VTN: 2009 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz

Tasting panel video, April 2012.

Initial response from the tasting panel of this wine was that it is not a long term cellaring prospect and in fact it will reach its peak over the next 7 - 10 years.

Based on these results it is my opinion that the value of this wine when it comes to auction will be undermined by the negative opinions prevalent in the wine community and it will sell at less than the average market price of other vintages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iijidwVb6o

[Jenise]

Is this atypical for the vintage?

And, what does 389 it sell for over there? I ask because over the years we've been aware here in the States that some of your wines cost more at home than they're priced here. 389 could be one of them.

Hi Jenise,

Not the best vintage, no. Although there have been some outstanding wines for sure, just not this one.

Retails for around $70, a significant increase on previous years that has caused alot of controversy.

As always, Australian wine prices are bloated by massive goverment taxes.

It sounds like the prices of the 2009 vintage Bin wines will experience significant increases worldwide, with the price of the 389 changing in BC from about $40 to $60. I don't see how sales won't decrease by more than 50%; in fact, I wonder if the BCLCB decides not to carry these anymore, like they did with the Wynn Black Label Cab when they increased the prices a few years ago. The price has come down again, but the wine still can't be bought in the provincial system.

I've drunk many, many vintages of 389 over years past and it was always a nice wine and a good value but when the prices rose to over $25 per bottle I dropped them like a hot skillet. And now the wine is $50+? It was never a wine at that level. There are soooo many good, value wines out there under $25 that it's a no brainer to say goodby to 389.