Maker:
Penfolds has been a pioneer in the world of winemaking since its establishment in 1844 by Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold. The company's success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers who have pushed the development of the company to extraordinary, bold new heights. Mary Penfold's reign at the helm of Penfolds saw years of determination and endeavour, experimenting with new methods in wine production. In 1948, Max Schubert became the company's first Chief Winemaker and he propelled Penfolds onto the global stage with his experimentation of long-lasting wines - the creation of Penfolds Grange in the 1950s. Soon, the medals began flowing, and Grange quickly became one of the most revered wines around the world. In 2012, Penfolds released its most innovative project to date - 12 handcrafted ampoules of the rare 2004 Kalimna Block Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, Penfolds continues to hold dear the philosophies and legends that have driven the company's success since its establishment in 1844.
Penfold's Grange is Australia's most revered wine, and its creation represents a distillation of Max Schubert's ambition for Australian wine. Schubert joined Penfolds as a messenger boy in 1931 and by 1948, he became Penfolds' first Chief Winemaker. In the latter part of 1950, Schubert was sent to Europe to investigate winemaking practices in Spain and Portugal. On a side trip to Bordeaux, Schubert was inspired and impressed by the French cellared-style wines and dreamed of making 'something different and lasting' of his own. Combining traditional Australian techniques, inspiration from Europe and precision winemaking practices developed at Penfolds, Schubert made his first experimental wine in 1951. In 1957, Schubert was asked to show his efforts in Sydney to top management, invited wine identities and personal friends of the board. To his horror, the Grange experiment was universally disliked and Schubert was ordered to shut down the project. Max continued to craft his Grange vintages in secret, hiding three vintages '57, '58 and '59, in the depths of the cellars. Eventually, the Penfolds board ordered production of Grange to restart, just in time for the 1960 vintage. From then on, international acknowledgment and awards were bestowed on Grange, including the 1990 vintage of Grange, which was named Wine Spectator's Red Wine of the Year in 1995. Today, Grange's reputation as one of the world's most celebrated wines continues to grow. On its 50th birthday in 2001, Grange was listed as a South Australian heritage icon, while the 2008 Grange vintage achieved a perfect score of 100 points by two of the world's most influential wine magazines. With every new generation of Penfolds winemakers, Max Schubert's remarkable vision is nurtured and strengthened.
Vineyard/Vintage:
McLaren Vale enjoyed a relatively mild growing season. The Barossa Valley growing season was also relatively mild with long dry spells. Wrattonbully and Padthaway in the Southeast all had a favourable start to the growing season. Padthaway yields were 25% above the norm. The Clare Valley experienced similar conditions to the Barossa Valley with only 11 days recorded above 35°C. Yields were low, especially on dry grown blocks, however that was offset by the exceptional fruit quality. Overall, the summer and autumn conditions were cooler than average, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. An outstanding vintage for both cabernet sauvignon and shiraz.
Winestyle/Cuvee:
Bin 28 offers a showcase of warm climate Australian shiraz – ripe, robust and generously flavoured. First made in 1959, Bin 28 was originally named after the famous Barossa Valley Kalimna vineyard purchased by Penfolds in 1945 and from which the wine was originally sourced. Today, Bin 28 is a multi-region, multi-vineyard blend, with the Barossa Valley always well represented.
The 2021 vintage is benchmark Bin 28 - full-bodied, rich and generous. Explore mocha, chocolate, espresso flavours, mid-palate richness and juicy acidity. Approachable now, but with the capacity to cellar for 30 years.
Chocolate mud cake dense, rich, opulent. Cinnamon syrup poached red cherries. Coconut shavings and milk chocolate. Summer plum pudding with currants and creme anglaise. Bone marrow broth, Vietnamese Pho - layered complexity and texture. Turmeric, cinnamon, star anise clove. Cola with a suggestion of Chinotto bitterness. Sweet, layered fruit with earthy spices. Mouthcoating, chewy tannins.
Tasting:
Nose - Plum, Mocha, Sweet Spice
Classical blackberry, dark chocolate, mocha aromas with roasted walnut, hint spice/aniseed notes.
Palate - Concentrated Dark Fruits, Praline, Roasted Walnut
Richly concentrated and velvety textured wine with ample blackberry, praline flavours, fine dense chocolaty firm tannins and underlying roasted walnut savoury notes
Finish - Fine-grained Tannin, Saline-Finish, Graphite Edge
Fine-grained tannins and a twist of sea salt on the finish. Fantastic depth, lots of ripe fruit, but also a sense of balance, with savoury in the mix as well as sweetness.
Medium deep crimson. Classical blackberry, dark chocolate, mocha aromas with roasted walnut, hint spice/ aniseed notes. Richly concentrated and velvety textured wine with ample blackberry, praline flavours, fine dense chocolaty firm tannins and underlying roasted walnut savoury notes, Finishes claret firm with aniseed notes and persistent seductive sweet fruits. Exemplifies the art of blending. Delicious and timeless Australian style. One of the best ever Bin 28 vintages. - Andrew Caillard MW, 97 Points.
This is quite a firm statement of this classic Penfolds shiraz. Comes from a number of different regions and captures the character and style that is warm climate shiraz in Australia. Dark chocolate and black pudding with a plummy blackcurrant richness. The palate shows firm grainy tannins with the oak perfectly weighted. The assertive tannins with a minerally graphite edge really hold the whole deal together to promote that very long finish. - Ray Jordan, 96 Points.
Great concentration and depth here, showing bold berry fruits, a bit of ripe black cherry, and then some finegrained tannins and a twist of sea salt on the finish. Fantastic depth, lots of ripe fruit, but also a sense of balance, with savoury in the mix as well as sweetness. Very impressive – Jamie Goode, 95 points.
This 2021 release was grown in the McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Wrattonbully, and Clare Valley regions. 12 months in American oak, 7% new. I was looking around for info on this wine – on the Penfolds site – and saw that Jamie Goode has given this 95/100, and Andrew Caillard 97/100, both of which scores are a bit wild to me, in the context that we all have different-and-absolutely-legitimate takes.
Standard Bin 28 flavours, plums into chocolate with a graphite-like note striking on the finish. Straight up and down for the most part, simple, generous, warm, reliable. That’s all I wrote. It’s a generous Aussie red with just enough choc-cream characters to have it slipping down smoothly. I wouldn’t rush out at $50 but there’s no shortage of enjoyment to be had here. - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front.
The 2021 Bin 28 Shiraz hails from five regions: McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Wrattonbully and Clare Valley. The wine matured for 12 months in American oak (7% new), and this really amplifies the sweet fruit characters in the mouth. It's already nicely integrated aromatically, despite being poured and opened in the same instance (i.e., no preparation prior to tasting), and is redolent with red and purple berry fruit. Spicy, full throttle and loads of tannin in the mouth. Nicely chewy. The first vintage of this wine was in 1959. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2023 - 2035. - Erin Larkin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Shiraz
Country - Australia
Region - McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Wrattonbully, and Clare Valley, South Australia
Vintage - 2021
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.5%
