Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (750ML)

97 JS / 96 WA / 96 WS / 96 JA / 96 DE / 18 JR

A very elegantly complex nose with meticulously fresh aromas that range from red florals to violets, blueberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants and such sweetly perfumed cedary-oak spice. The palate has a very elegant, focused and piercingly central delivery of fine tannins,carrying pristine redcurrant and blackcurrant flavors. Seamlessly long, super fine and really packed with concentrated, contained, red-cherry and redcurrant flavors. Impressive. Drink or hold. - James Suckling

In effect, this is to Bin 707 as RWT is to Grange, a single-region expression of a classic regional variety, aged in 100% French oak. Would that it were priced similarly to RWT, but production is more limited, and the Chinese have seemingly fallen in love in Cabernet. The 2018 Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (there was no 2017 bottled) boasts sumptuous aromas of ripe cassis, accented by hints of vanilla, cedar shavings, tobacco and baking spices. It's full-bodied, plush and velvety, but with a firm spine at its core that drives home the lengthy finish and strong varietal identity. Ideally, it needs a few years in the cellar to show its best, with potential longevity of two decades or more. - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate

A stunning red, dense and fleshy and aromatic, with beautiful fine-grained tannins and a symphony of details. Cassis and blueberry flavors are bursting with juicy intensity at the core, showing notes of black tea, Kalamata olive, palo santo and marzipan, with a touch of fresh, sweet mint that lingers. A note of loam adds a savory touch, with a whiff of dried violet and a long, memorable finish. Drink now through 2040. 84 cases imported. — MW, Wine Spectator

I always feel with this wine that you are getting to know Cabernet Sauvignon all over again, with its purity of grape expression, and here you get powerful cassis notes combined with liquorice root, bitter orange peel and crushed mint. Bin 169 can sometimes get lost among the Penfold’s range, but this deserves to have its own place at the table. 4,000-5,000 cases overall, was initially released last year but is having a wider release through the Place this September. - Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

Everything alluring about Cabernet is on show here: regal lift and power on the nose, then a more subtle reveal on the palate through gossamer layers of cranberry, cassis, raspberry and fresh-cut herbs. Nothing showy but every component is in its right place. This proud declaration speaks deliberately of region and varietal character, and its bedrock of firm black tannins suggests that it has much more to reveal as it matures. - DS, Decanter

Less ripe than the 407; the fruit is more 'European' dare I say, while retaining the Australian glossiness. Still very compact and closed, yet shining brightly, somehow. A tour de force. - RH, JancisRobinson .com