1996 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz
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Tasting notes
I was alone, in a roomful of Penfolds veterans, to dislike this wine. And I went back to it, over and over, throughout the length of the tasting, to see if suddenly something would shift and I would 'get it'. I didn't. I found very little nose; terse, skinny, anxious tannins. A wine that tasted grumpy, attenuated, tough, flat. For the sake of perspective, Peter Gago described it as elegant, Matthew Jukes as 'surprisingly graceful in the end' and Neil Beckett loved it. I even went to look at what our team have said about it over the years, and scores range from 14 (!) to 17.5. So, it seems that it might be a capricious wine that divides opinion. I'm sticking with my score, but please bear all of the above in mind. (TC)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Mature notes of cigar box mark the nose of the 1996 Cabernet / Shiraz Bin 389. It still has plenty to give, as it seems to be on a lovely plateau of maturity that should last at least another five years. Tobacco, cedar and vanilla notes are balanced by hints of dried cherries and red plums. It's medium to full-bodied, with silky tannins that linger elegantly on the finish.
51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Shiraz. More oxidative, slightly flatter fruit than the other 1990s vintages on the nose, with rioja-style openness to the perfume. There’s an attractive decay character to the fruit, giving just enough funky interest. Seems to be just slightly losing freshness. Other bottles might be stouter. (RH)
Thick and sweet. Vibrant. Dense and rich. Pure pleasure. (JR)
About the producer
Penfolds is Australia’s most famous wine producer, known best for their iconic top wine, Grange. First produced commercially in 1952, Grange has since gone on to become one of the world’s most famous fine wines. In 2001, the wine was listed as an Australian heritage icon.