Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon

Bin 707 is Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Grange equivalent: ripe, intensely-flavoured fruit; completing fermentation and matured in new American oak; and expressing the Penfolds' policy of multi-vineyard, multi-region fruit-sourcing. Named by an exQantas marketing man, Bin 707 was first vintaged in 1964. The wine was not made from 1970 to 1975 (when the focus shifted to Bin 389) nor in 1981, 1995 or 2000 (when fruit of the required style and quality was not available). Full bodied and with good cellaring potential, Bin 707 has a secure place among the ranks of Australia's finest Cabernets. Packaged in laser-etched bottles from the 1997 vintage.

Winemaker notes

1980: Dense powerful and tannic wine, with the fruit leaning into tertiary tobacco and leather notes.

2001: Deep crimson. Intense blackberry, blackcurrant pastille and praline aromas with herb garden notes. Generous, supple and fruit sweet with blackcurrant pastille and blackberry fruits, fine plentiful ripe velvety tannins and underlying mocha espresso oak. Lovely generosity of fruit and completely integrated tannins.

2023: Many of the descriptors detected on this Bin 707’s nose are effortlessly retrieved on its palate. A first impression reveals that this release is not overtly fruit-dependent, although blackberry and mulberry fruits are instantly detected. Perhaps more of a savoury/earthy disposition, augmented by pan juices/jus and black olive, and laced with exotic spices (African/Moroccan)… turmeric, bay leaf and pimento. Temptingly, (couverture) dark chocolate crackle/Copha flavours combine with the praline and nuttiness of barrel-fermentation. An expansive, woven palate conveys this vinous deliciousness, with a positive tension assisted by seamless Cabernet tannins, that are at once granular, sleek. Structure and flavours are both sophisticated and complex… masterfully conjured and showcased via this noble variety, Cabernet Sauvignon.

2001

Wine Advocate 87: One of the deeper colored wines in Penfolds’ portfolio is the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707. Aromas of forest floor, underbrush, black currants, and old wood emerge from this medium-bodied Cabernet. A clipped finish again suggests a bizarre fascination with low pH and acid levels that has nothing to do with the vineyard, terroir, vintage character, or pleasure. Nevertheless, there is enough black currant fruit to pull this wine into the acceptable category.

Wine Enthusiast 90: Soft and supple in the mouth, with plum and oak the key flavor components. There are hints of sweetness here, from the brown-sugary aromas that appear with time in the glass, to the ripe, ripe fruit on the palate. Still, it's an excellent, delicious wine.

2022

Wine Advocate 96+: I recently tasted through a vertical of Bin 707, back to the very first vintage made in 1964. I have had some older vintages of this cuvée in the past, and once the 1964 vintage, but never a full suite. It was immediately obvious that the American oak élevage works very well in the cuvée over time, and it has the capacity to be an incredibly elegant wine. I did note that the alcohols have slowly risen over time, from as low as 12% alcohol from the 1960s, through to 13.5% in the late 1990s. As we progress through the 2000s, the wine sits at around 14% to 15% alcohol. This does make me wonder about the longevity of the wine over time, as those older wines were just so lovely in their delicacy and claret feel. So, to this 2022 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon. It is more structural, firm and restrained than the 2021 before it, and while the oak is pronounced and firm, the wine expounds symmetry, proportion and length. Don't drink it for a while though, unless the oak is the aspect you seek. It matured for 18 months in American oak (100% new).

James Suckling 97: Rather seductive aromas of cedar and bark with blackberries, blackcurrants, light milk chocolate and stone. Full-bodied, very round and polished. Tight, focused tannins at the end. Ink and baking spices. Finished fermentation in American oak and aged 18 months. Try after 2027.

Vinous 97: This benchmark vintage for Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon in 2022 carries both raw power and impressive vibrancy. It ripples with persuasive aromas of blackberry and blackcurrant topped by grated chocolate-mint and a strong oak component. Super power on display in a dense and full-flavored package marked by quite serious tannins that draw out an enormous, immovable finish. A serious wine in every way.

Decanter 94: With its rich swirl of blackberry and black olive, this flagship Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from multiple regions (Coonawarra, Barossa, Padthaway, McLaren Vale) provides lots of savoury pleasure in the mid-palate, but little of the elevated pretty aromas that defined the outstanding 2021 vintage. There’s plenty of drive and persistence through a long palate, finishing politely with fine-grained, elegantly groomed tannins.

Falstaff 97: An extremely complex and multi-layered nose, with notes of nutmeg, plum, dark cherry and oak. Round and expansive on the palate with ripe, fine but noticeable tannins, perfectly integrated, ripe acidity and an extremely long and complex finish. Already enjoyable, but will mature over many years.

2023

Wine Advocate 95: Having had the privilege of tasting many vintages of this wine back to 1964, this is, given time, a superb wine. The inclusion of American oak helps to protect the fruit sweetness over time—I don't know the science of that, however it holds true anecdotally. Here, through the prism of the 2023 vintage, the wine is fresh and yet ripe, and the cool season has taken some of the weight from the bottom register. It was sourced from McLaren Vale, Padthaway and Barossa Valley and matured for 18 months in American oak hogsheads. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.

James Suckling 97: This is such a refined and focused cabernet sauvignon, deeply perfumed and lifted, with aromas of blackcurrants, cedar, grilled meat, bitter chocolate, ink, dried flowers and dried herbs. The palate is full-bodied, silken, textural and tightly wound, with a creamy, chocolaty finish. An Australian classic of the highest order. Excellent. Drink or hold.

Vinous 94: The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707 is poised and precise with layers of blackcurrant, mahogany and Chesterfield leather. Its new oak influence is strong yet in tune. This is more refined and approachable at this young age than usual, with bright acidity and sinewy tannins providing a strong base that delivers a long, sustained, fine finish.

Decanter 95: ‘Coonawarra in 2023 had a bit of a rough patch for Cabernet,’ notes chief winemaker Peter Gago. Consequently none was deemed up to the standard required for Bin 707 (and indeed, no Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet was made in 2023 either). So this iteration of Penfolds’ top-tier multi-region Cab is 68% McLaren Vale, 18% Padthaway and 14% Barossa Valley, maturing (like Grange) in 100% new American oak hogsheads for 18 months. The oak is quite prominent at the moment, giving a glossy coconut sheen to this always imposing wine, but this muscular frame, plus firm, chalky, tannins and a vibrant vein of acidity will ensure a long life. Dark chocolate-coated red cherries lead the flavour charge, alongside boysenberries and cassis, along with an exotic savoury twist of tapenade, tarmac, biltong, incense, roasted hazelnuts, eucalypt – endlessly complex and long.

Falstaff 97: Dark ruby colour, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate ochre rim. Delicate nougat and caramel, ripe cassis, a hint of vanilla and wood, delicate lavender, a hint of suede, herbal savouriness, very multi-layered bouquet. Powerful, complex, ripe cherry fruit, silky tannins, chocolaty and long-lasting, good freshness, very good balance and definition.