This Australian Cab is brooding, muscular and expressive, with layers of tobacco, steeped cherry, and clove.
Cabernet Sauvignon is not known as a timid grape. And this Penfolds Bin 407 is no exception: The Australian Cabernet is brooding, muscular and expressive, showing off layers of tobacco, steeped cherry, and clove.
On the nose, there’s lovely nuanced notes of clove and cedar that play well with all the present and poised fruit. On the palate, it’s got this forest earthiness; mint leaves and sage brush on a foggy forest day, with a thread of tobacco that sings on every sip. Tannins are big but play well with all the layers of dried fruit, cassis, grated cinnamon and fennel that plays through the palate. The grapes are sourced from across Padthaway, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, McLaren Valley, and Barossa Valley in finished in subtle oak that adds years to this wine’s life. $90
Kate Dingwall is a WSET-trained sommelier and spirits writer. Her work has appeared in Wine Enthusiast, Eater, Forbes.com, and Food & Wine, and she pours wine at one of Canada’s top restaurants.