A mature Penfolds tasting with Yattarna, Bin 389, St Henri, Bin 707 and Grange
Penfolds is one of Australia’s most important wine companies, famous for Grange (Bin 95), the red blend they have made since the 1950s, and also a growing series of Bin wines, some of which are of very high quality and which show great ageing ability. A good example of this would be Bin 389, which used to be a very affordable blend (I remember buying this for £11.99 back in the early 1990s), but which is now quite expensive, but still much cheaper than Grange. Bin 389 was a banker for the cellar, tasting good at all stages of its life. Then there was the outlier, St Henri, made without new oak and another wine that was best left in the cellar a while. One of my favourites in the range is Bin 707, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and this wine showed really well in this tasting of some back vintages hosted by London merchant Berry Bros & Rudd (their Penfolds range is here).
Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay 2015
Appealing aromatics of nuts, honey and vanilla with some linear citrus fruit. Vivid with some pear and white peach richness on the palate and a nice acid line. Concentration and finesse here. 95/100
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2018
Concentrated and quite fresh with some vanilla and dill, some meatiness and black cherries and blackcurrant. Quite expressive but still a bit tightwound, with some mint and dill on the finish. Potential here. 94/100
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2015
Warm, spicy and harmonious with lovely sweet black cherry and blackcurrant fruit with fine-grained tannins. Lovely structure, starting to show hints of leather, spice and earth. 95/100
Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2010
Lovely concentration and weight with nicely spicy, savoury black cherry and blackberry fruit and a touch of alcoholic warmth. Nice spicy detail on the finish, evolving well. 95/100
Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2013
Refined nose of black cherries, blackberries and dried herbs. The palate has some warmth with a nice savoury twist to the sleek black fruits, and hints of olive and leather. Stylish. 95/100
Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2010
So refined, developing beautifully with fresh black cherry and blackcurrant fruit. Evolving really nicely. Stylish and focused, and really lovely. 96/100
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
There’s a gravelly edge to the sweet blackcurrant fruit nose, with notes of fine dried herbs and tar. The palate is refined and structured at the same time with good definition. Really lovely. 96/100
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Perfumed, floral black cherry and blackcurrant nose. Lovely fruit here. Good concentration on the palate with broad, sweet fruit and some spicy structure. Really refined and polished, ripe and elegant. Has a core of sweet fruit. 96/100
Penfolds Bin 95 Grange 2013
Brooding, focused nose of sweet blackcurrant fruit with spicy detail. The palate is broad, concentrated and very structured with firm tannins and some development, finishing grippy. Very tight and a bit closed right now, but showing great concentration. At the moment it’s clunky and firm. 94/100
Penfolds Bin 95 Grange 2006
Savoury, spicy edge to the nose with some earth, spice and herbs. The palate is earthy and spicy with some noticeable development – more than you might expect. Some woody notes, finishing warm and spicy with grip on the finish. In an awkward place right now. 93/100
Penfolds Bin 95 Grange 2001
Earthy, spicy nose with some development. The palate has a sweet core of ripe berry fruits with good concentration, but also the earthy, spicy development that has come earlier than you might expect. Finishing firm and earthy, this is a rich, bold wine, but lacks focus. 93/100
