Producer: Wyndham Estate
Wine: Shiraz Bin 555
Vintage: 2002
Country: Australia
Appellation: NSW
Wine Type: Red
Varietal: Shiraz
Grade: B
Designation: Cheap and Good
Price: $10

What’s a Bin 555? The only bin that I’m personally familiar with is the one I throw my dirty laundry in? Surely the Aussies don’t put their wine there. Actually it’s difficult to get a firm grip on the answer as Australians don’t exactly agree on the origin of the bin nomenclature. Some think it was a cubicle or stall where they cellared wine bottles and to keep track of individual varietals, they put numbers on the bins. Cheap Shiraz…Bin 35. Opulent Shiraz I can charge a bit more for…Bin 389. Sounds like a reasonable explanation, but hold on. Other Aussie sources state that the “bin” is the actual wine barrel and the number is for the varietal. Whatever. In reality the bin number has evolved to a branding image that wineries use to classify their wines. A bin number represents a winery’s individual style for that specific wine. Wyndham Estate is one of the older wineries (early 1800’s) located in NSW. Their Bin 555 is known as a reliable easy-drinking Shiraz year after year that is sold at an affordable price. The 2002 is just that. It is a rich purple Shiraz blend aged in American oak. The nose is thick with ripe plums, berries and spices that follow through with balanced dark fruit flavors, soft oaky vanilla, licorice, and peppery spice. A well-integrated wine with a satisfying and lengthy finish. So, what can I expect to find with the 2003 Bin 555? I’m tempted to say, “Bin there, done that,” but I try to avoid puns since they are the lowest form of humor. I’ll just say you will probably find a rich and tasty Shiraz that should go well with red meats, pasta, and hearty soups.

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