Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2009

First made in 1960, this is the 50th consecutive release of Penfolds Bin 389! CM and I were shown the ’66, ’76, ’86, ’96, ’06 versions of Bin 389 before we got around to the 2009. My oh my that 1966 was good. Mellow secondary characters but some sweetness still left in the old gal. ’76 and ’86 were pretty good, some faint horsey notes creeping in, but you look past that, right? Still, some life in the ticker for both, and certainly some concentration in the ’86, and a step up in that in the ‘good bottle’ of ’96 Bin 389 that I tracked down on third attempt of three. 2006 is overrated for mine, its big, bold and brash. 2009 Penfolds Bin 389 however…

… is an even-keeled mesh of 51% cabernet sauvignon and 49% shiraz matured in 21% new American oak hogsheads. It sees fruit from Padthaway, Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully and Robe in 2009.

The wine announces itself with charry, gravelly barrel derived characters then earth, leather and lifted dark, wild berry fruit. You get some five spice, herbal notes and game in there too. A big shopping list of stuff in the bouquet. In the mouth, choc-mint freshness at first, then an impressive build of ultra-polished, shiny texture that is lusciously fruited and concentrated and formidable. The wine does lift with mixed peel freshness of acidity but is deeply serious, lashed together with fine, yet steely tannins and flashes of fancy oak. You can’t help but see All-Australian Team superiority here, everything trimmed and buffed in this impressive and sizeable frame. Not necessarily on my drinking radar, but wow, you can stand back and admire. Or dive in. Exceptional, modern 389. Drink 2012-2027+. 96+ Points. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front (2012).