2021 Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz
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Tasting notes
This is a beautifully mouth-watering expression of Coonawarra’s distinctive terra rossa soils, aged for 12 months in French hogsheads (21% new, 22% one year old). While it’s easy to instantly associate the region with Cabernet, it produces some stunning Shiraz – as in this wine, which is deliciously juicy and generous, with plummy, rich fruit – plums, cherries and blackberries. The structure is so effortlessly smooth, with round, seamless tannins and a deliciously creamy finish.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2021 Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz is blue-fruited and spicy, with blueberry compote, salted licorice, blackberry bramble and olive tapenade. In the mouth, the fruit is powered by an effusive wall of soft, pillowy tannin, and there's lovely length through the finish (shaved fennel/garden mint through here). It's pure and blue and spicy. It matured for 12 months in French oak hogsheads (21% new). 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.
The 2021 Shiraz Bin 128 is a stunning release and shows a superb mix of power and refinement. It delivers all sorts of enticing aromas, including roasted meats, soy sauce, white pepper and just-ripe blackberry fruits, with killer poise. Toasty oak provides the perfect backdrop. Dry, mid-weight and well-pitched, engaging flavors of dark cherry are laced with layers of spice and charcuterie before a strong, sustained finish. This exceptional value wine is hard to put down.
Coonawarra had a dry start to the growing season with a notably warm spring and no frost damage reported. Overall, the summer and autumn conditions were cooler than average, allowing slow ripening. Aged for 12 months in French oak hogsheads (21% new, 22% one year old). TA 6.6 g/l, pH 3.6 . Dark purplish crimson. Light but zesty, refreshing nose. Drying finish. Quite a punishing, tannic drink at the moment. It may well blossom but I wouldn’t open it for a while. (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.