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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 95.4 pts. and median of 96 pts. in 368 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by hprphf on 4/11/2024 & rated 93 points: Quite young if still evidently of quality, purple fruit and cedar. 93+ (269 views) | | | Tasted by Araldinho on 4/7/2024 & rated 91 points: Deep opaque garnet.
Aromas of fruit drops, mint, elderberry juice, cardamon and cloves.
Finely grained juicy tannins. Blackberry slightly low acidity and dark chocolate bitterness. Full body.
Palate of blackberry jam, eucalyptus, cranberry juice, licorice and wet tarmac.
A typical, juicy and easy to like Aussie Shiraz with plenty of fruit, elegant acids and lively long finish. Drink within 10 years.
Tasted alongside Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2004 and the present wine is open, racy and heady compared to the matched wine. (925 views) | | | Tasted by kenv on 3/28/2024 & rated 95 points: [Double decanted for 4 hours at 1pm.] Gorgeous nose of rich sweet black fruit and spice. Complex and full in the mouth. Long finish. The most complete wine of the evening, but needs more time. Four hours in a decanter wasn't enough. (1058 views) | | | Tasted by salil on 3/28/2024 & rated 90 points: WCC Syrah from around the world tasting (Clifton Park, NY): Well, this was disappointing to see revealed as '98 Grange - it's a wine that I'd normally be very excited to sit down and drink but this felt a bit blocky and painfully youthful and didn't really distinguish itself from the rest of the flight. The red and black fruit here feels very dense, somewhat monolithic, though there's a high-toned minty and herbal aromatic topnote that adds a sense of freshness. There's also a lot of apparent tannin on the palate, and it still feels like a wine more about potential and promise than immediate pleasure. (1287 views) | | | Tasted by ttchan2024 on 2/12/2024: DRC, Bizot, Pignan, Soldera and Grange (L'envol, St Regis, HK): Showing some potential but somehow like oak juice, maybe because of inadequate decanting. Cannot open despite 6+ hours of bottle decanting and 1+ hour of decanter.
If I need to try again, I might just put it in decanter for 6+ hours. (880 views) | | | Tasted by oxwombat on 2/12/2024 & rated 91 points: Opened at L'Envol in HK. Slow-oxed for 3 hours before we decided to decant it as it needed more air.
Unfortunately, I didn't quite get this wine. Those at the table with more experience with Grange said that this underperformed massively, and that some of its signature 'chocolate milk' notes just didn't come out. A shame about this bottle, as others from the same lot have performed extremely well. Alas, it happens. (2357 views) | | | Tasted by Nontaco on 2/1/2024 & rated 93 points: Just a splash decant, so maybe it needs serious time in decanter and/or more age….but that said, I expected a helluva lot more (especially since I have a case). It’s dark, brooding, has that deep, sultry Syrah profile but lacking depth, burst of flavor, complexity. It somehow compares more with a Clape Cornas or an aged Tempier, but at same time lacking the profound character and ties to the land I taste (or imagine) when I drink those. Hoping this ages into something a bit different and more attractive. (2058 views) | | | Tasted by egoya on 12/25/2023 & rated 98 points: We were sceptical whether this wine would be worth its high price, but all of us four were deeply impressed. After a decant for four hours: What a majestic wine, full bodied but not massive and extremely elegant. A sensational experience. (2345 views) | | | Tasted by Bern123 on 12/16/2023: Gone (2544 views) | | | Tasted by Texas Corkscrew on 12/10/2023 & rated 97 points: Perfectly fresh, a wonderful wine (2555 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 12/2/2023 & rated 95 points: A gorgeously ripe and full-bodied Grange with classic wild berry fruit and a fabulous spice-driven finish. Quite rich at this point but should be spectacular in 5+ years. 95+ (2316 views) | | | Tasted by Cailles on 10/29/2023 & rated 93 points: A few observations: A) The wines undoubtedly deserve their legendary status. Few wines manage to square the circle of being intense, rich in substance and structure, while at the same time being ethereal, delicate and airy. B) The wines are all complex and very precise. With age (and/or air) the wines show a Rayas-like pure red berry fruit to die for. Other defining aromas are the minty/eucalyptus notes and especially the sweet spice I find in many Aussie Shirazes. C) The wines age at a glacial pace. Even the 40+ year old wines are still quite young and all will need a lot of decanting. D) All the wines were on a high level (except for one subpar bottle of the 2000). The winner was the magical 1982 (98pts), the epitome of elegance and balance.
TN: Dark intense fruit, some finer red fruit underneath, spices, minty notes on the nose. Not as perfectly clean as the 2001/2002 we had before but still quite good. Cleaner on the palate with finer red berries, blue and black fruit, spices, some minty notes, some cola notes. Fine and round, suave, quite light and airy. This bottle was drinking on a 93pts level (the palate higher). As it is one of the more legendary vintages for Grange, my guess is that this bottle was not perfectly right. In addition, my previous experience with this wine suggests that it needs to be decanted for several hours in order to show its best.
Decanting: All wines were quickly double decanted 3h before the tasting. In my experience Grange usually needs hours of proper decanting. I would decant it at least for 4 hours. (2948 views) | | | Tasted by sirpat00 on 10/3/2023 & rated 93 points: Grange vertical (Wunderbrunnen, Opfikon): Part of a 7-vintage vertical (key takeaways in the tasting story). Earth, leather, scorched earth frame a concentrated plum and dark berry fruit - albeit with just hints of beef juice. Some mineral notes of iron. On the palate lacks freshness at first but comes popping up after a while. Otherwise good balance and a juicy character, but disintegrating into the finish whilst from an aroma perspective adding leathery notes. (2429 views) | | | Tasted by acyso on 9/28/2023 & rated 98 points: Four decades of Penfolds Grange (Chicago, IL): I clearly have no idea what I'm doing when I write these notes, because tonight's experience with this wine was certainly different from my note seven years ago. A splendid, magnificent wine, just on the cusp of reaching maturity, with a balance between primary and secondary characteristics that is really appealing to me. The fruit is still sweet but starting to show some desiccation. The oak is present but very much an accent. Firm, leathery tannins hint at further aging potential. One of my favourites tonight. (3331 views) | | | Tasted by Ozen on 8/30/2023 & rated 94 points: We drank this next to Haut Brion 2008. The Grange being is at its very peak: Rich with lots of dark ripe midsummer fruit, well balanced, at the same time quite sweet, very shiraz at its very best, smooth full bodied, quite jammy but never heavy. And as said earlier very ripe fruit. It can not really compete with the HB next to it though, being just less complex, less sophisticated but still very enjoyable in its truly shiraz greatness. It does have years of life ahead. (2962 views) | | | Tasted by LeSow on 8/18/2023 & rated 98 points: WA (2820 views) | | | Tasted by tedcholl on 6/30/2023 & rated 97 points: An incredible wine that I've wanted to try for years. 97% Syrah, 3% Cab Sauv. Deep ruby with a garnet rim. M+ acidity, M+ Tannins, Moderate amount of sediment. Opened very dry and muted. At 2 hour decant fruits came alive, blackberry, chocolate, black raspberry, smoke, very long finish. At 3 hr tasted blueberry and peppery spice. Great intensity and depth of flavors. Drinking young at 25 yrs. At 4 hours leather, licorice, tar. At 5.5 hr balsamic and tobacco. 7 hr more smooth. (3168 views) | | | Tasted by 89grange on 5/27/2023 & rated 98 points: Showing beautifully, classic grange style. Jammy raspberry, with extra long finish. (3455 views) | | | Tasted by BLam on 5/20/2023 & rated 94 points: I brought this btl to Maggie's 520 BD party. It was an elegant syrah with lot of acidity (thus should be last for dacades), fantastic nose and medium body, good structure with long aftertaste. I opended 2.5 hrs double decant for serving. (3195 views) | | | Tasted by Ian_Rhie on 5/6/2023 & rated 96 points: Amazing nose. Still very young. After 2hrs it showed its beauty. Amazing (2994 views) | | | Tasted by GuWin on 3/14/2023 & rated 96 points: BYO Centropa "vin utenfor Frankrike" (Centropa, Oslo, Norway): Dyp mørk med murstens kant. Luftet i 12 timer. Sødmefull, rik, tung duft av mørke bær, cedertre, sigarkasse, et søtlig røypreg og eucalyptus som tok oss i retning Australia. Imponerende munnfølelse, svært rik stil med sursøt frukt, mørke bær, et hint av sort lakris. En stor vin, dyp og med stor konsentrasjon og svært lang smakskurve med mørke bær, eucalyptus og trekryddertoner i avslutningen. Kveldens vin! (3762 views) | | | Tasted by MC2 Wines on 2/18/2023: Wine Bros Australia Deep Dive (Orsay): If I was a grandparent thinking about what wine to buy my grandkids from this tasting this is where I would go. It’s a beautiful wine with a huge amount of potential and just needs A LOT more time. We’ll keep waiting on ours. But the purity of fruit and the spice and the floral and the eucalyptus and the just pure vibrancy of a wine that is already 25 years old and feels closer to a new release than anything else is pretty impressive. (3886 views) | | | Tasted by vanpe003 on 2/13/2023 & rated 90 points: Like the bottle I had in 2021, this one had no "wow factor". It was "ok" and no better. Nothing particularly alluring on the nose. The palate wasn't "old" necessarily. Rather it seems like a fruit-challenged middle-aged wine. Wildly disappointed with this given the sticker. If I gave it 90 points, I'd consider that generous. (3189 views) | | | Tasted by Eric on 12/10/2022: ESTG Year-End Tasting (Newcastle, WA): Holy wow, so bright, such fruit, acid, structure, length and polish. Mint, spearmint and blackberry. (4672 views) | | | Tasted by dream on 11/17/2022 & rated 96 points: Stunning performance after a 4-hour decant. Rich red berry fruit with wonderful notes of spice and licorice. Loaded with flavor and intensity and still quite youthful but its gorgeous to drink now with that long decant really making a difference. Layered and velvety with great opulence and power yet still refined and crisp. 96+ (4032 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/4/2021)
(Penfolds, Grange South Australia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (7/20/2016)
(Penfolds, Grange South Australia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (5/17/2016)
(Penfolds, Grange South Australia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (3/21/2016)
(Penfolds, Grange South Australia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/14/2013)
(Penfolds, Grange South Australia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Julia Harding, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/26/2009)
(Penfolds, Grange South Eastern Australia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | The World of Fine Wine, December 2008, Issue #22
(Bin 95 Grange Shiraz) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/17/2008)
(Penfolds, Grange South Australia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Campbell Mattinson
The WINEFRONT (1/1/2005)
(Penfolds Grange Shiraz) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Halliday
Halliday Wine Companion (10/12/2003)
(Penfolds Grange) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (9/1/2003)
(Penfolds, Grange South Australia Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jeremy Oliver
Vinous, July/August 2003, IWC Issue #109
(Penfolds Wines Grange South Australia) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (2/5/2004)
(Penfolds Grange) Beautiful blackberry nose; seamless, blackberry, boysenberry ripple, vanilla and caramel palate; long finish 98 points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (8/29/2003)
(Penfolds Grange) Beautiful, pure, blackberry liqueur nose; wow, tasty, deep and layered blackberry palate with well integrated vanilla oak and big, sweet tannins; long finish 98 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of JancisRobinson.com and The World of Fine Wine and The WINEFRONT and Halliday Wine Companion and Vinous and RJonWine.com. (manage subscription channels) |
| Penfolds Producer website
Producer Cellar Door - Barossa (Google Maps)
About Us
Australia's winemaking history of less than two hundred years is brief by European measures though, like Europe, punctuated by periods of extreme success and difficult times. From the earliest winemaking days Penfolds has figured prominently and few would argue the importance of Penfolds’ influence on Australia’s winemaking psyche.
Without the influence of Penfolds the modern Australian wine industry would look very different indeed. Sitting comfortably outside of fad and fashion, Penfolds has taken Australian wine to the world on a grand stage and forged a reputation for quality that is without peer.
Penfolds’ reputation for making wines of provenance and cellaring potential might suggest a mantle of tradition and formality is the preferred attire of a company with so much history to defend. But to label Penfolds as simply an established and conventional winemaker, would be to confuse tradition with consideration and to overlook the innovative spirit that has driven Penfolds since its foundation, and continues to find expression in modern times.
If there is anything traditional about Penfolds, it is the practice of constantly reviewing the wines it already does well, and continuously evolving and refining styles as vineyards mature and access to ever older and more varied vineyard sites improves.
Making The Best Possible Wine
At Penfolds, the role of the winemaker is to make the best possible wine within the constraints of each vintage. Penfolds’ house style emerged from a fortified-wine producing culture and evolved as a winemaking philosophy – a way of making wine – which has had a profound effect on the entire Australian wine industry.
The concept of multi-regional and vineyard blending, a feature of the Penfolds house style, is an amplification of the ‘all-round wine’. Without the constraints of a single vineyard, winemakers could choose the best possible fruit with the outstanding characteristics of each vineyard.
While American oak has played a central role in the development of Penfolds red wines, French oak has been increasingly used in the evolution of new wines – particularly RWT and Yattarna. Maturation in oak, which follows fermentation, is also key to the Penfolds house style.
The Penfolds approach to winemaking has percolated through the entire Australian wine industry over the last 50 years. The techniques employed in research and development of Penfolds wines are remarkable and many of the discoveries and innovations have had a lasting impact on winemaking thinking.
Winemakers
In Max Schubert, Don Ditter, John Duval and Peter Gago, Penfolds has nurtured four of Australia's great winemakers. They have passed the Chief Winemaker’s baton of responsibility for crafting some of Australia's most iconic wines, down through the past six decades.
Joining Peter Gago in the Penfolds winemaking team are Senior Red Winemaker Steve Lienert, Senior White Winemaker Kym Schroeter, and Red Winemakers Andrew Baldwin, Adam Clay, Stephanie Dutton and Matt Woo - also the Penfolds Fortified Winemaker. All members of the Penfolds winemaking team ensure that Penfolds’ reputation for outstanding quality is upheld.
Vineyards
Barossa Valley
Penfolds draws fruit from a combined vineyard area of 618 hectares in the Barossa region of South Australia. The Barossa is about 70 kilometres north of Adelaide and in 1911 Penfolds established a winery at Nuriootpa, completed in time for the 1913 vintage. The Barossa region is known for its relatively low rainfall with many vineyards dry grown on single wire trellising.
Magill Estate
The historic and heritage-protected Magill Estate Vineyard was established in 1844 by Dr Christopher Rawson and Mary Penfold—just eight years after the foundation of Adelaide. It was originally known as the Grange Vineyard, named after their new homestead ‘The Grange’, a cottage which still stands intact amongst the vines.
Eden Valley
Joseph Gilbert planted the first vines in the Eden Valley in 1842 and since that time the region has become synonymous with producing elegant riesling and complex shiraz. While its name suggests a concave nature, Eden Valley is actually a wide ridge, situated east of the Barossa Valley with an altitude ranging from 440 – 550 metres.
McLaren Vale
McLaren Vale is located approximately 40km to the south of Adelaide, with the vineyards in the region located between 6 and 15 kilometres from the Gulf of St Vincent. The elevation ranges from 50 to 350 metres above sea level. Penfolds has company owned vineyards throughout the region, using the fruit as blending components for premium red wines such as Grange and Bin 389.
Coonawarra
Penfolds has had a long history with the Coonawarra region, dating back to their first vineyard purchase in 1960. It is one of the most famous red wine regions in Australia with weathered limestone terra rossa soils, relatively cool climate and overall water availability. Coonawarra has played a significant role in many of Penfolds' multi-regional wines as well as the single region wines such as Bin 128.
James Halliday Australian Wine Companion Winery Of The Year 2014: Penfolds
Penfolds is Australia’s foremost winemaker, with an unbroken line dating back to its establishment in 1844 when medical practitioner Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold and wife Mary purchased ‘the delightfully situated and truly valuable of Mackgill … Comprising 500 acres (202 hectares) of the choicest land’. Here they built the house that still stands today, and within a few years had begun the winery and cellar on the site of today’s buildings at Magill Estate.
Mary took charge of winemaking, initially producing grenache prescribed by her husband as a tonic for anaemic patients. By 1870 she, son-in-law Thomas Hyland and cellar manager/winemaker Joseph Gillard had formed Penfolds & Co. With markets in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, their wine production was over one-third of South Australia’s total.
Growth continued unabated, and in 1945 Penfolds acquired the jewel of the Magill Vineyard, at that time the largest vineyard in South Australia. It now has 2100 hectares of vineyards, the largest share of Australia’s total. Two men came together in the 1950s to lay the foundation of Penfolds today: winemaker Max Schubert, and research chemist Ray Beckwith (who died shortly after his 100th birthday in 2012); indeed, their contribution transcended Penfolds to the entire Australian wine industry.
The architecture for the Penfolds wine portfolio of the twenty-first century was established in the 1960s, half a century ago. There has been growth, both in the range of labels and their price points, but it has been cleverly – indeed sensitively – managed; demand-driven growth has been achieved without any quality compromise whatsoever.
There is no possibility that the pre-eminence of Penfolds will ever be challenged by any other Australian wine business. Equally certain is that the Penfolds brand value will continue to gain ground on the world stage of all consumable products. If proof be needed, the overall quality of the wines in this Wine Companion is the best Penfolds has ever presented to the markets of the globe.
Author: James Halliday Jul 20131998 Penfolds GrangeBin 95 GrangePenfolds GrangeLangton's The Definitive Grange Guide (includes 2006 vintage)
http://www.langtons.com.au/images/pdfs/grange_guide.pdf
The Rewards of Patience (7th Edition)
Vintage Label Shiraz Cabernet
2010 Bin 95 Grange 96% 4%
2009 Bin 95 Grange 98% 2%
2008 Bin 95 Grange 98% 2%
2007 Bin 95 Grange 98% 2%
2006 Bin 95 Grange 98% 2%
2005 Bin 95 Grange 96% 4%
2004 Bin 95 Grange 96% 4%
2003 Bin 95 Grange 97% 3%
2002 Bin 95 Grange 98.5% 1.5%
2001 Bin 95 Grange 99% 1%
2000 Bin 95 Grange 100%
1999 Bin 95 Grange 100%
1998 Bin 95 Grange 97% 3%
1997 Bin 95 Grange 96% 4%
1996 Bin 95 Grange 94% 6%
1995 Bin 95 Grange 94% 6%
1994 Bin 95 Grange 89% 11%
1993 Bin 95 Grange 86% 14%
1992 Bin 95 Grange 90% 10%
1991 Bin 95 Grange 95% 5%
1990 Bin 95 Grange 95% 5%
1989 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 91% 9%
1988 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 94% 6%
1987 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 90% 10%
1986 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 87% 13%
1985 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 99% 1%
1984 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 95% 5%
1983 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 94% 6%
1982 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 94% 6%
1981 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 89% 11%
1980 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 96% 4%
1979 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 87% 13%
1978 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 90% 10%
1977 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 91% 9%
1976 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 89% 11%
1975 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 90% 10%
1974 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 93% 7%
1973 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 98% 2%
1972 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 90% 10%
1971 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 87% 13%
1970 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 90% 10%
1969 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 95% 5%
1969 Bin 826 Grange Hermitage
1968 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 94% 6%
1968 Bin 826 Grange Hermitage
1967 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 94% 6%
1967 Bin 74 Grange Hermitage
1966 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 88% 12%
1966 Bin 72 Grange Hermitage
1966 Bin 71 Grange Hermitage
1965 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 95% 5%
1965 Bin 71 Grange Hermitage
1965 Bin 70 Grange Hermitage
1965 Bin 69 Grange Hermitage
1964 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 90% 10%
1964 Bin 68 Grange Hermitage
1964 Bin 67 Grange Hermitage
1964 Bin 66 Grange Hermitage
1964 Bin 395 Grange Hermitage
1963 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 100%
1963 Bin 65 Grange Hermitage
1962 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 87% 13%
1962 Bin 456 Grange Hermitage
1962 Bin 59A Grange Hermitage
1962 Bin 59 Grange Hermitage
1961 Bin 395 Grange Hermitage 88% 12%
1961 Bin 395 Grange Hermitage
1960 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 92% 8%
1960 Bin 45 Grange Hermitage
1959 Bin 46 Grange Hermitage 90% 10%
1959 Bin 49 Grange Hermitage
1959 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage
1958 Bin 46 Grange Hermitage 94% 6%
1957 Bin 50 Grange Hermitage 88% 12%
1956 Bin 14 Grange Hermitage 96% 4%
1955 Bin 95 Grange Hermitage 90% 10%
1955 Bin 148A Grange Hermitage
1955 Bin 54 Grange Hermitage
1955 Bin 53 Grange Hermitage
1955 Bin 14 Grange Hermitage
1955 Bin 13 Grange Hermitage
1954 Bin 12 Grange Hermitage 98% 2%
1954 Bin 11 Grange Hermitage
1953 Bin 2 Grange Hermitage 87% 13%
1953 Bin 145 Grange Hermitage
1953 Bin 86C Grange Hermitage
1953 Bin 10 Grange Hermitage
1953 Bin 9 Grange Cabernet Sauvignon (Block 42) 100%
1952 Bin 4 Grange Hermitage 100%
1952 Bin 4A Grange Hermitage
1951 Bin 1 Grange Hermitage 100%
Shiraz BlendViognierGrangePenfold's Rewards Of Patience
http://www.grange.biz/library/rewards/bin-95-grange.pdf
Australia Wine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)South Australia South Australian Wine Industry Association | South Australian Wines (Wikipedia) |
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