02 Sep 2021

Released this morning, this is the first time that Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon has been offered via the Place de Bordeaux, a marker of the increasing importance of both fine New World wines and of the Place itself.

Bin 169 was first made in 1973 by Max Schubert (Penfold's legendary winemaker and creator of Grange Hermitage) but was re-launched in 2008.  The wine is only made in exceptional vintages, from blocks of exceptionally old vine stock, the oldest in the region, and is designed to capture the essence of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the famous 'Terra Rossa' soils.  These rich red soils combine moisture retention (important in such a hot area) with a limestone base, which restricts vigour and produces small, intense berries and wines with excellent structure.  Decanter Magazine scores the 2018 96 points and comments on this regional typicity, whilst Suckling awards it 97 points, focusing on the elegance and complexity of aromas.

Offered en primeur, landing spring 2022.

 

See Penfold's head winemaker Peter Gago introduce the 2018 vintage Bin 169:

Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 £840 per six bottles in bond (VERY LIMITED AVAILABILITY)

"Everything alluring about Cabernet is on show here: regal lift and power on the nose, then a more subtle reveal on the palate through gossamer layers of cranberry, cassis, raspberry and fresh-cut herbs. Nothing showy but every component is in its right place. This proud declaration speaks deliberately of region and varietal character, and its bedrock of firm black tannins suggests that it has much more to reveal as it matures....Drinking Window 2022 - 2040.  96 points."  Decanter Magazine

"A very elegantly complex nose with meticulously fresh aromas that range from red florals to violets, blueberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and such sweetly perfumed cedary-oak spice. The palate has a very elegant, focused and piercingly central delivery of fine tannins,carrying pristine redcurrant and blackcurrant flavors. Seamlessly long, super fine and really packed with concentrated, contained, red-cherry and redcurrant flavors. Impressive. Drink or hold. 97 points."  James Suckling

Producer Profile

Penfolds, Adelaide

Penfold's is one of a number of so-called 'Doctor Wines', established in the 19th century by Doctors who emigrated to Australia, bringing vine cuttings with them in the belief that wine was good for health.  Lindeman's, Hardy's and Angove's are some other examples of names with the same origins which persist today.

Dr Christopher and Mary Penfold emigrated from West Sussex in 1844 and settled in the Adelaide area, purchasing the Magill estate and building a cottage on it, named 'The Grange'.  The Penfold family were in control of the business until 1976, focusing largely on the production of fortified wines, until winemaker Max Schubert joined the business in the 1940s.  He began to shift production to table wines and studied in Bordeaux, leading to the creation of Penfold's Grange 'Hermitage'. 

Currently, Penfold's is owned by Treasury Wine Estates, with Peter Gago as head winemaker.  The business owns vineyards in many regions across Australia.