Ranked #5 of 66 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz from Barossa Valley
96/100
5 Stars
Bob Campbell
I have an emotional attachment to Bin 389 having tasted and enjoyed every vintage for more than 30 years and been witness to a sophisticated revolution toward greater finesse. Deep-tinted wine but not heavy or overdone, with quite elegant flavours that include a cedar, cassis Cabernet character and sweetly luscious Shiraz. A lovely wine that can be appreciated now but really needs to be cellared for quite a few years to fully appreciate its star quality.
Tasted: 02/02/2016
Drink: 2016 to 2033
91 Points Robert Parker
Composed of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Shiraz, the Cabernet / Shiraz Bin 389 has a deep garnet-purple color and a nose of cherry and blackberry with a cassis undercurrent plus touches of pencil lead, cedar and Mediterranean herbs. The palate delivers a structured style with a firm, taut backbone, great freshness and a long, iron ore-laced finish.
Source: Robert Parker (Robert Parker Wine Advocate) by Lisa Perrotti-Brown. September, 2015
95 Points James Halliday
51/49% from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Wrattonbully and Coonawarra that spent 12 months in American hogsheads (88% new and 1yo, 12% 2yo). The 'don't mess with me' message is immediate, the bouquet a shower of dark, savoury, earthy aromas, the palate trenchantly full-bodied - yet balanced and utterly persuasive. It needs 5 years to settle down and be friendly, but will handsomely repay patience. Drink to 2043.
James Halliday. November, 2021
96 Points Tyson Stelzer
"2013 is a really strong vintage for us across all areas," says Penfolds Senior red Winemaker, Steve Lienert. "A good year, a little more concentrated than 2012, and structurally a bit denser due to lower yields and drought conditions." He rates it up with 2010, long-lived, yet different in style. My impressions are slightly less flattering, though nonetheless a solid vintage, and 389 again rises above the pack. In sheer persistence alone, this goes down among the great vintages of Bin 389. It''s one for the cellar, a season of concentration, deep structure and vibrant colour that upholds brightness and promises decades of longevity. Blackcurrant and blackberry fruits meet black plums and liquorice, set against a backdrop of dark chocolate oak. A wall of tannins, fine and firm, securely structured yet polished, coax out a finish of outstanding persistence and impeccable line. Wow. A blend of 51% cabernet and 49% shiraz from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Wrattonbully and Coonawarra, matured for 12 months in 28% new American oak hogsheads. 15 October 2015 release. Drink 2033 - 2048.
Source: Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste.