If there is anything about wine that tends to put many people off, it is the varying labeling systems used by different countries. One masters the language of Bordeaux (not too difficult once you've learned the 1859 Classification system) only to stumbles and falls a dozen or more times before coming to grips with the more complex non-system of Burgundy (where a single acre of land can produce four different wines). After that, one finally manages to get past the archaic old German on so many bottles from the Rhine; and one even gets to know the various new appelations of California. And then, by heaven, it comes to Australia, where even though the language used is English, one has to read about the varietals of grapes, the name of the producer, the winemaker, the district, the vineyard and the vintage date. All of which seems quite clear until we get to the "bin numbers". And then everyone becomes confused, because even though there are a great many honest Australian winemakers, not one of them will reveal the precise truth about just what these bin numbers mean.

Well, folks, there is no great secret. Years ago, once wines had been bottled they were set aside, invariably in temperature and humidity controlled cellaring facilities, and without exception on their sides, to age in bins (or, if you prefer, cubicles). In order to know just what wines were located where (because the labels had not yet been placed on the bottles), each bin was given a number and that made life considerably easier for winemakers and cellar masters. Even though some Australian wineries would have us believe that this is still the case, it is not! Today, while it is true that wines tend to be numbered in batches for identification purposes, this is done not in the bottles but in the vats or oak barrels. The simple truth is that a bin number on a wine today indicates nothing more than the style of batches of wine. In fact, so popular has the system become that many people now associate bin numbers with brand names. All of which is fine, for winemakers tend to look for at least a certain amount of consistency in both quality and style in their wines and once one learns the numbering system life actually becomes a bit easier.

Looking for example at Penfolds, a winery devoted to the bin system, it becomes clear that their Bin 707 is one of Australia's very best Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Invariably medium to full bodied and with minimum variation between vintage years, the wine is often loaded with black currant, raspberry and other red berry flavors. It is also fair to say that the wine is also typified by one combination or another of flavors and aromas of tea, eucalyptus, mint, tobacco, violets, cedar and ginger. At its very best the wine is opulent, concentrated and mothfilling and even though approachable when young is best only five years after bottling. So well balanced are the Bin 707 wines that they can often develop nicely in the bottle for 20 or more years.

Taking a leap, one can consider Penfolds Bin 407 wines. Also Cabernets and also good, the Bin 407 wines can be thought of as "miniatures" or "younger brothers" of the more powerful and more elegant 707's. Not that there is anything second rate about Penfolds' Bin 407, for while the 707 consistently earns scores of 92 or over, it is not unusual for the 407's to attain scores of 88 - 90. Keep in mind that in any given vintage year, the Bin 707 will be far more expensive than the 407.

Jumping to Shiraz, Penfolds Bin 128 is often a truly lovely wine, deep rich and well oaked. In fact, this is one of Penfolds best known wines, a wine that can be approached after two to three years but which is at its best only 10 - 12 years after it's harvest date, and often attaining scores of 90 or higher. The Bin 128 wines always come from Coonawarra. On another side of the coin (Penfolds' coins seem to have multiple sides) the Bin 27 Shiraz comes from Kalimna, remains ripe and robust but is somewhat lighter than the 128 and is generally at its best 5 - 7 years after the harvest. What separates the two wines is not so much quality but style (the Bin 128 spicier and the Bin 27 more fruity; the Bin 27 somewhat lighter, and the 128 with more of a hint of licorice in its bouquet).

© Daniel Rogov