Winemaker Notes
Penfolds Bin 600 California Cabernet-Shiraz is a crimson color. Cabernet notes are first acknowledged, manifesting as cranberries, raspberries and goji berries. There is a faint hint of volatility, a nod to the Penfolds House Style, emerging from the glass in the guise of pomegranate molasses. North African spices add a toasty note with cumin, paprika and Aleppo peppers conjuring thoughts of warm Arabian nights... fragrant ras el hanout Moroccan tagine, lamb shawarma. On closer inspection, chocolate emerges in several guises. Dark cooking chocolate, cherry ripe and rocky road. Shiraz adding a certain je ne sais quoi, present but lurking in the background like the ever-reliable wingman. There is a beautiful core of generous red, blue and black fruits. At once concentrated, yet fresh. Summer berry pudding with anglaise. Rhubarb tart, apple and cinnamon strudel, Morello cherries. Shiraz plays a more important role here than on the aromatic profile by anchoring the mid-palate and providing plenty of generosity. Yin to the cabernet Yang. Fine talc-like tannins hold the expressive fruit in check, while soft acidity keeps everything in balance. Very approachable now, but with the promise of more to come.
Blend: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Shiraz
Professional Ratings
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Australian Wine Companion
A blend of 68/32% cabernet sauvignon/shiraz from California's Napa Valley and Paso Robles; matured in American oak barriques (40% mew) for 16 months. Deep crimson in colour with cabernet making its presence felt on the nose through ripe blackberry and black cherry, some dark plum in the bass. Hints of baking spices, dried cranberry, pomegranate, berry flan, dark chocolate, cinnamon, vanillin oak and olive tapenade. There's an expressive flourish of ripe fruit in this wine showing pleasing depth and heft yet with a sense of freshness and clarity of line; fine graphitey-like tannins provide support, some morello cherry joining in on the extended finish.
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James Suckling
The quintessential Australian blend is brought to California. Good it is, too. A fine nose, rich but savory, beaming riffs on smoked deli meats, anise, clove and exotic notes of the souk. The mid-palate, dense, full-weighted and nicely pliant, riffing on red and blue fruits over monolithic black. The tannins, well alloyed, roll the flavors long across a gritty etching of oak across the finale. Drink or hold.
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Wine & Spirits
The Penfolds team planted vine cuttings from South Australia at the Camatta Hills Vineyard in Paso Robles, which contributes the shiraz in this blend. The cabernet sauvignon (68 percent) comes from selected growers who work with the firm’s sibling brands, particularly Beringer. The varieties combine in a fruit-driven red, clean and lush, even as it feels lean. Shiraz takes it toward green-peppercorn scents, fragrant and spicy, adding dimension to the cabernet. Its bright blueberry freshness would be delicious with wood-grilled lamb kebabs.
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Wine Spectator
The Penfolds team planted vine cuttings from South Australia at the Camatta Hills Vineyard in Paso Robles, which contributes the shiraz in this blend. The cabernet sauvignon (68 percent) comes from selected growers who work with the firm’s sibling brands, particularly Beringer. The varieties combine in a fruit-driven red, clean and lush, even as it feels lean. Shiraz takes it toward green-peppercorn scents, fragrant and spicy, adding dimension to the cabernet. Its bright blueberry freshness would be delicious with wood-grilled lamb kebabs.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Bin 600 is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon and 32% Shiraz, which lends a decidedly Australian vibe to this American wine. There's tannin-driven red fruit, exotic spice and a thick, dense palate, with plenty of hutzpah and dry tobacco spice in the mouth and a firm finish. It matured for 16 months in American oak (40% new). 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.
Rating: 91+
Since 1844, Penfolds has been grounded in experimentation, curiosity and uncompromising quality. Their success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers. It began with Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold, the pioneers who dreamed big, inventing tonics, brandies, and fortified wines made from grapes and Australian sunshine. It continued with celebrated winemaking legends including Max Schubert, who pushed the development to extraordinary, bold new heights. It is this pioneering spirit and curiosity that still rings true after nearly two centuries, it is what has helped Penfolds become one of the most celebrated winemakers in the world today.
California is a winemaking colossus; by itself it is the fourth largest producer in the world. Red wine accounts for 56% of the total by volume, and red grapes 63% of total acres planted. In addition, a number of California red wines are heralded as being among the most prestigious and sought-after wines in the world.
While the state’s incredibly diverse geography, soils and microclimates allow for a wide array of styles, the key factor unifying California red wine is the abundance of sunshine and a long, consistent growing season. This leads to well-developed fruit marked both by impressive ripeness and balancing acidity.
The state’s most famous red wine region, of course, is Napa Valley, where Cabernet Sauvignon reigns as king. But California boasts a wealth of other impressive appellations. The much larger and climatically varied Sonoma County also produces world class California Cabernet, along with wonderful examples of California Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
Fine versions of Cabernet and Zinfandel hail from Paso Robles as well, which is also gaining fame with Rhone varietals like Syrah and Grenache. As for Pinot Noir, terrific examples can be found from AVA’s such as Anderson Valley, Carneros, Santa Lucia Highlands and Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties are making wonderful Syrahs, and the Sierra Foothill appellations are proving to be an experimental hotbed, with Italian and Spanish varietals employed to great effect.
This of course is a mere sketch. The subject of California red wine is as deep and broad as an ocean, and absolutely a joy to explore!