Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2023
Style: Red Wine
Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (51%), Shiraz (49%)
Closure: Screwcap
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2023
Camberwell
Burke Road
Camberwell VIC 3124
Australia
Critic Score: 97 and 18.5/20
Alcohol: 14.5%
Size: 750 ml
Drink by: 2050
Penfolds Bin 389 is 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. It is named after its original binning compartment at Magill cellars.
"This is a storming vintage for Penfolds’ The Great Australian Red blend. With spectacular balance and intrinsic fruit harmony, this is an uncommonly precocious wine, and while it is glowering and dark, the tannins are genteel and toothsome. There is a perfect counterpoint between depth, accuracy, and juiciness, making this a fascinating, highly desirable, and delicious Bin 389." Matthew Jukes
The 2023 Bin 389 is a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Shiraz from premium vineyards in McLaren Vale, Padthaway and Barossa Valley. The wine was matured for 12 months in American oak hogsheads (33% new).
"We are greeted by the wine’s hallmark bouquet, featuring an intricate blend of dark fruit aromas, with the richness of blackberries and the juicy depth of plums holding attention. These scents are complemented by notes of shaved dark chocolate and Black Forest cake. Hints of Portuguese custard and cinnamon sugar bring sweetness, while the exotic spiciness of pecan-infused hummingbird cake contrasts with the savoury notes of rosemary lamb. Undertones of aromatic dried herbs and a subtle hint of boot polish add depth to the profile. The influence of fine, toasty oak is present but discreetly folds into the fruit. An umami soy sauce character and the rich, cured flavour of bresaola round out the aromatic profile.
A thoughtful blend of varietals. The inclusion of Cabernet Sauvignon provides impeccable structure and depth. Supporting this foundation, Shiraz adds weight and warmth. Red fruits flood the palate, with vibrant flavours of red currant and tart cranberry. The sweetness of vanilla runs throughout the wine, while mouth-coating tannins create a rich, full-bodied texture. Savoury flavours of black olive emerge, accompanied by a blend of orange zest, fennel, and olive. Impeccable, fine tannins conclude the experience, leaving a lasting impression of both power and elegance. Peak Drinking: Now – 2050." Penfolds
Expert reviews
"This wine has been made every vintage since 1960. Refined, generous and polished aromas of blackberries, blackcurrants, cured meat, crushed stones and iodine. The palate is full-bodied with a rounded, textural palate and ultra-refined tannins that lead to a silky, savory, black-fruited finish. Excellent. Drink or hold." James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com - 97 points
"Deep crimson. Perfumed violet, praline, blackcurrant/ blackberry aromas with inky/ chinotto notes. Voluminous and sinuous with beautiful pure cassis, chinotto flavours, plentiful fine chalky al-dente tannins and well-balanced roasted chestnut/ marzipan/ vanilla notes. Builds up brambly firm at the finish. Lovely density, vinosity and flow. Drink: Now - 2045." Andrew Caillard MW - 96 points
"Always a star of the Collection, year after year. The blend, as it almost always is, falls marginally in favour of Cabernet – 51% Cab to 49% Shiraz this time. The fruit hails from McLaren Vale, Padthaway and the Barossa Valley. Maturation is in American oak hogsheads for one year, one third of which are new. A triumph for the vintage. Opaque purple, this is lifted, generous and really rather exciting. Glorious aromatics, there are notes of plums, aniseed, tobacco leaves, dark chocolate, espresso, blackberries, coffee beans, with a touch of blueberries peeking through. Black pudding and chocolate mud cake may not sound like the most enticing combination, but here it works wonderfully well. Seamless in structure with bright energy and immaculate balance, this is very long. There is fine acidity here, and even finer tannins with a sleekness to them. Early complexity is very much evident, and we can expect that to really develop further in the coming years. Power, yes, but this is also effortlessly elegant. Delicious now, this will surely drink beautifully for the next fifteen years, considerably longer if you really do have the patience. Love it. Drink: 2025-2040." Ken Gargett, Wine Pilot - 96 points
"A strong release for the Bin 389. This year is a blend of 51/49% cabernet sauvignon/shiraz. Deep fruit characters of blackberry, black cherry and blueberry of considerable purity and depth, supported by hints of mixed spice, violets, creamy oak, cold black tea, panforte and earth. Strong powdered gravel tannins provide grip and support, and there is a considerable depth to the persistent finish as the wine sails slowly away. Built for the cellar. Drink by 2050." Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion - 96 points
"This is a storming vintage for Penfolds’ The Great Australian Red blend. With spectacular balance and intrinsic fruit harmony, this is an uncommonly precocious wine, and while it is glowering and dark, the tannins are genteel and toothsome. There is a perfect counterpoint between depth, accuracy, and juiciness, making this a fascinating, highly desirable, and delicious Bin 389." Matthew Jukes - 18.5/20 points
"Referred to as 'Baby Grange' as components of the wine are always matured in the same American oak hogsheads that held the previous vintage of Grange, Bin 389 (first made in 1960) is always a Cabernet-dominant Cab-Shiraz – the great Australian blend. This year it just makes it, with 51%, the fruit for both varieties coming from McLaren Vale (45%), Padthaway and Barossa Valley. The 12 months in oak (33% new) adds a creamy coconut sheen to the generous mouthful of summer pudding berries, fleshy blue plums and more savoury tones of fennel salami, mocha and cigar box spice. Fine tannins, bright acidity and a firm structure deliver power and polish, already approachable but with a long life, and more complexity, ahead. A standout this vintage." Decanter- 96 points
"Deep, dense colour that coats the glass; powerful aromas of black coffee, mocha, and dark chocolate; the palate is full-bodied, rich and concentrated with lavish tannins which are supple and pliant, coating the mouth but leaving no astringency. Some dark loamy earth notes and oak is there but sensitively employed. A solid, generous, typical 389 which will reward over the long term. Drink: 2028–2043." Huon Hooke, The Real Review - 95 points
"There’s a thickness to this release, and a freshness, and a formation of tannin, and an infusion of vanilla cream. The result is an impeccable release of Bin 389. It doesn’t jump out of the glass and announce that it’s really super high echelon but it does stake its quality claims in empathic terms. Red licorice and blackcurrant, mint, cream, olives and a brush of herbs. The key here is the cabernet component, which is clearly high class. This will cellar long term. Drink: 2028-2040+." Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front - 95 points
"A seamless pairing of Cabernet Sauvignon (51%) and Shiraz (49%) sourced from McLaren Vale, Padthaway and the Barossa Valley. A busy amalgam of aromas bustling and bright in black cherry, blackcurrant, bergamot aromatics, fine spices, allspice. Friendly as always, this Bin 389 is not so much about pushing boundaries (as some have done in the past with oak) as portraying classic Penfolds style fashioned around an even integration of fruit, tannin and oak. The palate is elegant, generously bodied in blue fruits, red berries, red currant, fine herbs, thyme, oregano, gentlest of spices and vanillin influences. Texturally fine, it moves with style. Drink: 2025-2045." Jeni Port, Wine Pilot – 95 points
"The 2023 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz is inky, complete, powerful and structured, with black berries, sweet licorice, star anise and fennel. There are also notes of roasted meat juices and cedar wood. The expression of this wine is very attractive—the prism of the cooler season works well in this wine. Drink 2025-2043." Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate - 95 points
"I have been an avid follower of Bin 389 for three decades and have long admired its ability to unite cabernet and shiraz to transcend its seasons, and this is particularly apparent in 2023. This cool, dry and late harvest does not present the same vibrancy, grace and beauty as 2021 or 2022 across the Penfolds style, but yet again Bin 389 is a standout of the season. I love the seamless union of cabernet, shiraz and American oak here, setting a pristine and precise profile of the black- and redcurrants of cabernet, the blackberries of shiraz and the dark chocolate of oak. Structurally, it’s at once tense and glossy, polished and rigid, assertive and endearing, in a juxtaposition like only Penfolds can conjure. Another great Bin 389 for the ages. Drink 2043-2053." Tyson Stelzer - 95 points
"A compelling example of how Penfolds can craft wines using inputs from different regions, in this case McLaren Vale, Padthaway and the Barossa. It’s a famous wine, and typically it’s matured in American oak with about 33% new. The colour is deep and darkly opaque. The nose starts to reveal what this wine is about. It shows a blue fruit and slight mulberry influence on the darker plum characters. Has a savoury and light cedary touch. The palate is still very firm and tightly held with firm, sinewy tannins and integrated fine-grained oak. Focused and precise. Cellar 25 years." Ray Jordan, Ray Jordan Wines – 95 points
The story of bin 389
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, often known as 'Baby Grange', is named after its original binning compartment at Magill cellars. First produced in 1960, its history is connected with the development of Grange and Max Schubert's ambition to create what he called 'a dynasty of wines' for Penfolds.
Early Bin 389 vintages were made with fruit from around the Adelaide foothills, including Auldana and Magill. According to retired Penfolds Senior Winemaker John Bird, a small portion of Morphett Vale fruit, parcels not used for Grange and sometimes McLaren Vale fruit were also included in the blend during the 1960s. After Penfolds vineyards around Adelaide were extensively pulled out to make way for urban development during the mid-1970s, Barossa Valley, particularly the Kalimna Vineyard,
became a dominant source of fruit.
Since the mid-1990s Bin 389 has drawn fruit from around South Australia, including Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, Padthaway, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Wrattonbully, Clare Valley and Robe. Exacting specifications of ripeness, classic Penfolds winemaking and strict classification of wines after maturation have ensured the style has remained consistent since the beginning.
Bin 389 epitomises Penfolds winemaking philosophy and the benefits of cross-varietal and multi-regional blending. Max Schubert always favoured warmer-climate fruit as a source for the wine. By marrying the perfume and chocolaty tannins of ripe cabernet sauvignon with opulent and fleshy shiraz he could achieve extra aromatic complexity, volume and palate richness. The style has been refined over the last 60 years through meticulous fruit selection, the introduction of new technology and winemaking refinements. During the 1960s, use of refrigeration and stainless steel enabled winemakers to preserve freshness; new membrane presses during the 1970s allowed gentler extraction of flavours and tannins.
Vineyard management practices and a rigorous fruit-grading system have also contributed to higher quality fruit. Nonetheless, the overall winemaking practices have not changed: the classical heading down in open fermenters, partial barrel fermentation and maturation in new and seasoned American oak (much used previously for Penfolds Grange and Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon) remain key Penfolds techniques.
Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz remains one of Australia's most popular collectible red wines because of its consistency and long-term cellaring potential.
Peter Gago
The following text is taken from an article by Ken Gargett in Quill & Pad, https://quillandpad.com
Peter Gago has what many people in the wine world think is the best job on the planet. He is chief winemaker for Penfolds, based in South Australia and one of Australia’s oldest wine producers.
Max Schubert created Grange with the experimental first wine, the 1951, after he returned from Bordeaux and wanted to establish an Aussie First Growth. The story of Grange has been told many times, and as fascinating as it is I won’t rehash it again. Schubert ruled at Penfolds right through to the 1976 vintage, when he handed the reins to Don Ditter. Ditter made the wines right through to the 1986 vintage when John Duval stepped up. Duval was chief winemaker until the 2002 vintage, when he left to do his own thing, very successfully.
Since that time, Peter Gago has been the chief winemaker. It should be noted that although the role of chief winemaker at Penfolds will always be inextricably linked with Grange, there are a great many other wines in the portfolio for which this position assumes ultimate responsibility.
Alongside the winemaking, in which he is still heavily involved, a usual week in non-Covid times sees Gago flying around the world to tastings, dinners, events, festivals, and promotions. I suspect that only David Attenborough (outside of pilots and crew) has racked up more flying miles. I remember seeing him one day when he seemed even more pleased with the world than usual. Turns out he’d just run into his wife, Gail, now retired but a long-term and highly regarded member of the South Australian parliament, at the airport. Gago had not been aware that they would both be in the same country that week, let alone cross paths, such is his usual peripatetic lifestyle.
Gago has friends and admirers all around the globe, from the rich and famous to young, aspiring wine lovers, and will spend time talking to them all. I suspect that if he wanted to start dropping names, the din would reverberate for days, but you could not find a humbler man. Gago is a serious music buff and you’d be amazed at the number of rock stars who revere him, much in the way their fans might do for them (for instance, after crawling over broken glass to get a ticket to a Bruce Springsteen concert I saw Gago sitting in prime seats with Springsteen’s family, after which they went for dinner and knocked off a few bottles of Grange).
Gago is probably as close to a rock star himself in the world of wine, although perhaps more modest rather than flamboyant. And I have no idea if he can sing.
The thing that most amazes me with Gago is that every time you talk to him, he is bubbling with genuine enthusiasm, not just for Grange but for all his wines. He just loves what he is doing. One gets the feeling that every morning he wakes up and pinches himself to make sure it is real.
Among his many attributes, Gago has the gift of the gab like few others. Only once have I ever seen him lost for words and caught off guard. Many years ago, at the annual release – held in a very fancy location near the shores of Sydney Harbor; it is always a fancy location somewhere and also always includes great champagne to kick off the day as Gago is fanatical about the world’s best bubbles – the then current chairman or CEO of whichever corporate entity was then the owner of Penfolds attended the day. Forgive me for my failure to remember just where the corporate snakes and ladders left Penfolds that day and for failing to remember the relevant gentleman’s name. He had only been appointed as a temporary executive while the search for a more permanent one was ongoing, but unlike any of the CEOs before and after, this man had a genuine interest and came to a couple of tastings to learn.
Anyway, as we sipped our champagne on the lawns overlooking Sydney Harbor and chatted, our friend suddenly posed a question to Gago. He had been meaning to ask, he said, just how much Grange the company made. There were five or six writers in this little group and suddenly, every single one of us had pad and pen poised. The production of Grange is a national secret that is not to be disclosed under pain of death (general consensus puts it at, depending on the vintage, between 5,000 and 15,000 cases, with most releases in the mid range, but this is pure speculation).
Gago was at a loss. The boss of bosses had just asked him a direct question and Gago is far too polite not to answer but knew he couldn’t give that information out in public. He managed a fair bit of mumbling and generalizations and I think he suggested they meet later. Pads and pens all went back into bags, and we could not help grinning while Gago looked like he’d just swallowed a bad oyster.
Gago was born in England in 1957, but his family moved to Melbourne when he was only six years of age. Originally a math teacher (teaching is still a passion), he undertook a science degree at the University of Melbourne and then attended Roseworthy College, a famous Australian winemaking college, graduating as Dux (the highest ranking academic performance -ed), which will surprise no one.
In 1989 he joined Penfolds as a sparkling winemaker, working with Ed Carr, who has established a career in sparkling wine (now with Arras) as successful as Gago’s is with table wines. He moved to reds and quickly rose through the ranks until succeeding Duval in 2002. In the 73 years since Schubert was first appointed, Gago is only the fourth chief winemaker.
During his tenure, he has stacked up an extraordinary array of bling, as has Penfolds under his stewardship (Gago heads a team of eight winemakers for table wines and a couple more for fortifieds). He has several “Winemaker of the Year” awards from different entities and publications, both from Australia and abroad, but the accolades go well beyond that.
In 2017, in what is termed “the Queen’s Birthday Honors List,” he was awarded the highly prestigious Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for service to the wine industry. For non-Aussies, that is a big one! A year later, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of South Australia and named the Great Wine Capitals Ambassador for South Australia.
Very recently, Gago was awarded perhaps the most prestigious honor of all in the wine world: admission to the Decanter Hall of Fame (previously they honored the Decanter Man – or Woman – of the Year, but that changed). Decanter is a highly respected English wine magazine that established its hall of fame in 1984 with Serge Hochar from Château Musar in Lebanon the first recipient. There is only a single addition per year. Gago is the fourth Australian following Max Schubert in 1988, Len Evans in 1997, and Brian Croser in 2004. That two of the four chief winemakers from a single producer have made this list (Schubert and Gago) is unprecedented but shows just where Penfolds sits in the pantheon of wine producers around the globe.
And should you still remain unconvinced then take a moment to look at some of the names Gago has joined: Parker, Spurrier, Tchelistcheff, Robinson, Moueix, de Villaine, Antinori, Lichine, Gaja, Symington, Loosen, Guigal, Torres, Draper, Peynaud, Mondavi, and so many more. There is no question that the name Peter Gago sits very comfortably alongside them all.
What is most important is that across the board the Penfolds wines have never been better, and while it is a team effort, in the end we can thank Gago.
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!'.
South Australia
South Australian is responsible for more than half the production of all Australian wine. It is home to more than 900 wineries across 18 wine regions. The regions are Adelaide Hills, Adelaide Plains, Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, Currency Creek, Eden Valley, Kangaroo Island, Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale, Mount Benson, Mount Gambier, Padthaway, Riverland, Robe, Southern Fleurieu, Southern Flinders Ranges and Wrattonbully.
Many of the well-known names in the South Australian wine industry established their first vineyards in the late 1830s and early 1840s. The first vines in McLaren Vale were planted at Reynella in 1839 and Penfold's established Magill Estate on the outskirts of Adelaide in 1844.
South Australia has a vast diversity in geography and climate which allows the State to be able to produce a range of grape varieties - from cool climate Riesling in the Clare and Eden Vallies to the big, full bodied Shiraz wines of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. Two of Australia's best-known wines, Penfolds Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace, are produced here. There is much to discover in South Australia for the wine lover.