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.
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