method that was refined during the 1980's when the transition was made from American to French oak. The cool climate Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz provides an interesting counterpoint to the more opulent and richly concentrated warm climate Bin 28 Shiraz.

"Generous and supple with plentiful sweet fruit and choco-berry flavours, fine loose-knit savoury tannins and integrated mocha oak. A classic aged Coonawarra red."  Penfolds Rewards of Patience tasting panel 2021

The 1998 Bin 128 Kalimna was matured for 12 months in new (20%) and seasoned French oak.

"Medium-deep crimson. Fresh developed blackberry, dried plum, mulberry, roasted chestnut and bitumen aromas. Generous and supple with plentiful sweet fruit and choco-berry flavours, fine loose-knit savoury tannins and integrated mocha oak. Finishes grainy firm with al dente grippy notes. A classic aged Coonawarra red. Drink now to 2030.

Vintage Conditions: 1998 was an outstanding vintage. Spring rains compensated for a particularly dry winter. A warm summer led to an early harvest in most regions. The Coonawarra delivered very strong Shiraz with full ripeness and little leafy characters."  Penfolds

Expert reviews

"Medium-deep crimson. Fresh developed blackberry, dried plum, mulberry, roasted chestnut and bitumen aromas. Generous and supple with plentiful sweet fruit and choco-berry flavours, fine loose-knit savoury tannins and integrated mocha oak. Finishes grainy firm with al dente grippy notes. A classic aged Coonawarra red. drink now to 2030."  Penfolds Rewards of Patience tasting panel 2021 - 5/5 rating

"Rich flavors of dark berry and cherry are balanced against a wiry backbone of fine tannins and acidity in this outstanding shiraz, gaining momentum on the finish. Impressive for its intensity and elegance. Drink now through 2010."  Wine Spectator - 90 points (90-94 Outstanding) and Top 100 Wines of the World of 2001

"Warning! Warning! Sensory overload. Masses of fragrant, fleshy, primary fruit: rose, rhubarb, plums, pepper, boysenberry, cherry … Faultless balance. Impressive depth and length. As with many Australian reds from 98, it is utterly delicious now and may well rival the 88 in the longevity stakes."  Andrew Wood, Divine Magazine

"More fleshy, ripe and generous than a traditional Bin 128, this is a shiraz of moderate depth and strength, with creamy smoothness and soft tannins. It's spicy rather than peppery, with dark cherry/plum fruit given a slightly herbal note of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, supported by restrained cedary oak. Drink 2010-2018."  Jeremy Oliver – 93 points

"Fresh menthol and mint, clean, pure, medium-weight but somewhat majestic. Big frame of tannin, appropriate to the breadth of the palate. Mint, loam, polished blackcurrant. The mint here lifts the curranty flavour up out of the glass. I'd rather the mint wasn't there, but it works well here. A significant release of Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz."  Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 92 points (Tasted late 2007)

"Medium to full red-purple; the bouquet is clean, with abundant, ripe dark plum fruit which has soaked up the oak; the palate is powerful, with much more concentration than usual, and in particular, tannins; has a very long life in front of it."  James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 92 points

Awards

Top 100 wines of the World of 2001 - Wine Spectator 
Penfolds Rewards of Patience tasting panel 2021 - 5/5 rating

About the winery

After the success of early sherries and fortified wines, founders Dr Christopher and Mary Penfold planted the vine cuttings they had carried on their voyage over to Australia. In 1844 the fledging vineyard was officially established as the Penfolds wine company at Magill Estate.

As the company grew, so too did Dr Penfold's medical reputation, leaving much of the running of the winery to Mary Penfold. Early forays into Clarets and Rieslings proved increasingly popular, and on Christopher's death in 1870, Mary assumed total responsibility for the winery. Mary's reign at the helm of Penfolds saw years of determination and endeavour.

By the time Mary Penfold retired in 1884 (ceding management to her daughter, Georgina) Penfolds was producing 1/3 of all South Australia's wine. She'd set an agenda that continues today, experimenting with new methods in wine production. By Mary's death in 1896, the Penfolds legacy was well on its way to fruition. By 1907, Penfolds had become South Australia's largest winery.

In 1948, history was made again as Max Schubert became the company's first Chief Winemaker. A loyal company man and true innovator, Schubert would propel Penfolds onto the global stage with his experimentation of long-lasting wines - the creation of Penfolds Grange in the 1950s.

In 1959 (while Schubert was perfecting his Grange experiment in secret), the tradition of 'bin wines' began. The first, a Shiraz wine with the grapes of the company's own Barossa Valley vineyards was simply named after the storage area of the cellars where it is aged. And so Kalimna Bin 28 becomes the first official Penfolds Bin number wine.

In 1960, the Penfolds board instructed Max Schubert to officially re-start production on Grange. His determination and the quality of the aged wine had won them over.

Soon, the medals began flowing and Grange quickly became one of the most revered wines around the world. In 1988 Schubert was named Decanter Magazine's Man of the Year, and on the 50th anniversary of its birth, Penfolds Grange was given a heritage listing in South Australia.

Despite great success, Penfolds never rests on its laurels. In 2012 Penfolds released its most innovative project to date - 12 handcrafted ampoules of the rare 2004 Kalimna Block Cabernet Sauvignon.

Two years later, Penfolds celebrated the 170th anniversary – having just picked up a perfect score of 100 for the 2008 Grange in two of the world's most influential wine magazines. Today, Penfolds continues to hold dear the philosophies and legends – '1844 to evermore!'.