95pts James Suckling

I like the aromas of blackcurrants, pencil shavings, pine cones and blackberries. Medium-bodied with well-integrated tannins that give framing and vibe. This will be better in three or four years. Solid cab. Drink from 2028

Tasting Notes

Color - Boysenberry red

Nose - Varietally on point. Cassis notes abound, with satsuma plum paste adding to a rather charming aromatic profile. From the pasticceria, a generous selection of sweet delights: sfogliatella pastry, cinnamon scrolls and bomboloni. Notes of raw
nutmeg, mace and allspice hover over dried tobacco and sage. Pencil shavings allude to varietal nuance and maturation in quality French oak.

Palate - There is a generous sweet core of fruit that offers plenty of flesh right across the palate. Cassis persists on the palate, with baked blackberry pie pastry flavours. Mulberries add a dark, slightly leafy nuance, balanced by the impression of fresh pouring cream. Baking spices abound. The acidity is tight and persistent, a lovely foil to the generous fruits and fine-grained tannins. There is the slightest suggestion of olive brine and kalamata tapenade rounding out a lovely medium bodied wine.

Winemaker Notes

Steeped in Penfolds winemaking tradition yet still embracing modernity, Bin 704 seeks to redefine Napa Valley cabernet through a Penfolds lens. Being mindful of varietal nuances, regional essence and silk-like textural definition, the wine is nurtured in French barriques for maturation. Impressive is the cyclical nature of viticulture and winemaking, and Penfolds recognises that different hemispheres often end up being the mirror image of the other. The name Bin 704 draws inspiration from the “mirror” or “reverse” image of its Australian Bin 407 stablemate, a wine which also respects varietal expression.

Blend: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Winery Notes

Penfolds has a very long and meandering history, and represents generations of winemaking knowledge in action. In 1844, Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold planted vineyards at Magill Estate near Adelaide. The first Penfolds wines, from the 1800s, were made from newly established vineyards around Adelaide and made for the enjoyment of new South Australian colonists. During the first part of the 20th century, Penfolds gradually added significant acreage and became a household name across Australia. It exported table and fortified wines throughout the Commonwealth. After a visit to France in 1950, Penfolds chief winemaker Max Schubert dreamed bigger, wanting to dramatically expand the winery’s export presence, as the French had. The iconic Penfolds Grange came forth in 1951, leading to a remarkable parade of wines that would bring Penfolds wines worldwide acclaim for their richness, consistency, and longevity.