2008 Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra

The wine spent 18 months in new French oak, and is fundamentally different to Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple-crimson, it has exceptional focus, intensity and length, cedary notes of French oak precisely woven through the vibrant blackcurrant fruit, reaching a crescendo on the finish. It follows in the footsteps of a one-off Coonawarra cabernet from the 1973 vintage, also given the Bin 169 tag.

97 points James Halliday Wine Companion 
 
Deep, dense red/purple, saturated colour. Powerful blackcurrant, cassis, blackberry aromas, magical nose. Very intense and finely structured with slender, powdery tannins and great elegance. A quite different wine in style - not just varietal - from the RWT, its putative partner. Marvelous wine. Graceful, long and beautifully harmonised. 28 MAR 2012

96 points Huon Hooke The Real Review

Toasty, aromatic nose with some nice jam conserve nuances. Very delicate flavours, hints of vanilla and berries and autumnal wild flowers, some violets too. Fine yet powerful palate, chewy ripe tannins, big bold finish, long, impressive fruit. Nicely tarted up with acidity to keep it fresh but bringing the necessary brightness and balance.

95 points Decanter

A wine that marked a significant moment for Penfolds, Bin 169 was introduced to shine a spotlight purely on Coonawarra Cabernet, stepping away from the multi regional blending that defines much of the range. The 2008 vintage is only the second release of this label, and it captures both the pedigree of the region and the Penfolds house style, guided at the time by Peter Gago and his winemaking team with a focus on structure, longevity and polish.

Coonawarra’s terra rossa soils over limestone are front and centre here, delivering that classic combination of cassis, structure and fine tannins. The 2008 vintage provided excellent conditions, allowing the fruit to ripen fully while retaining freshness, giving the wine both depth and balance.

Now with significant bottle age, the colour has moved into deep garnet with a brick rim. The aromatics are beautifully evolved, blackcurrant and dark plum giving way to cedar, tobacco leaf and cigar box. There are layers of dried herbs, mint and a distinct earthy, almost graphite like character that speaks clearly of Coonawarra, with hints of leather and spice adding further complexity.

The palate is seamless and resolved, tannins now softened into a fine, velvety frame. Flavours of cassis, mulberry and savoury spice flow through, intertwined with notes of cedar, tobacco and a gentle balsamic edge. The structure remains intact, but everything feels harmonised, long, elegant and persistent.

This is a wine for the table. Roast lamb, beef Wellington or slow braised dishes all work beautifully, as do aged cheeses where the wine’s tertiary character really shines.

Drinking beautifully now and in a wonderful place, though it will continue to hold and evolve over the next decade, gradually moving further into those earthy, savoury layers.

There is a sense of quiet authority here, a mature Coonawarra Cabernet seen through the Penfolds lens, offering both regional character and the polish that comes with careful cellaring.