I purchased a Bin 51 Eden Valley Riesling for Christmas day 2020 as a big fuck you to the CCP and their poorly conceived tariffs. As it turns out, the Bin 51 was left in the refrigerator and not packed into the cooler bag for the trip over – oh well. Still, this Riesling isn’t going to be poured down the drain, we just get to drink it later. Coming from Western Australia, we have a few decent Rieslings here too, so does Penfolds Bin 51 stack up?

I think it does, the Leeuwin Estate Riesling is about as good as it gets, but is it in a different price range? Well, yes it is, but not in a positive manner. Instead I drank a Penfolds chardonnay out in the back garden with my father on a Friday evening. So, was the Bin 51 any good? Well, yes it was. We had a couple of bottles that night, the Bin 51 was one of these, it was pretty good evening actually.

In Western Australia, we are spoiled for chardonnay, we have some decent Riesling choices as well. South Australia is known for their Riesling with the Eden Vale region, but Penfolds Bin 51 isn’t my usual choice. I liked the Bin 51, the next question is, does it replace the Leeuwin Estate, Pewsley Vale and Vickery Rieslings I prefer? It will knock the Vickery down but won’t replace Pewsley Vale and Leeuwin Estate – not for me anyway.

Nice fruit and a balanced finish. Whilst I like a big wooded Chardonnay at times, I like to change it up too. I really don’t find much value in an unwooded Chardonnay, so when I need a break from chardonnay and sauvignon blanc isn’t doing it for me, the Penfolds Bin 51 is a decent compromise, it is a pretty decent Riesling and I do like to change things up.