Awards, Ratings & Reviews
GOLD — San Francisco International Wine Competition · 2005
SILVER — Indy International Wine Competition · 2005
95/100 — Huon Hooke, The Real Review · Tasted Aug 2020
“A glorious bottle of this lovely wine, which is probably drinking at its peak, but certainly shows no sign it won't maintain this level for years to come. Complex, bright, velvet smooth and very deep on the palate. There is matured complexity in spadefuls but also freshness and stacks of fruit. Drink: 2020–2030.”
95/100 — Bob Campbell MW · 2002 Vintage · Tasted: Mar 2005
“Lovely dense, deep wine with ripe berry, spice, licorice and classy oak flavours. Long with great mouthfeel. A terrific balance with sweet fruit and ripe tannins gives a pleasantly drying finish.”
94/100 — James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
“Powerful but silky smooth; elegance and fruit freshness beyond the normal; black fruits running through the length of the palate; ripe tannins, restrained oak. Another testament to 2002. Drink Now-2022.”
93/100 — Jeremy Oliver · 2002 Vintage · Tasted: Jan 2003
“A stylish and relatively closed Bin 389 scented with dark plums and blackberries and dark chocolate-like aromas of sweet vanilla oak. Full to medium weight, it's long and smooth, with a rather shy palate of densely packed, pristine and lightly minty blackberry, dark plum and blackcurrant-like fruit tightly integrated with powdery and fine-grained tannins and smooth, lightly smoky oak. An atypical Penfolds, holding its cards close to its chest, but likely to age well. Drink 2014-2022.”
93/100 — Paul Ippolito
“Lashings of blackberries, plum fruitcake, raspberries and blackcurrants still off the aroma base - a truly fruit focussed and centred red wine. Liquorice, dark chocolate and a distinctive earthiness also ensue but the fruit characters are the ones showing off. This red is still quite young and fresh, albeit the fruit is starting to meld together and some hints of secondary character are emerging. Ripe tannins, lingering long with blueberry and blackberry flavours with hints of allspice dominating on the finish. Good spicy oak, well melded and a lovely well roundedness and drinkability, albeit with a touch of warmth on the finish. Developing well and with a very good future in it. An excellent traditional Aussie red blend that showcases very well how the two varietals weave together seamlessly. I had this with oven baked lamb shanks and it went superbly.”
★★★★★ — Ralph Kyte-Powell, Epicure Uncorked
“Fans of Penfolds Bin reds have been eagerly awaiting the 2002 vintage and they won't be disappointed. The '02 Bin 389 looks the best of this line for some years. It's dense with aromas of blackcurrant, plum, dark chocolate and smoky-sweet barrel ferment. The long velvety palate has lovely concentration and balanced ripe tannins. Ageing? Drink over 10 years.”
About This Wine
Created by Max Schubert, creator of Penfolds Grange, Bin 389 is often referred to as ‘Baby Grange’ because components of the wine are matured in barrels that previously held Grange.
First made in 1960, Bin 389 helped establish Penfolds' reputation with red wine drinkers by combining the structure of cabernet sauvignon with the richness of shiraz.
The 2002 vintage received a Red Star rating in Penfolds Rewards of Patience, awarded to wines considered exceptional vintages.
Regular winter rainfall ensured ideal soil moisture and healthy vine growth. Cool spring and summer conditions reduced yields and slowed ripening, while a warm, dry autumn enabled the grapes to reach ideal ripeness.
Producer Notes
COLOUR Deep red.
NOSE Lovely, elegant style with intense, pure cassis minty, garrigue aromas and hints of vanilla oak.
PALATE A rich, beautifully balanced wine with opulent, clear blackcurrant, sweet-fruit flavours underlying new oak and fine-grained tannins. Finishes chocolaty firm. Perfectly balanced wine with a great future.
Specifications
- Vintage: 2002
- Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (54%) / Shiraz (46%)
- Region: McLaren Vale / Padthaway / Bordertown / Barossa Valley / Langhorne Creek / South Australia / Australia
- Maturation: Matured for 12 months in 22% new and seasoned American oak hogsheads
- Production Attributes: American Oak
- Vineyard / Geo Info: McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Bordertown, Barossa Valley and Langhorne Creek
- Alcohol: 14.5%
- Sweetness: Dry
- Acidity TA: 6.5 g/L
- Acidity pH: 3.55
- Winemaker: Peter Gago
- Ownership: Treasury Wine Estates
- Closure: Cork or Screwcap
- Drinking Window: 2005–2030
