Coonawarra on Australia‘s Limestone Coast has long been one of the most sought-after regions in the world for age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon. The finest wines from Coonawarra resonate with a unique sense of place, and none more so than Penfolds Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon.
A serious, single-region style, this wine is sourced from old-vine, low-yielding blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the region’s famous terra rossa soil. Bin 169 returned to the Penfolds portfolio in 2008 as the single-region partner to the much-acclaimed, multiregional Bin 707. While Bin 707 aligns itself with the opulence of American oak, Bin 169 celebrates the elegance of French oak.
Combining Penfolds’ red winemaking tradition with the best fruit expression available, Bin 169 proudly represents the very best of the region.
The origins of Bin 169 are as intriguing as its exquisite palate. In 1973, Max Schubert, the legendary winemaker behind Penfolds Grange, identified a parcel of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon of such high quality that he decided to blend it with a select component of Kalimna Shiraz – the idea being that the resulting wine would be similar to the famed Penfolds 1962 Bin 60A. The marriage was not to be, however, and each parcel was bottled separately. The Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon was released as a one-off: the 1973 Penfolds Bin 169 Coonawarra Claret.
Stepping forward in time to 2008 (an exceptional Coonawarra vintage), the Penfolds winemaking team identified an opportunity to resurrect Bin 169 by blending Cabernet Sauvignon from two prized blocks. One offered opulent fruit that showed cassis, coffee and beetroot flavours; the other, a more assertive style, brought structure, tannins and herbaceous notes. These two parcels were combined and Bin 169 was reborn.
Today, 50 years on from Max Schubert’s first Bin 169 interpretation, this magnificent wine has gone on to achieve global acclaim and is now regarded as one of the world’s finest Cabernet Sauvignons. Through its distribution through La Place de Bordeaux, the most prestigious sales network in the fine wine world, it joins a pantheon of other great cult Cabernets loved by collectors and drinkers alike.
The story of Bin 169 and its development over the years perfectly encapsulates the innovative spirit of Penfolds’ winemakers.
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While always mindful to ensure that Penfolds wines are steeped in a culture of tradition and heritage handed down by the generations of winemakers that preceded them, the current winemakers never stop pushing boundaries, experimenting and exploring uncharted territory, all in the pursuit of progress and excellence.
