96 Point Rated - Tina Gellie Decanter 

"Referred to as ‘Baby Grange’ as components of the wine are always matured in the same American oak hogsheads that held the previous vintage of Grange, Bin 389 (first made in 1960) is always a Cabernet-dominant Cab-Shiraz – the great Australian blend. This year it just makes it, with 51%, the fruit for both varieties coming from McLaren Vale (45%), Padthaway and Barossa Valley. The 12 months in oak (33% new) adds a creamy coconut sheen to the generous mouthful of summer pudding berries, fleshy blue plums and more savoury tones of fennel salami, mocha and cigar box spice. Fine tannins, bright acidity and a firm structure deliver power and polish, already approachable but with a long life, and more complexity, ahead. A standout this vintage"

96 Point Rated - 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."

96 Point Rated - Ken Gargett Winepilot 

"Always a star of the collection, year after year. The blend, as it almost always is, falls marginally in flavour of Cabernet - 51% Cabernet 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. 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." 

96 Point Rated - Dave Brookes Halliday 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."

95 Point Rated - Lisa Cardelli 

"Á blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and $49% Shiraz, showcasing the best of both worlds. Crushed violets, ylang-yland oil, shimmering blackberries and blood plums, boysenberry compote, rosemary, polished leather and dark Ghana chocolate, amongst all. The tannins are granular, and the mid-palate focuses on the sweetness of the oak spices and fruit, lending the finale an umami-like tone. As time passes, the wine evolves, offering a new and interesting take each time.” 

95 Point Rated - Erin Larkin Robert Parker Wine Advocate 

"The 2023 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz is inky, complete, powerful and structured, with black berries, sweet licorice, star anise and fennel. There are also notes of roasted meat juices and cedar wood. The expression of this wine is very attractive the prism of the cooler season works well in this wine. The fruit is sourced from McLaren Vale, Padthaway and Barossa Valley, matured for 12 months in American oak hogsheads, 33% new." 

95 Point Rated - Campbell Mattinson The Wine Front 

"Grapes sourced from McLaren Vale, Padthaway and the Barossa Valley. 51% cabernet sauvignon, 49% shiraz. 12 months in American oak, 33% new. Price is unchanged at $120 RRP. 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 Point Rated - Jeni Port Wine Pilot 

"A seamless pairing of Cabernet Sauvignon (51%) and Shiraz (49%) sourced from McLaren Vale, Padthaway and the Barossa Valley. A busy amalgam of aromas bustling and bright in black cherry, blackcurrant, bergamot aromatics, fine spices, allspice. Friendly as always, this Bin 389 is not so much about pushing boundaries (as some have done in the past with oak) as portraying classic Penfolds style fashioned around an even integration of fruit, tannin and oak. The palate is elegant, generously bodied in blue fruits, red berries, red currant, fine herbs, thyme, oregano, gentlest of spices and vanillin influences.  Texturally fine, it moves with style."

95 Point Rated - Tyson Stelzer 

94 Point Rated - Peter Moser Falstaff 

"Dark ruby garnet colour, purple reflections, delicate ochre rim. Delicate forest floor, nougat, cassis and liquorice, fine precious wood savouriness, some leather, a hint of rosemary. Complex, powerful, red forest berries, supporting tannins that are still vivid, mineral and well adhering, spicy finish, red berry confit of cranberry on the finish, still needs time."

Gold Medal - James Halliday Wine Companion