Penfolds Bin 138 GSM 2020 Review – Balanced but Never Boring
We opened this bottle expecting Penfolds’ take on a GSM to show polish, weight, and spice. What we found was a wine with a bit of everything: oak, fruit, acidity, tannin, and a flash of heat. But above all, it was interesting — constantly shifting in the glass and at the table.
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Vintage: |
2020 |
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Region: |
Barossa Valley, South Australia |
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Varietal: |
Grenache Shiraz Mataro (GSM) |
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ABV: |
14.5% |
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RRP: |
~$60 AUD |
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Format: |
750mL |
Appearance
Deep purple core with a youthful, vibrant rim. The hue leans more toward purple than garnet, suggesting freshness. Legs are slow to appear and medium in their descent, though only a few form at a time — a sign of weight without oversaturation.
Aroma / Nose
Without a swirl, the first impression leans to spiced oak — dry and aromatic. A swirl opens the wine quickly, releasing vibrant spiced fruit layered over that woody frame.
Palate / Taste
The entry is sweet-fruited but quickly shifts, acidity rising to sharpen the mid-palate. On the swallow, a distinct kick of alcohol comes through before dark fruits settle into the aftertaste. Tannins grip strongly on the gums, showing assertive structure.
Finish
What lingers is a firm grip of tannin and a trail of dark fruit, the alcohol kick most present in the first sips. With time, the sharpness softens — fruit stands taller, acidity cushions, and the finish becomes less fiery and more composed. By the end of the bottle, a gritty texture emerges, grounding the wine in something more rustic and tactile.
Food Pairing
Edam: turns creamier after a sip, softening alcohol heat while exposing more oak.
Persian fetta: lifts fruit and spice to the front, leaving oak as a warm backdrop.
Cottage cheese: follows a similar line to fetta, though in its own subtle way.
Roast beef slice: preserves some sweetness and fruit before oak takes over with structure.
Roast chicken slice: firms tannins and oak, but still allows a fruit-driven aftertaste.
The wine’s shifting balance makes it flexible with both texture and fat. It played confidently with aged cheddar(highlighting the spice and oak) and found ease beside chargrilled vegetables, where its acidity softened and fruit brightened. Cured meats or spiced lamb would likely sit in its sweet spot, letting the GSM blend show both its warmth and definition.
Across the board, once the palate acclimatises, the alcohol kick fades and a gentler rhythm takes hold — fruit standing tall, acidity rising then falling away.
ATC Verdict: Is It Worth the Splurge?
Yes — Bin 138 delivers. It has a bit of everything: oak, fruit, spice, acidity, tannin, even a flash of heat. But most importantly, it’s interesting. Each sip shifts with food, revealing different sides of its character — from creamy oak to lifted spice, from firm tannins to fruit that lingers once the alcohol fades.
By the end of the bottle, a gritty texture emerges, grounding the wine in something more rustic and tactile. It feels less polished, but also more alive — a reminder that this isn’t built for sameness, but for discovery.
Would we drink it again? Absolutely.
Would we cellar it? Perhaps briefly, but it’s drinking beautifully now.
Was it worth opening? Without hesitation.
Balanced but never boring. Built to keep you curious.
Editor’s Note
This tasting was carried out over a single afternoon, with food pairings tested side by side to observe how the wine shifted across different textures and flavours. The notes reflect both individual and shared impressions — including Kiki’s observation of a faint floral lift with the cottage cheese. By the end of the bottle, the wine’s character evolved notably, softening in structure while showing more fruit and texture.
–Adrian – Editor at All That Is Cool
Please drink responsibly.
All alcohol reviews on All That Is Cool are intended for audiences aged 18+. We support mindful, moderate consumption and only feature bottles we’ve personally tasted and evaluated.
