Nick Stock is one of Australia’s most well-known and highly-regarded wine critics. He co-owns McLaren Vale’s favourite beach front bar and restaurant the Silver Sands Beach Club. Read more of Nick Stock’s work over at nickstock.com.au
Penfolds’ annual release is a red letter day on the Australian wine calendar and the 2024 releases are one of the strongest offerings in recent years, spanning a wide range of styles, a handful of recent vintages and include Penfolds branded wines made in Australia, the USA, France and China.
But it is the historic core of Bin numbered bottlings that remains the central focus each year for Australians and this range is well and truly built on a foundation of South Australia’s greatest regions and our most well-known varieties. Riesling, chardonnay, grenache, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz are all represented in significant breadth, depth and quality.
Penfolds is a brand that has historically dominated with red wine but one that has steadily infiltrated the world of high-quality chardonnay with a trio of wines that deserve more than honourable mention. The Adelaide Hills Reserve Bin A is a local favourite here in South Australia and a regular collector of gold medals and wine show trophies. Yattarna, their top bottling, has ascended to truly elite level quality with the ability to adapt fruit sourcing to wherever the best resides each year.
The Bin 311, formerly a Tumbarumba regional wine, has graduated to a multi-regional format in recent vintages and this wine has claimed a new territory akin to that of Bin 389. The new 2023 vintage is sourced from Tasmania, Tumbarumba, Henty and the Adelaide Hills and really hits the mark of quality and completeness. It is priced around the $55 mark, similar to Bin 28 Shiraz ($50), but perhaps this wine is heading towards the ‘baby Yattarna” zone, a white sibling to Bin 389 ($120)?
The elevation of grenache in the Penfolds offering continues with another very good value pair of wines – the varietal Penfolds Grenache South Australia Bin 21 2023 and the Grenache Shiraz Mataro Barossa Valley Bin 138 2022 both deserve a few spots in the wine rack or cellar, for they will deliver now and later. Look also to the Penfolds Shiraz Coonawarra Bin 128 2022 ($75) for strong value, this wine has really started to excel in recent vintages.
The red highlights further up the scale are an impressively Shiraz Barossa Valley Bin 150 Marananga 2022 ($100) and another stellar Penfolds Shiraz South Australia St. Henri 2021 ($135) is my best value pick up the scale. Grange 2020 is right on the mark in terms of style and impact, a sure-fire bet for long term drinking and collecting.
And if you’re looking to really weigh in at the upper reaches of quality and price, the 180 years of winemaking commemorative release 2021 Bin 180 Coonawarra Cabernet Shiraz will return famously in terms of both enjoyment and investment if you’ve got $1,180 for a 750ml bottle, $3,500 for a magnum or $18,000 for a double magnum. See what they did there!
Happy hunting and collecting!
Nick
Have a glass of…
Penfolds Grenache Shiraz Mataro Barossa Valley Bin 138 2022
Some richness and darker fruit dominance on the nose here, this speaks to the rise of shiraz in this edition to 43% of the blend, grenache being the largest share at 47% and mataro an even 10%. The palate tells a similar story with soft, smooth and rich style offering real drinkability and instant appeal. Such a great statement of Barossa Valley fruit quality. Drink or hold.
Penfolds Shiraz Coonawarra Bin 128 2022
Ever-impressive in recent vintages, this continues the ascent to quality, style and poise. Perfumed red berry fruits abound, some spicy and leafy notes, fine white pepper and orange rind. The palate is silky and elegant yet richly flavourful with red berry fruits and red plums dusted in light pepper and spices. French oak (30% new) does it justice. Drink or hold.
Penfolds Shiraz South Australia Bin 28 2022
This South Australian super group of McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway and Wrattonbully delivers a statement of a cooler vintage that has such attractive brightness and vivid red-focused fruits like plum, cherry and raspberry. There’s plenty of flavour in a more mid-weight palate that has a darker set of fruit flavours as well as espresso and cocoa. Drink over the next two decades.
Penfolds Shiraz Barossa Valley Bin 150 Marananga 2022
A more moderate vintage has toned this always powerful shiraz into a more athletic style and also brought real approachability to the fore. There’s really intense blackberry and espresso as well as cocoa and tarry elements on the nose. The palate is so concentrated yet neatly aligned with tannins laced up neatly from start to finish. Dark plum, dark chocolate and cocoa flavours. A great vintage for Bin 150. Drink over the next two decades or more.
Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz South Australia Bin 389 2022
Just 51% cabernet sauvignon this vintage in a robust red blend drawing upon five regions – McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, Padthaway and Wrattonbully. Deep ripe black and red berry fruits are framed in shaved coconut and black tea-like notes. Berries, cherries and plums, mulberries and more make for a richly fruited palate. Espresso-laced tannins to close. Quite approachable. Drink over the next two decades.
Penfolds Shiraz South Australia Grange Bin 95 2020
A blend of McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Clare Valley with 3% cabernet sauvignon. The boldness is unmistakable and this wine really asserts itself uniquely in terms of statuesque shiraz. The aromas of ripe blackberry and dark plum fruits are coated in tar, Indian ink and iodine. Plum pudding too. There’s trademark oak spice and cedar, the 100% new American oak is so easily carried by such powerful fruit. Very plush, rich and sweetly ripe shiraz fruits that taste of dark plum and blackberry with coconut and cocoa powder too. Saturated and seamless. Drink from 2028 and for two decades or more.
