Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

This is the story of how a doctor with a passion for wine entered Australia's wine scene. But it’s also the tale of how one particular wine from Penfolds would capture the hearts of wine lovers around the world. Grange: a wine that stands shoulder to shoulder with Château Latour, Harlan Estate, Masseto, and the finest Grand Cru Burgundies. Penfolds and Grange are inseparable, and their story cannot be told without the other. Penfolds is widely regarded as the most significant and dominant wine producer in Australia. Despite undergoing changes in ownership over the years, it has consistently maintained a high level of quality and steadily risen to the top since its founding in 1844. While global recognition took time, it has undoubtedly earned its place among the best.Today, Penfolds is led by Chief Winemaker Peter Gago, the fourth person to hold this esteemed role. The continuity of skilled winemakers is likely a key factor in the consistent balance and stability that define the exceptional wines of Penfolds.In the mid-19th century, Australia was an open country for wine growing, and many settlers brought and planted cuttings to make wine. English Doctor Christopher Rawson Penfold and his wife Mary Penfold emigrated to Australia, and Adelaide became the home of the Doctor's practice. An interest in fortified wine was the direct cause of the Penfolds planting their imported cuttings on the Magill Estate on the outskirts of Adelaide in 1844. Here they lived, worked, and grew wine, and suddenly the production of wine exceeded the practice of medicine. Even today, the Magill Estate is one of the most critical sites for growing grapes for Penfold's top wines. Magill Estate has almost 100 hectares of vines, originally Riesling and the Bordeaux grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In recent years, replanting has taken place so that only Shiraz is planted on the estate today. These grapes are used in some vintages for Grange, and in other vintages, they are all used in Magill Estate Shiraz.In 1948 the family hired an outside winemaker to reinforce the company's skills. The choice fell on Max Schubert, who would soon prove to be just the right man for Penfolds. Schubert became the company's man, and his innovative ideas paved the way for the company's vision to reach the next level. Penfolds' most vital wine, Grange, can only be attributed to his determined and innovative work over several years.Today, Grange is Penfolds's original and most potent expression. It symbolizes how blending several vineyards and districts can unite into a glorious unity. Grange is Australia's most famous wine, but the road to fame has been paved with skepticism, condemnation, and, thankfully, a great deal of perseverance. When Grange was first presented, Max Schubert received this comment from a respected taster:"Schubert, I congratulate you. A very good, dry port, which no one in their right mind will buy - let alone drink." Had Max Schubert not been so determined about the high quality of the wine, the whole adventure of Penfolds Grange could have collapsed right there. Fortunately, he was a stubborn man. In 1951, the first vintage was produced. The grapes were partly selected from the Magill Estate owned by Penfolds and a vineyard south of Adelaide. It was rejected the first time Max Schubert presented his new star to the owners and other talented tasters. It was certainly not the reception Max Schubert had wanted. Still, he was fortunately gifted with patience, fortitude, and the persistency mentioned above. The owners of Penfolds even demanded that he stop production. Yet, he was so sure of his project that he hid his production in the cellar for several years.Fortunately, Jeffrey Penfold Hyland was on his side. Jeffrey was in charge of production at Penfolds then and allowed the secret production. It was not until the first vintage was ten years old that it had the quality to convince the owners at Penfolds. From there, Max Schubert got the green light to restart his production of Grange.his marked the beginning of what would become the most iconic and important Australian wine—Penfolds Grange. It became a beacon of our wine industry and the wine that put Australia on the global wine map. Critics and collectors flocked to experience its great vintages, using it as a benchmark to compare against the world’s finest names.The World of Wine encourages every Australian wine collection to include a parcel of Penfolds Grange in the cellar. This wine is tightly coiled in its youth and requires time to fully reveal its true character. We recommend cellaring it for at least 15-20 years before enjoying. Notable vintages to explore include 1971, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1998, 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2018.