"Deep, dense crimson-purple; the profound bouquet offers every kind of black fruits imaginable, large and small, yet somehow leaves a space and air in the mix for more complex secondary characters to emerge given time - lots of it. The palate takes all this, and adds to it with barrel ferment characters introducing licorice and touches of wild herb. This wine fully lives up to the great expectations held of it (and the vintage). Arguably the bargain of the release."
97 Points
James Halliday, The Australian Wine Companion
"The glory of 389 is that it makes the most of its components. It wrings the best structural, dry, herbal elements from cabernet; the plusher, sweeter, come-hither charms of shiraz, and the creamy opulence of American oak. This 2012 is the Bin 389 Show in all its pomp. Flush with blackcurrant, dark olive, coffee-cream, soft straps of licorice, saturated plum, gum leaves and smoky, spicy oak. It’s a celebration of warm climate Australian red wine, spruced up, hair slicked back, on the way to the community hall in its Saturday night best. Good behaviour is expected and demanded but fun will be had, over many years. I admire this wine. It sets out both its ambitions and its style, and races to meet them. 95 Points/Drink 2019-2030+" - Campbell Mattinson, Wine Front