$100 and over
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz (6 )
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz is dubbed the 'Baby Grange' for good reason, in part because components of the wine are matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange. The near perfect conditions of 2022 allowed even flowering and fruit-set, leading to uniform veraison for robust grape flavours, tannins, and colour. The wine boasts volumes of Cabernet character, showcasing cool fruits that are well lifted and vibrant. The 2022 is comprised of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Shiraz and is aged for 12 months in American oak hogsheads 36% of which was new. This bottle comes gift boxed. Bin 389 was first made in 1960 by the legendary Max Schubert and helped forge Penfolds reputation with red wine drinkers by combining the structure of cabernet sauvignon with the richness of shiraz. The judicious balance of fruit and oak in this wine exemplifies the generous mid-palate that Penfolds is known for. The use of high-quality fruit and the winery's attention to detail in the winemaking process have resulted in a wine that is both rich and complex. Bin 389 is a testament to Penfolds' commitment to creating wines that are both elegant and bold. Maker: Penfolds has been a pioneer in the world of winemaking since its establishment in 1844 by Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold. The company's success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers who have pushed the development of the company to extraordinary, bold new heights. Mary Penfold's reign at the helm of Penfolds saw years of determination and endeavour, experimenting with new methods in wine production. In 1948, Max Schubert became the company's first Chief Winemaker and he propelled Penfolds onto the global stage with his experimentation of long-lasting wines - the creation of Penfolds Grange in the 1950s. Soon, the medals began flowing, and Grange quickly became one of the most revered wines around the world. In 2012, Penfolds released its most innovative project to date - 12 handcrafted ampoules of the rare 2004 Kalimna Block Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, Penfolds continues to hold dear the philosophies and legends that have driven the company's success since its establishment in 1844. Vineyards: In the 2022 season, McLaren Vale temperatures rarely soared above 35°C – significantly lower than in the previous vintage. This coolness contributed to a delayed but unhurried harvest, allowing Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon fruit to be picked at an ideal time for quality. Coonawarra experienced its own cold spells with nine days dipping below 2°C during spring. The lowest point was recorded early in September at -0.3°C. Frost fans played a critical role in protecting the vines from damage. Warmer weather returning late November to December provided perfect conditions for flowering and fruit-set, leading to uniform veraison with robust grape flavours, tannins, and colour. The Barossa Valley told a story of resilience under cool conditions with spring storms bringing winds and heavy rains including hail; nevertheless, yields exceeded early predictions. A dry but cool December extended the fruit-set period; however, this did not hinder sugar accumulation or phenolic maturity thanks to healthy canopies that retained acid well into the growing season. Nose - Bay Leaf, Blackcurrant, Ripe Plums Bay, blackcurrant, vanilla, licorice and sweet, plump plums create a deep, rich impression. Palate - Chocolaty, Plums, Licorice Volumes of Cabernet character, showcasing lifted and vibrant cool fruits. Rustic sourdough notes complement the lush plum fruits, blackberry, mulberry and distinctly tart morello cherries. Finish - Coffee Grounds, Cocoa, Crushed Herbs On the finish a hint of coffee grounds, cocoa brings a lifted spark with an added hint of crushed herbs 2022 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz lives up to its reputation as the second wine to Grange. The wine is superbly refined, generous and chocolaty and will cellar for years to come. In may respects it is the quintessential Penfolds wine offering drinkers the best of craftsmanship, multi-regional sourcing and style. - Andrew Caillard MW, 98 Points. We have seen Bin 389 shine brightly in fab years, but it is in years like 2022 when the weather Gods run amok and are unpredictable, that Bin 389 is tested. It comes through, as ever, comfortably, assuredly, warmly, like settling back into an old comfy leather chair. Evocative aromas of earth, old leather, woodsy spices galore, black fruits and signature American oak pencil shavings, cigar box, the oak being a little more evident than usual. Mellow, full flavoured, Bin 389 ’22 returns to that kind of down-home or unpretentious character that we love; it has nothing to prove, everything to gain as it impresses with the essence of South Australian Cabernet (51%) and Shiraz (49%) from five regions lead by McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and the Barossa Valley. Defined by a density of black fruits, liquorice, spice, underlined by fine, confident oak tannins and supported by bright acidity. A kiss of coffee grounds, cocoa brings a lifted spark with an added hint of crushed herbs. Another strong Bin 389, classic in definition and execution. - Jeni Port, Wine Pilot, 95 Points. This is a commanding Bin 389. It’s svelte and smooth but the penetration of the finish, meshed with tannin as it is, is right up there. Bay, blackcurrant, vanilla, licorice and sweet, plump plums create a deep, rich impression, though it all comes with sinew and it all comes with bone. It’s a familiar flavour profile but this 2022 release is really well formed, and executed. There’s flavour, there’s flex, there’s class. - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, 95 Points.
Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz (6 )
Penfolds has been a pioneer in the world of winemaking since its establishment in 1844 by Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold. The company's success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers who have pushed the development of the company to extraordinary, bold new heights. Mary Penfold's reign at the helm of Penfolds saw years of determination and endeavour, experimenting with new methods in wine production. In 1948, Max Schubert became the company's first Chief Winemaker and he propelled Penfolds onto the global stage with his experimentation of long-lasting wines - the creation of Penfolds Grange in the 1950s. Soon, the medals began flowing, and Grange quickly became one of the most revered wines around the world. In 2012, Penfolds released its most innovative project to date - 12 handcrafted ampoules of the rare 2004 Kalimna Block Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, Penfolds continues to hold dear the philosophies and legends that have driven the company's success since its establishment in 1844. Penfold's Grange is Australia's most revered wine, and its creation represents a distillation of Max Schubert's ambition for Australian wine. Schubert joined Penfolds as a messenger boy in 1931 and by 1948, he became Penfolds' first Chief Winemaker. In the latter part of 1950, Schubert was sent to Europe to investigate winemaking practices in Spain and Portugal. On a side trip to Bordeaux, Schubert was inspired and impressed by the French cellared-style wines and dreamed of making 'something different and lasting' of his own. Combining traditional Australian techniques, inspiration from Europe and precision winemaking practices developed at Penfolds, Schubert made his first experimental wine in 1951. In 1957, Schubert was asked to show his efforts in Sydney to top management, invited wine identities and personal friends of the board. To his horror, the Grange experiment was universally disliked and Schubert was ordered to shut down the project. Max continued to craft his Grange vintages in secret, hiding three vintages '57, '58 and '59, in the depths of the cellars. Eventually, the Penfolds board ordered production of Grange to restart, just in time for the 1960 vintage. From then on, international acknowledgment and awards were bestowed on Grange, including the 1990 vintage of Grange, which was named Wine Spectator's Red Wine of the Year in 1995. Today, Grange's reputation as one of the world's most celebrated wines continues to grow. On its 50th birthday in 2001, Grange was listed as a South Australian heritage icon, while the 2008 Grange vintage achieved a perfect score of 100 points by two of the world's most influential wine magazines. With every new generation of Penfolds winemakers, Max Schubert's remarkable vision is nurtured and strengthened. Bin 28 offers a showcase of warm climate Australian shiraz – ripe, robust and generously flavoured. First made in 1959, Bin 28 was original named after the famous Barossa Valley Kalimna vineyard purchased by Penfolds in 1945 and from which the wine was originally sourced. Today, Bin 28 is a multi-region, multi-vineyard blend, with the Barossa Valley always well represented. Chocolate mud cake dense, rich, opulent. Cinnamon syrup poached red cherries. Coconut shavings and milk chocolate. Summer plum pudding with currants and creme anglaise. Bone marrow broth, Vietnamese Pho - layered complexity and texture. Turmeric, cinnamon, star anise clove. Cola with a suggestion of Chinotto bitterness. Sweet, layered fruit with earthy spices. Mouthcoating, chewy tannins.
PENFOLDS BIN 149 CAB SAUV 20
Penfolds Bin 149 Cabernet Sauvignon seeks out Northern Hemisphere excellence via meticulous vineyard and block selection, reinforced by flagship-worthy South Australian cabernet sauvignon. The result is distinctive, and of distinction. Bin 149’s name is derived from the percentage of South Australian cabernet sauvignon synergistically woven into the blend. Napa Valley regional sourcing seeks to showcase strong tannic foundations, dark fruit intensity but with the added dimension of a unique “worldly” disposition. Matured in French and American oak, this release highlights Penfolds commitment to quality and winemaking approach.
Penfolds Dourthe Cabernet Sauvignon
Since 1844, Penfolds has been grounded in experimentation, curiosity and uncompromising quality. This pioneering spirit still rings true after nearly two centuries and is what has helped them become one of the most celebrated winemakers in the world today. The creation of this limited release Cabernet Sauvignon began as a quest to create something real, different, and aspiringly lofty, together with our trusted partner Dourthe Bordeaux. The French component of this wine was made at two of the Dourthe-owned wineries. Australian components of this wine were made at Penfolds Nuriootpa Winery (South Australia). The French and Australian components were blended and bottled in South Australia. A natural match with lamb studded with rosemary and thyme. Slow braised beef cheeks. Cheese: English cheddar, Grana Padano, Limburger.
Penfolds Great Grandfather Tawny Port
Penfolds Great Grandfather Rare Tawny was created in 1994 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Penfolds. Subsequent blending material has been sourced from stage six of the ‘Grandfather Solera’ and individual batches of maturing Grandfather that are identified as having exceptional quality. These components are further aged before being blended and introduced into the ‘Great Grandfather Solera’. After an initial launch of exactly 1994 bottles to commemorate the year of its inaugural release, Great Grandfather is only ever released in limited quantities to ensure the age and quality of the style is never compromised. With a minimum average blended age of 30 years, Penfolds Great Grandfather Rare Tawny delivers a beguiling mix of age, structure, strength and complexity with each and every sip. Specially selected South Australian vineyards. Many of the vineyards selected for the production of the first release of Great Grandfather are still utilised for the current release. These vineyards are selected for their consistently high quality and reliability year after year. As Great Grandfather is produced using a Solera system and sourced from additionally matured Grandfather stocks, it will always retain every variety used, albeit in small amounts. Of the some 13 varieties identified the major varieties which form the backbone of the blend from year to year are Shiraz, Grenache, Mataro and Cabernet. A specially selected ex-still fortifying spirit that has a distinctive aroma and flavour is then added. The selected spirit has an abv of 80-85% with the power and intensity to accompany and enhance the 30 years of age concentration and complexity without presenting as the dominant character. While spirit is the main driver of style in younger wines it becomes a less dominant contributor in wines of this age as the aged components take the forefront. The current Great Grandfather Solera contains a vintage span of 42 years with individual components covering 1960 to 2002 included. This large span of vintages ensures consistency and that the required level of age and youth for complexity and freshness is maintained. Lustrous deep tawny in colour with an obvious yellow-green edge. The aromas are intense, fragrant and seductive. Alluring toffee/praline notes. Rich fruit characters of quince paste, fig, raisin and candied peel. Toasted almonds and roasted chestnuts. The aromatic elements conspire into a wonderful integration, that complexes and evolves in the glass. Seamless and integrated from start to finish. Dark fruitcake, milk and dark chocolate, coffee, vanillin and aniseed all in abundance. Toffee/brûlée sugar with orange zest and marzipan add length and balance to the palate. The richness and weight of the wine are held in harmony by the spirit-acid balance, which conveys the long, persistent finish.
Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay
Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay displays an initial bouquet of slate and wet stone, with nuances of lightly roasted almonds. Subtle hints of citrus, shrouded by nectarine and nashi pear fruits. On the palate, a spiced multi-citrus compote with a very delicate acidity. Balanced and will develop exceptionally well with cellaring.
Penfolds Bin 180 Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz
Since 1844, Penfolds has been grounded in experimentation, curiosity and uncompromising quality. This pioneering spirit still rings true after nearly two centuries and is what has helped them become one of the most celebrated winemakers in the world today. Penfolds Bin 180 Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz 2021 binds the past and present. It encases progress, tradition, and spirit as a commemorative wine to mark 180 years of winemaking at Penfolds. Made with fruit from esteemed Penfolds vineyard blocks in Coonawarra, Bin 180 highlights the long-standing relationship between Penfolds and the region.
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz (Gift Boxed)
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. Exemplifying the judicious balance of fruit and oak, Bin 389 highlights the generous mid-palate Penfolds in known for.