It’s not every day that you see a wine from Penfolds coming close to the price range of the iconic Grange. Yet, the Penfolds Bin 111A did just that.
Released back in October 2019 for the brand’s 175th anniversary, the Special Bin 111A Clare Valley Barossa Valley Shiraz 2016 is a new and rare wine from the 2016 vintage made from a blend of 51% Clare and 49% Barossa Valley.
These are vineyards that have contributed to the celebrated Grange in previous years. Since its release, the Penfolds Bin 111A has since enjoyed a fair bit of time in the spotlight.
First was its price point at US$1,000 per bottle (approximately RM4,070). Next was Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate awarding the wine a 100-point score – an astounding all-round achievement from colour to appearance, aroma and bouquet, flavour and finish, and overall quality. The last Special Bin wine was released 11 years ago, and these special editions don’t come around often as they’re made using only the most exceptional grapes from the best regional sources.
“Special Bins are pathfinding vintages and are only released if they offer something extra, different and unique. These wines make a very important statement about Penfolds and they also represent a heritage of curiosity, experimentation and Australian winemaking innovation first started by Penfolds 175 years ago,” said Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker.
The wine itself is a rich blend of two South Australian Shiraz vineyards: the Botanic Vineyard in Clare Valley and the Gersch Vineyard in the Barossa Valley. While grapes from the Clare Valley has been used in several Grange blends, it’s the first time it’s making an appearance in a Special Bin. As for the Gersch Vineyard fruit, it’s been included in four of the last 10 Grange blends. The result is a full-bodied wine that’s rich, dark, and silky in flavour with notes of ripe berries, dark cherry fruit. The mouthfeel is velvety with the right amount of tannins resulting in a long finish.
There are only 1,000 cases of the Penfolds Bin 111A made. It will be available in Malaysia from the second half of 2020 onwards.
PohNee Chin
Editor, Kuala Lumpur
Poh Nee is the editor and writes about travel and drinks. When she's not living out her holiday dreams via Google Earth and sipping on an Old Fashioned down at the local bars, you can find her snug at home bingeing on Netflix and mystery fiction.
