1996 Bin 707: Anyone tasted this recently?

[Martin Phillipson]

Hi all

Just wondering how this is travelling. Anyone dared open one yet?

MP

[TORB]

Hi David,

I bought a few but dont plan on opening the first till 2006 and even then I expect it will be a baby. Only three years to wait.

Cheers
Ric

[Grant Dodd]

Martin,


I had a bottle of the 96 about a year ago at a dinner party. Despite the fact that it was way too young,there was no escaping the quality evident. On potential alone,in the very top bracket of Aussie cabernet's that I have drunk. Very powerful,quite raw and bursting at the seams with bundles of everything. A very exciting wine. In contrast,I opened up a 94 Bin 707 two months ago and it was hard going,every mouthful was a bit of an effort,very powerful tannins dominate the wine and there is quite a degree of vanillin oak distracting you from the fruit. This one definately needs more time,but I will be interested to see if it mellows out,and exactly when.


Cheers

[GraemeG]

94 Bin 707 will take a while, I suspect. I rather think that 1994 is a bit of a sleeper for Penfolds. If you look at the currently available RoP booklet, a lot of the 94 vintage reds collect the asterisk, along with 90, 96 and 98. At the 12-year Bin 389 vertical my wine group had last year, the 94 was the big surprise (relatively speaking, 89 was good too), easily trumping the 91.

If you're wanting to build a back catalogue of Penfolds at auction, I'd go for 94 (I'm speaking of Bin 389 and above).

cheers,
Graeme

[Craig(NZ)]

I agree. And to throw a spanner in the works I think 1994 Penfolds had the strongest line up of wines (407 and above) of any year in the nineties for long term cellaring (id have to exclude Grange from this generalisation only because ive only tried a few vintages). 96 389 may be better than 94 but the 94 407 is better than the 96, so is St Henri.

The 407 I think is a fantastic drink that will easily cruise another 10 years. The 389 as mentioned is excellent. The St Henri was a great effort. 707 is a real sleeper, perhaps more classical than the 96 707?

I could drink the 96 707 and enjoy it now, very sexy vintage.

What has happenned to Penfolds anyway, the value isnt there anymore

However we could stop talking about the fantastic 94 Penfolds and step it up a gear to the 94 Henschkes!! Now those a real wines!!

C.

[JohnD]

I agree with Ric on this one, will not be touching my 96 707's until at least 2006. Try one then and assess from there as to when try the next one as I believe these will keep for quite sometime.

[Rob]

opened a 90 bin 707 about 6 months ago. What a lovely drop. Firm tannin, dark purple colour. Plum on the palate. a very fine example of the top aussie Cab sav. The 90s just started to show sign of mellowing out, but will probably take few more years to be fully appreciated. I will not open the 96 just yet, maybe in 2008

[Blake]

I have not tasted a 96 707, but if the other Pennies from that vintage are any indication the 707 should be a genuine 25 year prospect.

IMO if you've only got one you'd be mad to drink before it was 'legal' (16).

[Jacques]

Opened a 84" 707 and a 86" 707 couple months ago, I think although it can still cellar for another few years, but it is wonderful to drink now. Luckily that I still got half dozen of each and I will open one in the next six years. Try a 94" 707 couple years ago, excellent wine but just too young, so don't bother to open the 96".

[felixp21]

1996 707 at lunch today.
decent, probably not more than that. Has plenty of Penfold's floor polish, but the fruit is sweet and pure. Average length, if I had to rate it, I'd say about 89-90. If you still have any, drink 'em. Totally outclassed by a 96 Ducru Beaucaillou.

[sjw_11]

What has happenned to Penfolds anyway, the value isnt there anymore

20 years ago and it was the same view about Penfolds

[mjs]

Almost fell off my chair today when I saw rrp for '21 707 on cellardoor $800 ffs, on sale for $720.

In which universe is 707 worth that much?

[mjs]

bought '90 707 for $25/b in the day

Going to Melbourne this weekend for my son's 30th birthday. Taking a birth year bottle of '93 707 for him, will be quaffed I am sure

[phillisc]

bought '90 707 for $25/b in the day

Going to Melbourne this weekend for my son's 30th birthday. Taking a birth year bottle of '93 707 for him, will be quaffed I am sure

Indeed best $600 I spent for 24 bottles of 1990 from Ed Cellars. Think there's 2 left in the hole somewhere. Wanted some 94s for the first born, but after it cleaned up at the Sydney show and was $100...and after that for me game over.
Cheers Craig