Wine Advisor
Penfolds, Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at the LWTF. The Penfolds Bin 707 is essentially Block 42 and Block 41 Cabernet matured in 80% new American oak. It has a ripe almost decadent nose of blackberry, raspberry, cough candy and a touch of truffle. The palate is well balanced with vibrant with fine tannins, great tension here, layers of corpulent red cherry, kirsch, mocha and espresso with great delineation on the compact almost tart finish. Excellent. Drink 2013-2025+ Tasted May 2010.
Reviewed by: Lisa Perrotti-Brown
Bin 707 is always 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and always 100% new oak, though it is not released every year. The 2007 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon was matured 15 months in new American oak hogsheads. Very deep purple-black in color, it gives intense notes of vanilla, creme de cassis, blackberry preserves, licorice and espresso plus a bit of dark chocolate. Very crisp with a very high level of chewy tannins, the fruit is just a little ungenerous on the medium to full-bodied palate, giving a long tannin-dominated finish. With another 2 years+ in bottle, the fruit may come forward on this wine and it should drink to 2020+. With a lot of changes happening around the Foster’s Group, it is business as usual at Penfolds…which seems to operate within its own world. But this is no small world. The vineyard holdings here are vast and the connections with growers go back generations. Chief winemaker Peter Gago is the very well spoken front-man for the production team backed-up Kym Schroeter in charge of the whites and Steve Lienert crafting some very fine, consistent and sometimes inspired reds. If Champagne is all about the art of blending, then Penfolds is the Champagne of Australian wine. Those that think large companies producing wines that emphasize blending can’t make great wines need to think about the Champagne model or simply try some of Penfolds top wines to become believers. That said – check out their recent single vineyard release: the very special 2004 Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon, the first release of a wine made purely from this 100+ year old single block (perhaps the oldest block of Cabernet in the world?) since 1996. Importer: Foster’s Wine Estates Americas, Napa, CA; tel. (707) 259-4500
About the Producer
Since 1844, Penfolds has played a pivotal role in the evolution of wine making with a history and heritage that profoundly reflects Australia’s journey from colonial settlement to the modern era. Penfolds collection of benchmark wines were established in a spirit of innovation and the constant and endless pursuit of quality, evidenced from the secret bottling of Grange in 1951 and the unbroken line of vintages of what is now arguably Australia’s most iconic red wine. Today, the collection continues to display the distinctive and consistently recognisable Penfolds ‘House Style’; the ultimate expression of Penfolds time-honoured tradition of sourcing the best fruit from the best regions. Historic blends, significant milestones and heritage vineyards have been honoured by a lineage of custodians whose courage and imagination, precision and humility have ensured Penfolds remains true to its original values while remaining relevant for current and future generations. The stories and philosophies behind each label bring a timeless quality, making Penfolds wines special and compelling for collectors and drinkers the world over.
