Bin 389 South Australia Cabernet Shiraz

You would never pick this as a 26 year old red wine from the colour. A rich Ruby red with no tawny rim. This has the Penfolds DNA of ripe plum, mocha, coffee bean and chocolate - a trace of liquorice. The palate is medium plus weight, balanced and harmonious maintaining that core strength. Those initially firm tannins have become supple. Drinking at its peak but could stay on this plateau for a couple more years. My last bottle of the 96 but I still have a few more bottles of the Bin 707 from 1996 which was a huge wine.

From Polar’s old Australian Tasting - all tasted blind. I picked this as 2002 of the options offered. This is incredibly latent and showing much younger than 1996. Notes of dark chocolate and blackberry still with firmish Tannins. At least another 5 years in this.

A lovey amalgam of aromas of blackberry mocha and aniseed which follow through onto the full bodied palate - very much the DNA of mature Penfolds. Not sure that anybody does the Cabernet Shiraz Blend better than they do. The Yalumba Signature would come close. Going to a Yalumba Dinner tonight so it will be good to reacquaint with the Signature. This was more enjoyable than its more expensive elder brother the Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet from the same year, 1996, drank recently - the latter lacking finesse. 69% Cabernet Sauvignon; 31% Shiraz.

This wine has faded a little from 5 to 10 years ago. Sweet plummy fruit with a touch of green pepper (capsicum). Medium weight with a little astringency. On the plateau but gradually going downhill at 21 years. 2 left from an original dozen.

Notes of Cedar, ripe plum leading to Blackberry and prune notes. Hints of aniseed. Even at 20 years age firmish tannins and a good future well into the 2020s.

Quite a remarkable wine, showing is age with pride and strength. Very enjoyable nose and well balanced mouth. Really at its peak!!

All the secondary flavours you could ask for. Earth, spice and all things nice. Luscious, still bags of fruit. Stunning bottle

Still a strong core of fruit. Shows the influence of the liquorice of the Shiraz together with the mint of the Cabernet. At 19 years of age still a good future.

1996- OMG, 20 yr old but just a puppy! Amazingly vibrant and fresh, Cabernet shining bright with sweet luscious tannin! Yeah!!!

20 years in the bottle, still a monster red....