Penfolds Bin 389 1998

[Colt45]

I had a bottle over the weekend. As it was opened last minute, the first sips were very oaky.

This did subside, and what I found myself thinking was that even though this is nearly half shiraz,

it really reminded me of a nice bordeaux. Dark berries / currants, a bit of cedar and graphite.

Just the right amount of vanilla from the oak - the nose really had me thinking St. Julien.

Very well balanced with the fruit and tannin in harmony. I really enjoyed it, but sadly, my last bottle.

[Trevor2118]

Hi Colt.

The 389 -1998 is a great drop........I'm down to my last dozen.:-D

[El Presidente]

» Hi Colt.

»

» The 389 -1998 is a great drop........I'm down to my last dozen.:-D

Trev you gifted me some 389 from 1998 and it was superb.

Thankyou

[Ken Gargett]

almost always a cracker. 98 one of the very best years, may be marginally behind 1990, 1991, 1996 and 2002. oddly, the only one that didn't excite me was the current 04 which should have been sensational. often called poor man's grange as some of the oak used for grange then comes here.

[Cam]

i'll have to get some 389 sounds awesome, funny you should say that about the 04 ken.. I was going to buy a couple of bottles today!

[JMH]

I love 389, slightly prefer the '96 to '98.

[Ken Gargett]

» i'll have to get some 389 sounds awesome, funny you should say that about

» the 04 ken.. I was going to buy a couple of bottles today!

some people love the 04. worth trying a bottle to see if you do.

[Colt45]

» Hi Colt.

»

» The 389 -1998 is a great drop........I'm down to my last dozen.:-D

I feel much better now.........

[SmokinLightning]

389 has been a staple in my house for the last few years.

The Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cab is good too, and very inexpensive!

[Colt45]

» The Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cab is good too, and very inexpensive!

I used to drink this one quite a bit, until they started considering it one of their "age-worthy"

wines, and raised the price. I still buy it when I see it on sale.

[Cam]

» » The Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cab is good too, and very inexpensive!

»

i don't know if it's very good but it's definately cheap!

Cam -

[Trevor2118]

» 389 has been a staple in my house for the last few years.

»

» The Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cab is good too, and very inexpensive!

I think that the Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz are their best value (if you like a straight Shiraz ...)

.....not as cheap, but they age and improve, and improve, and improve.

Worst thing is you have to buy heaps..........;-)

(Currently occupiers a good proportion of my cellar).

[CigarZen]

» . often called poor man's grange as some of the oak used for grange then comes here.

Ken -- is this still true? It appears they have dropped this description from recent vintages.

[Ken Gargett]

» » . often called poor man's grange as some of the oak used for grange then

» comes here.

»

» Ken -- is this still true? It appears they have dropped this description

» from recent vintages.

might be wrong but not sure that they ever used it themselves. more something that others used to describe it. still hear it occasionally.

[Colt45]

» » » . often called poor man's grange as some of the oak used for grange

» then

» » comes here.

» »

» » Ken -- is this still true? It appears they have dropped this

» description

» » from recent vintages.

»

»

» might be wrong but not sure that they ever used it themselves. more

» something that others used to describe it. still hear it occasionally.

If you go to the Penfolds website, and go to the tasting notes for Bin 389 (it is a pdf download),

it does state that components of the wine are aged in barrels from the previous year's Grange.

[Ken Gargett]

» »

» » might be wrong but not sure that they ever used it themselves. more

» » something that others used to describe it. still hear it occasionally.

»

» If you go to the Penfolds website, and go to the tasting notes for Bin 389

» (it is a pdf download),

» it does state that components of the wine are aged in barrels from the

» previous year's Grange.

what i was referred to was the use of the term, 'poor man's grange'. i doubt that they have ever used that formally but it did come partly from the use of old grange oak.

[Ken Gargett]

» » what i was referred to was the use of the term, 'poor man's grange'. i

» » doubt that they have ever used that formally but it did come partly

» from

» » the use of old grange oak.

»

» KG, I understand - their write-up is somewhat unclear. Here is an

» excerpt:

»

thanks for that. was not aware.

[Cam]

I agree kelvin the 01 is a great year, i have a couple of 98 bottles, suprisingly inconsistent for the age.

Cam -

[skid11]

» » Hi Colt.

» »

» » The 389 -1998 is a great drop........I'm down to my last dozen.:-D

»

» I feel much better now.........

Ha ha :lol: See you haven't lost your Wit

[Colt45]

» Ha ha :lol: See you haven't lost your Wit

Only half of it :-D

[CigarZen]

THANKS COLT!!:-D

[Colt45]

» what i was referred to was the use of the term, 'poor man's grange'. i

» doubt that they have ever used that formally but it did come partly from

» the use of old grange oak.

KG, I understand - their write-up is somewhat unclear. Here is an excerpt:

[Kelvin]

» » what i was referred to was the use of the term, 'poor man's grange'. i

» » doubt that they have ever used that formally but it did come partly

» from

» » the use of old grange oak.

»

» KG, I understand - their write-up is somewhat unclear. Here is an

» excerpt:

»

»

i've heard about that before, I recently had a 01 bottle, it was smooth and nice, would love to try a 98 or an 02.

o/t a little bit, anyone been to the Whisky conventions?