96
// James Halliday's Wine Companion
"A strong release for the Bin 389. This year is a blend of 51/49% cabernet sauvignon/shiraz. Deep fruit characters of blackberry, black cherry and blueberry of considerable purity and depth, supported by hints of mixed spice, violets, creamy oak, cold black tea, panforte and earth. Strong powdered gravel tannins provide grip and support, and there is a considerable depth to the persistent finish as the wine sails slowly away. Built for the cellar."
96
// Ken Gargett – Winepilot.com
"Always a star of the Collection, year after year. The blend, as it almost always is, falls marginally in favour of Cabernet – 51% Cab to 49% Shiraz this time. The fruit hails from McLaren Vale, Padthaway and the Barossa Valley. Maturation is in American oak hogsheads for one year, one third of which are new. A triumph for the vintage. Opaque purple, this is lifted, generous and really rather exciting. Glorious aromatics, there are notes of plums, aniseed, tobacco leaves, dark chocolate, espresso, blackberries, coffee beans, with a touch of blueberries peeking through. Black pudding and chocolate mud cake may not sound like the most enticing combination, but here it works wonderfully well. Seamless in structure with bright energy and immaculate balance, this is very long. There is fine acidity here, and even finer tannins with a sleekness to them. Early complexity is very much evident, and we can expect that to really develop further in the coming years. Power, yes, but this is also effortlessly elegant. Delicious now, this will surely drink beautifully for the next fifteen years, considerably longer if you really do have the patience. Love it."
96
// Andrew Caillard MW
"Deep crimson. Perfumed violet, praline, blackcurrant/ blackberry aromas with inky/ chinotto notes. Voluminous and sinuous with beautiful pure cassis, chinotto flavours, plentiful fine chalky al-dente tannins and well-balanced roasted chestnut/ marzipan/ vanilla notes. Builds up brambly firm at the finish. Lovely density, vinosity and flow."
95
// Campbell Mattinson
"There’s a thickness to this release, and a freshness, and a formation of tannin, and an infusion of vanilla cream. The result is an impeccable release of Bin 389. It doesn’t jump out of the glass and announce that it’s really super high echelon but it does stake its quality claims in empathic terms. Red licorice and blackcurrant, mint, cream, olives and a brush of herbs. The key here is the cabernet component, which is clearly high class. This will cellar long term."
95
// Huon Hooke
"Deep, dense colour that coats the glass; powerful aromas of black coffee, mocha, and dark chocolate; the palate is full-bodied, rich and concentrated with lavish tannins which are supple and pliant, coating the mouth but leaving no astringency. Some dark loamy earth notes and oak is there but sensitively employed. A solid, generous, typical 389 which will reward over the long term. (McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Barossa Valley. 51% cabernet, 49% shiraz)"