Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2021
Treasury Wine Estates (Penfolds, est. 1844) · Penfolds, Magill Estate, Adelaide, South Australia
Bin 389 is known as “Baby Grange” for a reason: the wine is matured in the same American oak hogsheads that previously held Penfolds Grange, Australia’s most celebrated wine. That secondhand Grange influence — a ghost of Shiraz complexity — adds depth you can’t get any other way. Max Schubert created the first Bin 389 in 1960, and it’s been in continuous production ever since, blending Cabernet’s structure with Shiraz’s generosity. At $40–55, it delivers a taste of the Penfolds house style at a fraction of Grange’s price. This is arguably Australia’s greatest value red.
Nose
Blackcurrant, dark plum, chocolate, cedar, sweet vanilla, dried herbs
Palate
Full-bodied — ripe blackberry, dark cherry, milk chocolate, licorice, well-integrated oak tannins, savoury edge
Finish
Long and structured with lingering spice, cedar, and dark fruit
- Blend
- 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Shiraz (multi-region South Australia)
Cocktail Suggestion
Cocktail — Penfolds Mulled Wine: 1 bottle Bin 389 · 2 cinnamon sticks · 4 cloves · 2 star anise · Orange zest strips · 2 tbsp honey. Warm gently (don’t boil) for 20 minutes. Ladle into mugs.
Food Pairing
Pair with: Grilled lamb chops with rosemary and garlic — the Cabernet’s tannin and the Shiraz’s fruit both love lamb.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Jura 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Jura
Jura 10 is an island malt that sidesteps the peat-bomb stereotype entirely. Its restraint is its strength — a whisky shaped by geography rather than process, tasting of the rain and wind that batter its remote island home. Ideal as a gateway to island Scotch.
Noah's Mill Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
Noah's Mill
Noah's Mill is barrel-proof bourbon without apology. Its intensity rewards patience — a splash of water opens the caramel and softens the leather into something rich and contemplative. A serious sipper for those who want their bourbon to push back.
Crossbill Highland Dry Gin
Crossbill
Crossbill is a gin that refuses to compromise on juniper. Using only Scottish juniper berries and rosehip, it delivers one of the most juniper-forward profiles available — a gin built for G&T purists and Martini devotees who want the pine to sing. It tastes like the Scottish Highlands in a glass.
Rhum Clément Select Barrel Rhum Agricole
Clément
Clément Select Barrel is an excellent entry point into aged agricole rhum. The barrel aging tames the raw grassy intensity without erasing it, creating a spirit that bridges the gap between agricole purists and aged rum lovers. At its price, it's one of the best values in the category.
Domaine de l'Hortus Grande Cuvée Pic Saint-Loup 2020
Domaine de l'Hortus
Domaine de l'Hortus Grande Cuvée is a masterful expression of Pic Saint-Loup — a region where the altitude and dramatic temperature swings between day and night produce wines of remarkable freshness despite the Mediterranean heat. This is serious Languedoc red at a fraction of Rhône Valley prices.
Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Estates 2021
Domaine de la Côte
Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman's estate-wide blend offers a window into their meticulous Sta. Rita Hills farming without the single-vineyard price tag. It drinks like Burgundy in its restraint and transparency, proving that California Pinot Noir can whisper rather than shout.
Domaine de la Bouïssière Gigondas Les Olivets 2021
Domaine de la Bouïssière
The Faravel family farms old-vine Grenache and Mourvèdre on Gigondas's rocky Dentelles de Montmirail slopes, where low yields and extreme diurnal temperature swings build concentration naturally. Les Olivets is their flagship — a wine of real substance that never sacrifices drinkability for power. Give it thirty minutes in a decanter and it opens beautifully.
Pietradolce Etna Rosso DOC 2021
Pietradolce
Pietradolce farms some of the highest vineyards on Etna's north slope, and this entry-level Rosso punches well above its price. Nerello Mascalese shows its best here — transparent, mineral-driven, alive with tension. It's a red wine that feels like it was drawn from the rock itself.