2021 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz
Buying options
Tasting notes
Penfolds’ 2021 “Baby Grange”, aka Bin 389, retains many of the elements of the classic Penfolds style. The nose is concentrated and rich, with notes of ripe plum, vanilla and sage that open up wonderfully in the glass. The palate displays a superb combination of power and refinement. The elegance of the Cabernet couples wonderfully with the depth and power of the Shiraz. Notes of blueberry and cassis dominate the mid-palate, leading to a long and precise finish. There’s a vein of sappy acidity that leaves you wanting more. The result is a wine of real poise and promise that will drink well over the next 15 years.
Critic scores
Average Score
Matthew Jukes
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
When you bring Shiraz into the picture in 2021, it tends to mask some of Cabernet’s greener traits while bringing a certain spiciness of its own, and so while I was expecting a smoother wine than Bin 407, this is even more backward and unresolved. Spice, blueberry notes, blackcurrants and pepper, five spice, mint, the list goes on – this is a fascinating wine, and the tannins are feisty and firm and so while it is not a lavish big black limo of a Bin 389 it is going to travel just as far! Once again, I really like the imperfections because they keep your palate ticking over, actively engaging with this wine.
The 'mini Grange', as it is known. Robust, with a core of molten raspberry, blueberry, tea leaf and anise, juxtaposed against something that feels cooler and fresher and compelling enough to reach for the next glass. Very Australian of feel. I have had old vintages of this, some very old. They are inevitably a rewarding experience. The generous oak framework, apposite in lieu of this latent wine's immense potential. Drinkable now, but best from 2027.
Baby Grange gets its moniker as components of the blend are matured in the same barrels as the previous vintage of Grange. But with Cabernet Sauvignon the main player (53% in this vintage), it is more a Baby 707, especially as it always benefits from wine originally destined for that cuvée as well as Grange. A beauty of a beast, whose imposing tannin structure and abundantly ripe fruit need time. Powerful, inky blue and black berry fruits dominate the nose and palate, alongside bergamot freshness, earthy tapenade, exotic spices, iron filings and lots of black pepper. Coconut richness from 12 months in US oak hogsheads (37% new) and fine cocoa powder tannins add grip and linger long.
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.