#bin 389

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Penfold's Bin release day is the Australian wine equivalent of a new Harry Potter film to a JK Rowling fan or a new iPhone release to tech heads. There is nothing quite like it to get local wine blogs lighting up or to create an argument over single site wines versus regional blends. It also happens to create a price war between the major liquor chains, which in most cases resembles a reverse auction where the prices of some of the countries best wines get slashed to just above cost over a period of about 48 hours. The new vintage is usually released on the first Thursday in March and by the following Sunday stock of the premium wines such as 389 and 407 are virtually all gone. It's an exciting time to be a wine geek! The 2009 Bin 389 is the 50th consecutive release it's a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Shiraz matured in American Oak hogsheads with the fruit sourced from 6 different regions throughout South Australia. They call this wine 'Baby Grange', referring to Penfold's flagship which retails for about 10 times the price. The 2009 has vibrant fruits with characters of earth and spice, the oak plays a supporting role only. Can be drank now but undoubtedly it's best drinking is ahead it, Penfold's list the peak drinking period as 2014 - 2028. 96/100

... and it was harvested before I could even legally consume it. Delicious!