Austin Hohnke

9.3

Such a beautiful wine leading with a zesty charge of cracked pepper, grilled citrus, and barnyard, while not shying away from fruitiness. Gains weight with air and a darker, more serious stewed intensity of fruit leather and earth. Drank with a friend who really appreciated it, and we both returned to our glasses repeatedly waxing poetic with our expressions. Purchased at Astor. — 5 months ago

Meredith Moody

9.5

This is what I think of when I think of Rioja. Dried cherry and cranberry is what I get right away, and then it has more savory/earthy notes like leather and mushroom. When I tasted it I said “it tastes old.” That is a compliment. Hints of vanilla and spice. Felt elegant with a long finish. Had it with fatty new york strips. Tannins and acidity balanced it well. Not a loud wine, but a great one. — 6 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

2019 vintage. Better than expected as the last few assorted vintage Artemis bottles I’ve had have been less than good. Medium-heavy body. Decent spice and tea flavors on the caboose. 2.12.26. — 6 months ago

Amanda Drazka

9.0

This full bodied reserva wine offers big aromas of cherry, black licorice and black pepper. It was tight upon opening but I let it breathe in the glass for an hour which allowed vanilla aromas to come through as well. It offers silky tannins that keep the structure and mellow out on the persistent finish. This wine has flavors of ripe cherry, black pepper and leather. This is a beautiful and complex wine that I think will be even better in a few years. — 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2023 pours a ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with an explosion of smoked blackberry pie, purple flowers, bacon fat, olive, black pepper, and subtle warm spices. On the palate the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose however, the wine finishes much more elegant than the nose would suggest. The bouquet might lead one to think this is possibly over the top. However, on the palate, it was far more elegant. Another vintage, another stunning Gonon. Drink now through 2043. — 9 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Great vintage for GL that was fresh & drinking beautifully at 41 yrs showing red & black fruit, earth, cedar, leather with sweet, savory spice & cigar box — 2 years ago

Henry Boshoff

9.3

Nice and spicy... — 5 years ago

Keith Lite

9.5

A big bold plumy purple bomb As dense and luscious as a wine can get in a glass. Decanted for 2 hrs and its still a baby with blackberry, dark chocolate licorice and pepper on the nose and on the palate. A long long finish and loads of tannins to sum it all up — 7 years ago

with Bruce

Andrew Willingham

9.0

dark red with white rim variation. Smoky black pepper on the nose, sauvage/animal. Palette sees lots of dirty funky animal/cured meat. Almost bitter finish. — 10 years ago

Alex in NYC

8.9

Barnyard, mulch on nose, pretty funky, sour cherry, blackberry, raisin, some spice, good, long, grippy finish — 12 years ago

Inseon Hwang

9.2

1980 Mag. Cigars and green pepper. — 5 months ago

Tom Garland

9.4

1 hour decant(decent chunky sediment). A striking medium purplish garnet color with bricking. On the nose: Inviting notes of dried red fruit, currants, pencil shavings, floral, stewed meat, milk chocolate. Taste: fully mature, savory, silky wine with dried plum, ground coffee, earth, minerals, tobacco, and a sour cherry/green bell pepper/graphite long finish. YUM!! Drink em if you got em. — 6 months ago

with Brenda

Dave Auerbach

9.6

Bright red fruits on the nose, and it follows on the palate. There’s a seriously structured core under there, with hints of vanilla and spice. 2011 vintage is at it’s prime now, and could be ideal for another 2-3 years. Just an outstandingly made wine. — 6 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose of black fruits with cedar, vanilla, leather, spices, earth, chocolates and black pepper.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with black currants, black plums, blackberries, cooked cherries, light green vegetables, spices, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This 10 year old red blend from California is still drinking beautifully. Complex and interesting. Nice to see that it aged nicely.

Showing slight RS on the palate, but I can live with that.

Easy drinking and good by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Charbono.

15.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$60. — 7 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

This was showing well with notes of red, black fruits, sweet on the palate with savory spice, earth, licorice, leather & tobacco — 8 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

Initially sooty, tarry notes with dried herbs and garrigue generally. The mid weight palate has sweet ripe red and black fruits typical of the 2015 vintage with spice and a little pepper. A lovely wine and a faithful rendition of a quality CdP. — 9 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Mostly Zinfandel with less than 20% of other red varieties blended in. Dark ruby color. Intense aromatics of black currant/berry, black raspberry and plums. Same ripe fruits on the palate with additional flavors of black olive, basil, black pepper and baking spices. Long and lingering finish. Lively tannins and zesty acidity. Bold and powerful but not over the top. Good choice, Keith S! — 2 years ago

Pat A

9.1

Nice easy drinking red. $9 a glass as victorias — 5 years ago

Andrea Watt

9.1

Full red fruit and spice with smoke and woody honey. Smooth as silk. — 8 years ago

Jimmy Smith

Director, West and North London Wine School

9.2

2011: all varieties. Meaty, lavender, garden herbs, smoky, but still very vibrant red fruit. Lovely vibrancy of red fruit and all Mouvedre and Grenache aromatics. Sweet fruit, juicy acidity, hot indian spice and liquorice. Plum, cherry, spiced. Quite ready now. — 11 years ago

Max Coane

8.9

Classic vosne nose. Total la tache, Asian spice hoisin. — 13 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Youthful, structured with red & black fruits, currant, cedar, spice & tobacco — 5 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Still youthful showing red & black fruits, cedar, leather, graphite, spice & tobacco — 6 months ago

Anthony Kluska

9.1

Lighter body then I would prefer but super aggressive pepper finish perfect with filet mignon — 6 months ago

Robert Stackowiak

9.1

Cherry licorice nose. Cherry with a touch of spice on the palate. Tannins have smoothed but still present. Deserves the accolades that I have seen. February 2026. — 7 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2023
South Australia 🇦🇺

Overview
A more tightly wound and concentrated expression of Bin 389, showcasing the same Cabernet-Shiraz framework (Cabernet for backbone, Shiraz for richness) but delivered with greater tension, density, and youthful drive. This vintage leans more serious and structured than 2022, highlighting the fascinating impact vintage conditions have on balance, ripeness, and extraction in agricultural wines.

Aromas & Flavors
Intense blackcurrant, crushed blackberry, dark cherry, and graphite dominate the aromatics, layered with fresh cedar, cocoa nib, and subtle minty spice. The palate is compact and powerful, showing darker fruit concentration, savory spice, and tightly coiled oak structure that promises excellent evolution with time.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and more compact than the 2022. Tannins are firmer and more youthful, giving a punchier, more linear profile. The wine feels energetic and focused, with impressive density and length, clearly built for further integration.

Food Pairings
Char-grilled steak or venison. Slow-braised beef cheeks. Pepper-crusted lamb. Smoked meats and firm aged cheeses.

Verdict
A bolder, more muscular Bin 389 that trades immediate plushness for intensity and aging potential. A striking reminder of how vintage variation shapes personality, same blueprint, very different expression.

Did You Know?
Penfolds sources fruit for Bin 389 from multiple South Australian regions, blending different terroirs and climates to build complexity, consistency, and layered structure across vintages.

🍷 Personal Pick
If you enjoy tracking wine evolution, this is a fantastic candidate for short-to-mid-term cellaring, revisit in a few years to watch the structure melt into harmony. Also check my previous 2022 review!
— 7 months ago

Jay Kline

9.1

From magnum. Popped and poured into red Solo cups; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2008 pours a deep ruby purple color with a near opaque core; medium plus viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart, red and black fruits: mixed brambles, black cherry, black pepper, leather, dry earth and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is medium plus. Still pretty fresh and considering this is one of the more long-lived examples of Zinfandel I can think of, there is almost no end in sight. Drink now through 2043. — 10 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured from my cellar. The cork was absolutely perfect. The 2005 pours a rather turbid, deep garnet at nearly 17 years old. There's quite a bit of fine sediment that clings to the edge of the glass with each swirl. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, this was initially a bit grumpy but within minutes, it relaxed and started to show some real charm. A fully developed wine, this is becoming a bit of a Leather Daddy, full of leather (obviously), bruised and desiccated red, black and blue fruits, Christmas spice fruit cake, coffee, damp earth, and candied nuts. On the palate, the fruit remains quite stunning and confirms the mix of bruised and desiccated fruit with a sort of sherried character. Loads of salmiakki (salted licorice), spiced nuts, pepper, coffee and, you guessed it, leather. The wine was dry, technically, but almost gives the sensation of some RS with all of the over-ripe fruits and the texture was almost sappy, in some ways. However, while this was absolutely rich and well-endowed, it was not cloying. Tannins have fully integrated (though still present) and the acid was like a girdle keeping everything held together. This remains a rather large personality even if it's showing its age. Definitely in a lovely spot...but how much longer will that last? If this wasn't my last bottle, I would probably be drinking these over the next five years unless you want the full Leather Daddy experience...which is okay if that's your thing. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Started in 1972 with a simple philosophy - to focus production on only one varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon. A blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.5% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot & 0.5% Malbec. Dark opaque Ruby with aromas of red fruits, oak, sweet herbs and spice. On the palate raspberry and blackberry flavors with notes of cacao and espresso. Fine dusty tannins, satisfying acidity on lingering smooth finish ending with sweet oak tones. Nice! — 9 years ago

Davis Smith

Sommelier Acquerello

9.7

Dark fruit, roasted bell pepper, tobacco. In the zone. — 13 years ago