Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
- 96
- $130
- Drink by: 2024-2050
Share
Quintessential Australian Cabernet in all its glory and typicity, with a distilled herbal element that dominates the opening. But not of the eucalyptus you might expect; rather, of spearmint, Aussie bush herbs, a mineral undertone of turned red earth, wild blue violets, chewed tobacco and dark berries. It’s a Cabernet of distinctive power, concentration, continuity, layers, depth and future.
by Jeni Port
Five South Australian wine regions, one red grape variety and two types of new and seasoned oak is pretty much the quintessential Penfolds recipe. At its heart, 407 is all about a varietal interpretation and hence the fruit comes first and it’s striking and irresistibly aromatic in scents of blue fruits, black cherries, plum, earth, dry leaves and a peppery spice, anise intensity. The palate delivers all that the nose promises and more with layers of chocolate, dark liquorice, hints of cumin, nutmeg and dark spice and more, fitted to robust, fine tannins. Oak – 12 months in French (16% new) and American (5% new) is as schmick as it comes, adding one layer of many in this multi-layered wine. Structurally, it’s solid as a rock, the kind of frame to build a long future on. 2026 – 2043. 96 Points
by Tom Kline
Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Coonawarra, Padthaway, McLaren Vale, Wrattonbully and Barossa Valley; matured for 12 months in French (16% new) and American (5% new) oak hogsheads. Bin 407 was created to express Cabernet Sauvignon in a more immediately approachable style than Bin 707 while remaining unmistakably Penfolds. Classic cassis, blackberry and mulberry aromas sit alongside bay leaf, cedar, graphite and dried herbs. The palate is medium- to full-bodied with vibrant blackcurrant fruit, redcurrant, dark chocolate and cedar spice supported by finely woven tannins. There’s excellent freshness and balance throughout, finishing with confidence and persistence. 94 Points
Lisa Cardelli is an Italian-born wine professional who has been based in Melbourne since 2010. She worked as a sommelier in some of the city’s leading fine-dining restaurants for over ten years before leaving hospitality to become a wine sales representative. Lisa is now a journalist for Il Globo, the newspaper for Italians in Australia and around the world, where she also curates her own wine column. She continues to write about wine for both local and international publications and is on track to become one of the few prolific bilingual wine writers in Australia. A certified WSET Educator, she teaches at various venues across Melbourne. She also judges at local wine shows and for the prestigious Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards. Lisa was the recipient of the 2022 Wine Communicators of Australia award for Best Published Feature Article, a finalist for the same award in 2024, the recipient of the 2022 Sydney Royal Wine Professional Development Scholarship sponsored by the Len Evans Foundation, and one of twelve carefully selected Len Evans Scholars in 2024.
