1998 Penfolds Grange |
| Vintage | 1998 |  | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Penfolds (web) | ||
| Variety | Shiraz Blend | ||
| Designation | Grange | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | Australia | ||
| Region | South Australia | ||
| SubRegion | n/a | ||
| Appellation | n/a | ||
| UPC Code(s) | 012354000049, 012354071100, 012354071131, 9310297005000, 9310297006540, 9310297013791 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2010 and 2031 (based on 169 user opinions) | |
| Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Penfolds Grange (Bin 95) on the Wine Market Journal. |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average and median of 96 pts. in 368 notes) | |
| Tasted by hprphf on 4/11/2024 & rated 93 points: Quite young if still evidently of quality, purple fruit and cedar. 93+ (280 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. (929 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. (1062 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. (1291 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. (882 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. (2358 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. (2059 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. (2346 views) | |
| Tasted by Bern123 on 12/16/2023: Gone (2545 views) | |
| Tasted by Texas Corkscrew on 12/10/2023 & rated 97 points: Perfectly fresh, a wonderful wine (2556 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+ (2317 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. (2949 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. (2430 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. (3332 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. (2963 views) | |
| Tasted by LeSow on 8/18/2023 & rated 98 points: WA (2821 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. (3169 views) | |
| Tasted by 89grange on 5/27/2023 & rated 98 points: Showing beautifully, classic grange style. Jammy raspberry, with extra long finish. (3456 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. (3196 views) | |
| Tasted by Ian_Rhie on 5/6/2023 & rated 96 points: Amazing nose. Still very young. After 2hrs it showed its beauty. Amazing (2995 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! (3763 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. (3887 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. (3190 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. (4673 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+ (4033 views) | |
| Tasted by Lma1969 on 8/21/2022 & rated 95 points: Mike brought for dinner. Had several wines including a 95 Mouton. The Grange was wonderful. Chocolate, red berry notes, tannins were sweet and chewy. I wonder if we opened this too soon. It had plenty of life left but extremely enjoyable right now. It had a 6 hour double decant. (4761 views) | |
| Tasted by dream on 7/18/2022 & rated 96 points: A stunning vintage of Grange that is both taut and rich at the same time. Incredible flavors of wild red berries with exciting intensity and still grippy tannins. The finish is so complex already even though the wine is youthful with wonderful notes of minerals, eucalyptus and red spices. Wow! (4992 views) | |
| Tasted by TWSA on 6/21/2022 & rated 86 points: Nose: sweet jam, chocolate Notes: Unfortunately I am still unable to appreciate the Grange. It has a typical sweet and jammy nose that is present in most Australian wines. I sometimes have a feeling that no matter good or bad vintage it is hard to differentiate these wines and aging doesn't seem to post a strong effect on Shiraz like the other grape types. The notes are always incredibly similar so unfortunately both the nose and palate are a little too big and too sweet for my liking. Drink: Now+ Rating: 86 (3522 views) | |
| Tasted by J.Nimmo on 5/8/2022 & rated 97 points: I know I over paid for this wine or Did I!?!?!?! I love it and it's not like they are producing 1998 Grange:) Mature and elegant with lots of life left in this wine. This marks bottle 2 of 10 in the cellar. Smell and Flavor to cover ALL of the fragrances and flavors I enjoy. I think I just smelled this wine for an hour...... Thank God no one was watching. I like this one a bit more than the 1996 and 1999 but Love them all. Near Perfection! (5138 views) | |
| Tasted by Collector1855 on 4/22/2022 & rated 95 points: During a blind tasting dinner. Rich and ripe, I was guessing Napa CabSav, being mislead here by the softness of the tannins. Complex aromas of torrefaciton, sweet spices, ripe dark fruit and oak. A very nice, mature Grange with many years ahead. (5686 views) | |
| Tasted by Hanibal on 3/15/2022 & rated 92 points: the wine is mature and ready with no agression. I found it however somewhat monolithic. (5562 views) | |
| Tasted by Ex-Ray on 3/7/2022 & rated 96 points: Tasted with three neighbors, as an unknown. I thought it was a Cal cab or merlot, finally stumbled into Aussie. Garnet and opaque. Medium-full intensity aromas, but of cassis and sweet herbs; didn't get the raspberry notes as before, just a hint of American oak. Very smooth, round flavors, medium-full body, definitely mature, very smooth red and black fruits. Fully mature, would drink near term. Ric (4876 views) | |
| Tasted by Benoit Hardy on 1/19/2022 & rated 98 points: In this acclaimed vintage, shiraz clearly dominates with 97% for 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. A nose of crazy complexity, on blackberries, crushed raspberries, barbecue, pepper, spices ... Everything goes with aeration where aromas of coffee beans will be added. On the palate, the wine is massive, especially with its 15% alcohol, but to be honest I expected worse. It is a perfect balance and with a freshness, what a treat! The juice is dense and loose on bright fruit blended with meaty flavors and roasted coffee. It's textured and smooth at the same time, with a hint of vanilla, the complexity and presence on the palate is there, it's almost too easy! The wine benefits from the aeration in the glass with the appearance of flavors of figs, violets, and smoke. Eminently complex, everything is there to make a great wine, starting with the massive, almost carbony finish that unrolls like a steamroller over an enormous length. It is a great wine objectively, kaleidoscopic, intense and tasty at the same time. (5603 views) | |
| Tasted by RMundell on 12/27/2021 & rated 95 points: Drinking nicely. (4378 views) | |
| Tasted by apple1813 on 10/11/2021 & rated 94 points: 1998 Penfolds Grange was complex, powerful and concentrated. The developing Grange was clear and deep ruby in colour with loads of fine sediments. It took two hours of aeration to open up aromas of blackberry, figs, kirsch, liqourice and black pepper spices. With five hours, it gained complex notes of truffle, mocha and smoked beef. Care should be taken with the serving temperature, as it could appear jammy and overtly spicy when it warms up over hours of consumption. The mouthfeel was dry, spicy and full-bodied, complemented with high level of structured tannin and medium-high level of balancing acidity. There were unparalleled concentration of ripe dark fruits and oak spices on the mid-palate. Flavours of cassis and dark plum transitioned into smoke, espresso and butterscotch in a long robust finish. The 14.5% alcohol was matched by great intensity of flavours and richness. While Grange has great complexity and concentration, my heart goes to the hill of Hermitage for the mineral impact and delineation. According to Penfolds' official website, the grapes were sourced over multiple vineyards in South Australia. The blending philosophy of Grange was to create a multi-vineyard, multi-district, original and most powerful expression. In the 1998 vintage, the blend was composed of 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was aged for 18 months in new American oak barrels. (5693 views) | |
| Tasted by Montesquieu on 10/10/2021 & rated 100 points: Second bottle cracked within a month. Perfect once again. Grateful that nature and nurture 23 years ago gave so much joy these 2+ decades later. (5191 views) | |
| Tasted by Montesquieu on 9/27/2021 & rated 100 points: Miyazaki A5 Wagyu night (Andrew's): My WOTN in a lineup of 12 bottles, 8 of which had 100-point pro reviews. This fully lived up to its legendary reputation and was the best bottle of Shiraz I've ever enjoyed. Seems to be at peak maturity. Absolutely magnificent. (5584 views) | |
| Tasted by peternelson on 9/10/2021 & rated 94 points: Awesome, more fresh and more classic NW Syrah notes than the '93 which was pretty muddy (but excellent). Deep purple with brown hues, rich, still nice lift, complex, very long. M.Pole from BB (4813 views) | |
| Tasted by Volleyball on 7/3/2021 & rated 95 points: Pretty, pretty good. Decided not to decant when opened. Bad idea. Finishing the bottle the next day was *much* better - huge improvement in complexity of aroma and flavor (5432 views) | |
| Tasted by Ex-Ray on 6/9/2021 & rated 98 points: Went perfectly with Australian rack of lamb. Still dark garnet, completely opaque, the slightest hint of brown at the edges. Aromas of black raspberries, blackberries, with American oak vanilla notes. On the palate, full-bodied but round and elegant, not a fruit bomb. Rich, concentrated, viscous, lots of smooth balanced fruit with the acid and tannin.I think it's approaching the far end of its plateau and should be consumed in the next few years. Ric (5053 views) | |
| Tasted by dream on 6/4/2021 & rated 95 points: A gorgeous Grange that took its time to unfold. Very full, smooth and fine and showing a bit of the exotic side of Grange with an amazingly complex strawberry-infused finish. Plenty of mineral crunch and exotic spices with great purity and intensity. Decades of development left here. Double-decanted 4.5 hours before consumption at King, NYC. 95+ (4821 views) | |
| Tasted by NickBurwood on 5/21/2021 & rated 92 points: Natural progression of my previous notes. On its way down from its plateau and for drinking up over the next year or two. Still a great wine but there are much better finessed (and older) vintages out there! Now and till 2023. (4688 views) | |
| Tasted by davidandrose on 5/21/2021 & rated 96 points: Right out of the bottle the wine was very watery and one dimensional. After two hours in the decanter this really began to open up, and really seem to hit a sweet spot at the three hour window. There’s smoke, soft creosote, sour bing cherries and a dry finish that lingers on. A really special wine that has moved with us three times, and a great way to celebrate my daughters year delayed college graduation ceremony with her birth-year wine… And simultaneously my mom‘s 80th birthday, both of which happened last Sunday. This was our third wine of the night and those who have developed a pallet around my wife and I could immediately tell this was something different and unique without my giving a hint what it was. (4569 views) | |
| Tasted by mxpbuy on 5/2/2021 & rated 97 points: 75 minute decant. What an absolutely fantastic wine. I thought I was going to keep this one longer in the cellar, after my last bottle of it, but we just couldn't resist. Explosive and overripe, but not jammy, black and some red fruits coming in definitive waves. Some spice, menthol, and sweet Oak. 40 second finish. Near silky smooth. Syrah done right. (4301 views) | |
| Tasted by Taronti on 5/2/2021 & rated 96 points: This was the last year of Grange I bought thinking it would probably be best at 20 years, i might not be here and it was getting too expensive anyhow - right on the last point at least. Inky red, small sediment. Cherry, cassis, vanilla, oak and a touch of forest floor. Good acidity, mid mouth tannins, long finish. Medium body. Still a young wine. Beautifull (3829 views) | |
| Tasted by jerrylindstrom on 3/12/2021 & rated 99 points: The wine looks inky colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like black currant (cassis), blueberry, blackberry, forest floor, vanilla, coconut and coffee. It tastes like black currant (cassis), blueberry and blackberry. The body is medium/full. The wine has satin-like texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity. Decanted 3 hours before drinking. This wine was wonderful. (4732 views) | |
| Tasted by vanpe003 on 2/25/2021: No detailed notes, but no "wow" factor with this one. The last bottle I had was 10 years ago, and I thought it just needed more time. So much for that theory. Poor QPR. (4546 views) | |
| Tasted by Wallaci on 12/27/2020: Tasty (5237 views) | |
| Tasted by CWilliam on 12/26/2020 & rated 94 points: Opened, but did not decant, 2 hours before Christmas Eve dinner. Dark red/black color with a slight meniscus - does not show it's age. On nose, blackberry, black licorice, blueberry (with air only), charcoal/graphite and exotic spices. On palate, full body, with medium acidity/tannins. On palate, blackberry, black cherry, iron and sweet tobacco- very, very long finish. 94++ Wish I had the money to drink this every year! Given only had this wine one other time, I was amazed at how fresh the fruit still was on this wine despite having nice tertiary character already developed. (4718 views) | |
| Tasted by dream on 12/20/2020 & rated 95 points: A really wonderful vintage for Grange, this shows the exotic side in its ripeness but is perfectly balanced and perfectly structured and so silky-fine. The finish is amazingly complex already with incredible notes of dark raspberry liquor and eucalyptus. Best after 2 hours of air and just kept improving. Young but fully integrated with plenty more to come... 95+ (5203 views) | |
| Tasted by Staufer on 12/1/2020 & rated 98 points: what a great wine. Not much to add to previous notes. Parker wrote in 2009 "this impressive wine is a candidate for perfection" ..and "should continue to evolve over the next 30 years" . i wil buy more if I can find it (4736 views) | |
| Tasted by fizz on 11/21/2020: The storage of this bottle had not been ideal to say the least. The level was still well into the neck, no sign of leakage. Cork was stained but hardly soaked. Almost impenetrable colour with bricking at the edge. Dark fruits, chocolate, coconut, vanilla. The palate is so densely concentrated, full bodied but rounded, with slightly grippy tannins and a long finish. It’s imposing, and has somehow survived it’s far from perfect storage. (Thx F&M). (4080 views) | |
| Tasted by grapenomad on 11/9/2020 & rated 93 points: Pretty good stuff this, as the other reviewers have pointed out. Big Shiraz, but still has that pleasant streak of elegance to it. Tannins are ripe and still grippy. Complexity is stunning, everything is in place. The only thing I’m unsure of is whether or not I’d pay so much money to drink a style of Shiraz that can be purchased for WAY less if you put in effort to seek out smaller producers. (4657 views) | |
| Tasted by Frank Schneider on 11/1/2020 & rated 97 points: Amazing liquid. Sooo fresh and light on its feet. For an aussie shiraz. Needed 4 h big decanter. Wait if you have ! Will improve (4265 views) | |
| Tasted by jordanj on 10/24/2020 & rated 96 points: A Zoom tasting of decent wines. An excuse to be social. (Zoom): Great wine. The American oak and new world fruit smack you in the face, especially after the previous two. That being said, it was everything the Chave was- complex, balanced and exceptionally made. It was brighter, riper and fruitier, obviously, but a terrific example of Grange. A real treat. (4225 views) | |
| Tasted by BillyNelson on 10/10/2020 & rated 99 points: This is just incredible. It’s a mic drop of a wine .... Hedonistic is the only word that works - nose, colour, palate, mouthfeel, finish, all are maxed out yet in total harmony. I urge you to try this wine if you can locate it as it is surely a perfect specimen of what Max Schubert had in mind. (4102 views) | |
| Tasted by cbrown82 on 8/30/2020 & rated 98 points: Simply outstanding. A little muted on the nose over the first 2 hours but really came around. Decanted two hours and this wine was beyond special. Has a deep flavor but far from heavy...you could taste dark cherries, meat, smoke and so much more... every 20 minutes was a different experience. This is a OMG wine with years to go! (4474 views) | |
| Tasted by mxpbuy on 8/16/2020 & rated 97 points: 1 hour decant. Overripe blackberries, black raspberries, some black currant and hard leather, spice, dried herbs, some Eucalyptus, sweet Oak. Tannins were firm but also smooth. 40 second finish. What a fantastic wine. (4460 views) | |
| Tasted by Jeremy Holmes on 7/14/2020: A big, smoky nose of coal smoke and tar. It has a dense, sweet core of raspberry fruit and plenty of meat and leather. It is deep and powerful, with chewy tannins and imposing length. (5097 views) | |
| Tasted by FoinZap on 5/24/2020 & rated 97 points: Two hour decant. Gorgeous wine. Garnet in color, almost yellow at the edges. Earth, spice, and smoke notes on the nose. Mid- to full-bodied, very smooth mouth feel, not too dense, more silk than velvet. Beautifully integrated tart red fruit (cherry, raspberry), crushed rock, herb, maybe hints of anise, toffee. Impressive complexity. Finish is long and lingering. I drink a lot of Cabernet-based reds, and this may be a shade less massive, but for me this stakes its claim with the finest big, full-bodied reds I've tasted. Perhaps if something keeps me from calling it flawless it would be the tartness may be turned up a half notch too high. (5538 views) | |
| Tasted by NickBurwood on 5/10/2020 & rated 93 points: 5 years since my last note and clearly now fully mature. All the originally noted (2013) characteristics are there, but an augmented earthy mellow character that comes with age has dropped the overall intensity - albeit the wine still displays perfect balance. In a graceful slow decline. Ergo altering my drink-by date from 2028 to 2023. (5490 views) | |
| Tasted by MartyTrembath on 5/4/2020 & rated 100 points: Super delicious. Gift from mum and dad for our wedding. Drank on Augies 1st bday (5450 views) | |
| Tasted by Kevnzworld on 3/23/2020 & rated 98 points: 1 hour decant. 98 The nose is flowery and seductive, something I’ve never written. No funk. This wine is in a great place. A nice balance of fruit, acidity, tannin and secondary flavors. No single flavor predominantly. Dark berries, peach and some oak, orange peel. Elegant with no sharp edges or over extraction. A good mix of new and old world styles. (5625 views) | |
| Tasted by MC2 Wines on 2/15/2020: Dinner w/New Friends (Their house): Drank blind. This was opened and decanted. I was surprised at how very young this was. Grange is almost always my most favorite wine, but I do think it is a wine that requires a bit more contemplation and a bit less quick drinking. This was more of small pours trying throughout and I don't think I appreciated it enough. (6038 views) | |
| Tasted by Ex-Ray on 2/1/2020 & rated 100 points: Perfection in the glass, even better than the last two bottles! Went perfectly with heart of ribeye. Still dark garnet, completely opaque, the slightest hint of brown at the edges. Aromas of red raspberries, blackberries, with American oak vanilla notes. On the palate, full-bodied but round and elegant, not a fruit bomb. Rich, concentrated, viscous, lots of smooth balanced fruit with the acid and tannin. Slightly hot on the late palate and aftertaste due to 15% alcohol, but amazing length. This will still last for years. Ric (5520 views) | |
| Tasted by BROpus One on 1/5/2020: Had a few bottles of grange and have absolutely loved them. I only gave this a day to settle before opening and should have given it more time. Very fine sediment seemed to skew the flavor for me. It wasn’t bad but wasn’t the grange experience I’ve had previously and likely my fault for lack of preparation. (5183 views) | |
| Tasted by Alex G. on 12/28/2019: This was the raciest wine of the six vintages served, tons of fruit but balanced. I found myself happily going back to this glass until the very end, and it kept getting better. Give it time to open up, and it is lovely. (5010 views) | |
| Tasted by AlanC on 12/25/2019: Corked, but even corked, interesting things going on. (4531 views) | |
| Tasted by SlimShaney on 12/25/2019 & rated 94 points: Got to have a Grange for Christmas and get back to my roots. Showing it's 21 year age, consistent tannins, burnt embers and a rich wine. Great, but not in love with it and enjoying it but not dying for the next sip. Happy to have a glass and not rushing back for the next. (4218 views) | |
| Tasted by Elpaninaro on 12/12/2019: inky black purple color, intense blueberry and cherry on the nose, on the palate firm dark spices, massive structure and scale, black cherries, dark earth, loads and loads of blueberries, edgy streaks of white minerals, it is just as exciting and invigorating as it was when I had it at release, but as noted with the 1982 tasted tonight as well- if this is destined to essentially be the same its entire life, at least it will be sitting in a very good place, great long finish. *****, now and perhaps forever (4722 views) | |
| Tasted by NCWino1 on 12/3/2019: Flawed. Massive VA, astringent mess with fruit trying to get through. Very disappointed given the price point of this wine. Cork in excellent condition. Penfolds needs to do a better job of policing the bottling of their flagship wine! (4282 views) | |
| Tasted by CC-OZ on 12/3/2019 & rated 100 points: Great vintage with 20 years in cellar, patience is rewarded! One of the best wines I’ve ever tasted. Balance, balance and balance!!! Powerful, concentrated, complex and never ending aftertaste...you just can’t ask for more! Perfect score for a perfect wine. (4299 views) | |
| Tasted by Gnieboer on 11/23/2019 & rated 96 points: Vertical from Six Decades Of Grange at Matter of Taste w/ Peter Gago. So this clearly fell into the "young" set of vintages, and showcased the difference between a 20yo & 30+yo Grange. So my 2001 is going to wait a while. The structure is powerful, intensity tremendous, and a great finish. (3451 views) | |
| Tasted by S1 on 11/9/2019: Charleston Offlineorama V; 11/7/2019-11/10/2019 (The Holy City): I think I have decided that 20ish years might be the perfect age for Grange. I thought this one was perfect, with classic notes of menthol, Eucalyptus, blackberry, glycerin, Indian spice, blood orange. (4853 views) | |
| Tasted by MC2 Wines on 11/9/2019: Charleston V - the wooden anniversary; 11/6/2019-11/10/2019 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): Hello my lovely. By this point in the night I was pretty tired and over the hill and still Grange just stands out. Yes, too young. Will be better with some more years. However for many this was WOTN and I'm no exception to that rule. This was awesome. It's everything under the sun in one bottle and just straight up delicious. (5455 views) | |
| Tasted by jlgnml on 10/26/2019 & rated 95 points: Syrah vs Shiraz...you tell us (Chez Garard): Clean color, good depth, however I thought Old World. Grip 6th, my 2nd. (4635 views) | |
| Tasted by carsgar on 10/18/2019 & rated 97 points: Still robust - probably drank too quickly as we were at a restaurant. It was excellent - great nose, taste, and body. A true treat!! (4360 views) | |
| Tasted by KoalaHK on 8/22/2019: Tasted at Penfolds Magill Estate, Adelaide. 40 Vintages of Grange: There's an initial creaminess on the palate which no doubt is the prominent new oak showing through. Then it's power, power, power but its not disjointed. Plenty of everything in this wine, acid, tannin, fruit. But it (more than) just works. I think Irene Cara was referring to this wine when she sung 'Fame'! (5077 views) | |
| Tasted by OenoEd on 4/30/2019 & rated 92 points: Sometimes Grange astounds with its beauty and complexity, but sometimes its just weird. This was one of those for me: an odd nose, big but a little gluey, a bit of VA, settles down over 40 minutes, but still not quite right. In the mouth, bing cherry pits, mocha, coffee grounds, quite rich and long, supple tannins, but, in the end, one dimensional. That said, I wouldn't throw her off the table; just fine with duck or quail, with a bit of berry on the plate (6428 views) | |
| Tasted by MC2 Wines on 4/30/2019: Penfolds Grange dinner with Stephanie Dutton (The Musket Room in NYC): There's a few of these Granges that are just monsters that I imagine might live almost forever. This is one of those. It is intense and grips you right from the beginning. Lots of eucalyptus and menthol, meat and more savory notes, ripe blackberries, more herbal. With time I get some Indian spices. Every time I tried this wine it was different and interesting and intense. I look forward to seeing it in more of the real drinking window (it's till gotta be 20 years away from maturity). An old friend though and one that showed quite beautifully tonight. (6672 views) | |
| Tasted by BillyNelson on 3/31/2019 & rated 98 points: Third bottle, first tasting note. It's been the wine of the night on two occasions with some pretty heavy hitters but this time we tried it against a Sina Qua Non and a Chave Hermitage. All of similar age (the Sina Qua Non was youngest). Honestly, 7 out of 7 people just couldn't get away from he fact it was the most enjoyable wine on the table. Entrancing nose, sublime on the palate, really in a very good place. Seems like it will last a long time still. (6440 views) | |
| Tasted by Mchiarot on 3/30/2019 & rated 98 points: Absolutely singing right now. Wish I had more. Velvety smooth tannins and complex layers of dried fruit and earthiness. Not the longest finish, but impressive nonetheless. paired with sous vide grilled rib steak. Has a decade left in the tank if, in MHO (5996 views) | |
| Tasted by Charlie Carnes on 3/24/2019 & rated 85 points: Man I just don't get Grange, and I really want to. Pulled this 21 year old out of the cellar to give it a try. It just seems so average to me. It is dark and big boned, with plenty of dark red and black fruit. There is a strong -not spoofy, if that's possible, here- oak and vanilla wood perception. There is a strong saline perception in this wine as well. It is quite drinkable, as it is smooth, and the fruit has at least a little coolness to it. It's just meh at best. Has Grange always been like this? (6478 views) | |
| Tasted by Ex-Ray on 2/14/2019 & rated 100 points: Perfection in the glass, even better than the last two bottles! Was perfect with Steak Diane. Still dark garnet, completely opaque, the slightest hint of brown at the edges. Aromas of red raspberries, blackberries, with American oak vanilla notes. On the palate, full-bodied but round and elegant, not a fruit bomb. Rich, concentrated, viscous, lots of smooth balanced fruit with the acid and tannin. Slightly hot on the late palate and aftertaste due to 15% alcohol, but amazing length. This will last for years. We'll open one a year to see how it evolves. Ric (5910 views) | |
| Tasted by wineguy75 on 9/7/2018 & rated 94 points: 90 min decant. Nothing to not like about this wine. Pretty elegant for an Aussie Shiraz. But could be even more expressive and hopefully will improve with age. Go for longer decant time next bottle. (8246 views) | |
| Tasted by Aleks Che on 6/27/2018 & rated 96 points: CHE96. Blend of 96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14% alcohol. Untypical light and elegant for Australian wine. Blueberry, blackberry, plum, coffee, fine tannins and good balance without excessive sweetness. (9175 views) | |
| Tasted by KenPlace on 6/11/2018 & rated 95 points: So smooth, but yet with lots of vigor. Not too much terciary development. This could age for another 10-20 years. At a perfect point right now. (9348 views) | |
| Tasted by Romol on 6/10/2018 & rated 95 points: Decanted 4+ hours. Perfect bottle. Still seemed pretty young for a 20 years old wine. It was very good. Still has many years left. 95 pts. (8878 views) | |
| Tasted by HongKongPhooey on 6/9/2018 & rated 95 points: At 20 years old this is drinking beautifully. I tried the 1997 alongside the 1998 and the ‘98 is bigger and has greater depth. In complete balance now with tannins evident but overwhelming quality of fruit impresses. Finish lasts for minutes. It isn’t as full bodied as I feared and very classy. It is however completely overpriced and the few bottles I have are the result of buying many years ago from Tesco on a deal. Priced well out of my league these days. (8485 views) | |
| Tasted by pigdaddy on 6/7/2018 & rated 95 points: decanted 3 hours prior, tasted single blind w/'97 Grange & '97 Harlan Estate. youthful in every regard, this stood out in the pairing for it's superb balance & elegance, depth & gravitas. pure & concentrated, with wonderful fruit & no hard edges, it seems to be in the early stages of an extended window of deliciousness. smoked ribs, roasted peaches, stir-fried sugarsnaps (6471 views) | |
| Tasted by nwebstar on 4/28/2018 & rated 95 points: Probably the most enjoyable Grange I’ve tasted. The colour still peerlessly deep and crimson. Still surprisingly fresh and youthful it presented a kaleidoscope of phases over a few hours. It began taut and even slightly savoury/licorice, had a slightly flat phase, then opened into a wider and deeper red with pepper & spice and a lively acidity, then finally it mellowed into a deeper black fruits and mulberry experience, with a little smoky meatiness. Always seemed more medium to full bodied rather than “huge” it presented distinctively more stylishly, complex and well structured against a few regarded Australian Shiraz peers. (5499 views) | |
| Tasted by oldwines on 4/6/2018 & rated 95 points: 4th Annual Wild Game Dinner (Chateau de le Shane aka Shane's house in New Jersey): Paired with kangaroo at Shane's 4th Annual Wild Game Dinner. The wine was decanted around 4pm and tasted at about 9pm. It is a dense, young looking, opaque garnet crimson. This is clearly the most "modern and new world" of the wines tasted on the menu this evening. The nose is dominated by vanilla and dark fruit with some smokey spice. The palate is big and bold, probably far from fully mature with smokey bacon, pepper, blackberries and cream with a moderately long but pretty straightforward finish. Of the wines tonight this seems to me to be the most likely to improve with more time in the cellar. Certainly a great pairing with the kangaroo loin. (6126 views) | |
| Tasted by starwalk on 3/1/2018 & rated 96 points: All the experts said was true and lots of years left. Still hold 40 bottles The wine looks crimson colored. The legs are slow. There is light sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry and black pepper. The body is medium/full. The wine has leathery texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity. Maybe amoungst the best year ever. (6221 views) | |
| Tasted by retired_and_roving on 2/17/2018: Tampa Spring Break III; 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Tampa FL): Last of the reds served in a long line up and clearly the WOTN for me. Wow - is this a beauty and still very much a baby. Just beautiful and complex and layered - tons of structure here so can only imagine how this will be in 10 or 20 years. Hands down WOTN! (6804 views) | |
| Tasted by MC2 Wines on 2/17/2018: Tampa Spring Break (the third); 2/16/2018-2/18/2018 (Various Tampa locations (Seasons 52, Capital Grille, Berns etc.)): If there was only one wine and one vintage in the world, this is it for me. I'd own cases. Life would be ok. My (drunk) notes say 'perfect'. This is a wine. It's way too young and so not ready to drink and yet we opened and decanted at the beginning of dinner (and only because I raised a fuss did this move till the end of dinner). This is an amazing wine. It's meat and herbal and eucalyptus and fruit and fill in the blank wine flavor because this has it and it's something. I love this wine. (7083 views) | |
| Tasted by Cailles on 2/10/2018 & rated 97 points: Best Bottle & Poker Vol. I: PnP, decanted and drunk over five hours. This guy is not even near its peak! Very young. Initially very closed it became better by the minute with the last glass after the five hours in the decanter being the by far best. So dark and deep with a cascade of red and dark fruits, lots of spices, eucalyptus, earth, satin-like tannins, good acidic frame and an incredibly long finish. Opulent but still elegant. This was my wine but the other three in the group had it double blind and guessed it to be 4, 6, 14 years old (not 20). I would decant it for 7 hours today. The groups and my WOTN due to its deepness and complexity. 97 points might be too low, but there seems so much more potential. (6234 views) | |
| Tasted by ricknat1 on 2/3/2018 & rated 95 points: This is a really beautiful wine. Very rich, with intense dark fruit, chocolate and really popped with the blue cheese in our salad. In a lighter style version of a great cote rotie, these are wines i love but can only enjoy occasionally. New world but with old world class (5390 views) | |
| Tasted by twoamps on 12/31/2017 & rated 94 points: clear, dark ruby red, no brick, firm sediment which settled quickly. Decanted for an hour. A rich nose of blackberry, something like soy sauce, and an aromatic wood (no, not oak. that came later). Tasted of chocolate and blueberry with spice and earth and (finally) oak further on. A soft but long chewy finish. A great wine for a NYE steak dinner. This particular bottle (my one and only) was certainly ready to drink now. Well, ready for ME to drink now. I seem to like my wines a bit younger than some of y'all. Your mileage may vary. (5562 views) | |
| Tasted by 89grange on 12/21/2017 & rated 98 points: Amazing (5589 views) | |
| Tasted by Romol on 12/9/2017 flawed bottle: Decanted 2 hours. I never had a Grange like this. It was drinkable but had an unusual acitdity and seemed slighly oxidised. This was more like a Port wine than a red wine. Bottle (level) and the cork seemed perfect. Ouch... (5793 views) | |
| Tasted by Ex-Ray on 11/23/2017 & rated 97 points: Still dark and completely opaque. Took awhile to open, showing a complex red and black fruit nose, with overtones of raspberries and vanilla from American oak. Very long, slightly sweet aftertaste to match. Perfectly balanced, but lighter and more elegant than the bottle just ten days ago. Very soft and round, not at all like the big, highly extracted shiraz very common in Oz. At its peak now, but still has more time before it starts to fade. Ric (6288 views) | |
| Tasted by Ex-Ray on 11/16/2017 & rated 99 points: Still dark and completely opaque. Took awhile to open, showing a complex red and black fruit nose, with overtones of raspberries and vanilla from American oak. Very long, slightly sweet aftertaste to match. Perfectly balanced, but still big, with slight tannin. At its peak now, but still has years before it starts to fade. Ric (6306 views) | |
| Tasted by mye on 11/13/2017: Gift for birthday from Daimee. Lovely nose of dark fruit, spice, and some hints of iron/minerality. Long and deep, beautiful stuff. It's still too young though, needs more time. Massive wine that's enjoyable now, but will reward more time. (6017 views) | |
| Tasted by MC2 Wines on 9/15/2017: Only got a little taste as I shared a small glass with a number of folks I was with. It's just awesome though. Bright red fruits. tons of spice, so much going on. The wine is still young and continues to open and evolve and change in the glass. It's a really special one as always. (6474 views) | |
| Tasted by sc03852 on 6/14/2017: Deep ruby with garnet. Inky blue and black fruits, petrol, intensely concentrated, sauce like. Preserved prunes. Is there underripeness that contributes to the acidity even after all these years? (8969 views) | |
| Tasted by Doni.Bertolami on 6/4/2017 & rated 96 points: Packed with dark fruits and spices. Gorgeous balance and wonderful lenght. Paired beautiful with the grilled calf karree. (8686 views) | |
| Tasted by Goldstone on 5/18/2017 & rated 93 points: Dinner with Runny (Crown Wine Cellars, 18 Deep Water Bay Drive, Shouson Hill, Hong Kong): A glass gifted by the ever-generous Steven Wickens and contemplated over 3 hours. Deep semi-translucent purple-red. Nose is pure but very closed and young.....but absolutely stunning in terms of potential. Palate is very tannic, structured, dry.....and lovely. Winfanticide.....come back in 10 years' time. 93+ for now but could go to 97, easily. (8864 views) | |
| Tasted by T.E.D. on 5/17/2017 & rated 94 points: Dark and inky color, showing youth. Nose shows back fruits, mountains herbs and forest. On the palate still taught and showing youth. A big bruiser as expected and multi dimensional as expected. With dark dark berry, ripe jam, hint of iron, blood, black pepper, coffee grinds and mocha notes. (7759 views) | |
| Tasted by Comte Flaneur on 5/14/2017 & rated 98 points: Opaque, dense, powerful but surprisingly approachable, trademark magical Grange aromas, a lot of concentration, power and authority on the palate. It tends to blow away other bottles on the table, in this case a Henri Bonneau Marie Beurrier Chateauneuf from the same year, and outshone a brace of Moutons in the previous flight. This will probably improve and become more nuanced and gain complexity over the next decade, but right now it is already compelling. (7706 views) | |
| Tasted by dharrison93 on 5/10/2017 & rated 98 points: Dark purple/ black ink in the bottle with moderate sediment, this is on the doorstep of full maturity but is still a bit tight and unrelenting. Typical Grange nose of seamless deep dark fruit and spice. Our teeth were stained black after having only smelled it! Still 5-10 years away from full maturity and the treasure therein. If a date, this was that gorgeous, sexy 30 something Latina you see frequently but are too mesmerized to ask on a date for fear of ruining your conjured fantasy. (5901 views) | |
| Tasted by rocknroller on 4/8/2017 & rated 95 points: Dinner at Bellecour (Bellecour, Mpls, MN): Inky purple color. Unsure what treatment this got beforehand. Drank 1 glass blind and 1 glass non-blind over an hour. I was pretty certain the profile was Australia and the producer was likely Grange. My only hesitation was this didn't seem to have all the complex aromatics I associate with Grange. But what it had was an intense, blackberry and blackberry liqueur nose with extreme purity, hints of anise, earth and eucalyptus. The palate is refined and hides any alcohol extremely well, a big and ripe wine, that oddly seems a bit restrained, blackberry compote, blackberry liqueur, star anise, more subtle mint, earth, and tar. Long and lush finish. This is almost 20 years old and though there is very good integration of oak and tannin, the fruits give this such a youthful presence. A style that I don't gravitate to, but this quite fine. Thanks to Jason and Tracy for sharing this gem. I expect this will be even better in another 5 to 10 years. (6559 views) | |
| Tasted by peterk on 3/10/2017: Decanted for 4 hours - was better after 2 but faded quickly (6413 views) | |
| Tasted by KeithAkers on 3/8/2017 flawed bottle: Penfolds Grange Vertical (Sixteen, Chicago IL): this bottle was an unfortunate disaster. Not only was it corked, there seemed to be some VA problems with it too (4733 views) | |
| Tasted by tcarter on 3/7/2017 & rated 99 points: Totoraku Cali Cabs & Syrahs Dinner (Totoraku): Damn near perfect. Just exquisite wine. (7111 views) | |
| Tasted by lousall on 2/7/2017 & rated 96 points: Big blockbuster wine. Lives up to its reputation. Popped and poured and let it develop in the glass. All the descriptions passed through at one time or another through the course of the evening. Parker was right about this stuff. It's spectacular. My friend bought this bottle at Costco around 2003 and had been cellaring it ever since. It was worth waiting for! (7248 views) | |
| Tasted by littlefoot on 12/27/2016 & rated 91 points: Tried out of Sommelier Bordeaux and Hermitage as well as Vinum Syrah and Cabernet glasses. The first and last won. A good range of cedar shavings, subtle mint, fairly pronounced milky/barnyard notes. Fine-grained tannins. All in all a bit of a disappointment. Prefer the Octavius. (7593 views) | |
| Tasted by SpearsAZ1 on 12/2/2016 & rated 95 points: Grange is our all time favorite. Properly cellared but our curiosity got the better of us. Dark as night, great legs, chewy, long finish. Soft tannins and lots of sediment after a 2 hour decanter. Ready to drink now. Glad we didn't wait longer. Maybe not the 1990 Grange but a star nonetheless. (7010 views) | |
| Tasted by jlgnml on 11/11/2016 & rated 96 points: Big, dark, brooding, long legs, tats and chewy, long finish. Young and will last a lifetime. BUY. (6905 views) | |
| Tasted by lifelover on 10/22/2016 & rated 94 points: Very nice clear garnet colored beauty. Drinks vey well now. Great fruit, balance and at least a minute of joy on every zip. This is a classy wine livig up to its reputation. I wish I had a few more bottles. (7141 views) | |
| Tasted by reichken on 10/2/2016 & rated 92 points: deep dark color, deep nose of dark fruits and toush of eucylyptus. this wine is big and bold and still coming together (7292 views) | |
| Tasted by acyso on 9/10/2016 & rated 90 points: Flickinger Warehouse Tasting (Chicago, IL): Quite frankly, somewhat of an unimpressive wine, given this wine's illustrious history. I will preempt the argument saying that it is probably too young to be evaluating this wine by saying that I'm not enough of an ideological purist to refuse to taste vinfanticide given that it had already occurred. The nose and palate are quite similar and both display a strong beefiness to them. The black fruit is inky dark, and the extract is off-the-charts. Granted, this is quite restrained somehow, but it seems to me that this wine is just a little over-the-top (in a potentially good way -- time will tell). (8256 views) | |
| Tasted by rikipedia on 9/5/2016 & rated 93 points: Terroir-istes International - Australia-Penfolds Mini Verticals (Klein Constantia): (Tasted Blind): A deep black-red exhibiting masses of complex captivating aromas from molasses, tilled soil, and pottery clay intertwined with forest fruits, wood smoke, blackberry, creme de mure and cassis. The palate entry is alive with a wealth of intermingling tertiary elements, starting with clay, seaweed, and savoury notes. These morph into black fruits, plum, menthol, and the last vestiges of vanilla and oak spices. The palate is velvety in texture, boasting abundant bold black fruit flavours, power and complexity. The wine has aged gracefully and has an excellent structure, layers of fruit, concentration and complexity. The tannins are robust, giving a chunky, puckering character that felt slightly brutish and thick. There is some generosity of alcohol (14.5%+), the length is super long, and it closes with roasted meat, black peppercorns and undergrowth. (1602 views) | |
| Tasted by John Gallagher on 8/30/2016: Removed (7240 views) | |
| Tasted by Javachip on 8/6/2016 & rated 93 points: A San Diego Birthday Bash (San Diego, California): Tasted semi-blind. SD-Wineaux told us the vintage, region, and varietal, but not the producer. Decanted and re-bottled (into the hallowed Shebang screw-cap jug) two hours before tasting. Clear dark garnet color. Outstanding bouquet of jammy black fruit, bacon fat, camphor. Similar on the palate, full body, excellent structure and balance. Among three 1998 Aussies tasted semi-blind, our group voted this in last place, behind Torbreck Run Rig and Fox Creek Shiraz Reserve. Any attempt to defend or explain this wine's showing -- for example, by saying it needs another five years -- fails miserably. The fact is, this bottle, on this night, was approachable, and excellent, and easily surpassed by the other two wines. (7682 views) | |
| Tasted by rhh on 6/18/2016: Last one. Jammed pack with fruit and terroir. Went on forever (7762 views) | |
| Tasted by MC2 Wines on 6/17/2016: Ok - this is pretty much my favorite wine that ever happened and that is saying something because I've been lucky to try some really great wines in my time. Wow. Just wow. Drank next to a '98 HOG. Such a fun comparison to do! The HOG is an excellent wine. I thought a bit more fruit forward, but also a bit more Bordeaux like in character. The Grange isn't going for that - it's all out everything. Leather and spice and fruit and earth and not a shy wine, but so very well done. We unfortunately weren't able to decant before we opened at the restaurant so it only had about an hour to sit around before we poured. As expected, the last sip was the best (about 3 hours after original pour - it was a long dinner!). I'm blown away by it. Lovely wine. Long life ahead. Only opened because of a particularly special occasion. Our other 3 bottles are going to continue resting. (7185 views) | |
| Tasted by davidandrose on 5/29/2016 & rated 98 points: Bottle-aired for 45 mins, followed over 3 hours in syrah Somm stems. Daughters birth-year wine opened to celebrate her high school graduation and paired w prime strip steaks. Nose is a youthful blend of dark fruits, meat and an old wine barrel that's been out of service for several years. Rich blackberry flavor with dark plum, tobacco, more meat (venison?) and black pepper. As fruity as the wine is, there's some back-palate dust that's more reminiscent of a cab than a shiraz. Towards the end of the bottle there was some degradation to the nose and complexity of the flavors. One would NEVER GUESS this as an 18YO wine. This rates alongside Montrose, Lynch Bages and Margaux - all from 1990 and consumed in different years - as one of my ATBE wines. Incredible, and fortunate to still have several of these as we have more celebrations in the years to come. This will still be solid for her college graduation, and likely grad school if she continues down her planned path. Impressive. (7448 views) | |
| Tasted by JonnyG on 5/13/2016 & rated 96 points: An Evening of Aussie Legends to Inaugurate Our New Wine Tasting Group (A Relatively Secret Room in Buellton, CA): I knew we were in great shape when the cork came out clean as a whistle. Dark and inky, yet a touch translucent in the edges. A powerhouse from the moment poured, with inescapable aromas of sweet red and black fruit, soy and some faint smokiness. Deep, peppered fruit, perfectly checked by the dose of oak, a compelling example of American oak complementing without changing the wine. A slight creaminess in the mouth too. 45-second finish. After 30 minutes or so, the wine seemed to shut down quite a bit. Fortunately, the fellows again left me a glass's worth and I returned to that bottle two days later: right back where we started, just as dense, rich and powerful. A tour de force. (8214 views) | |
| Tasted by golfwine on 5/7/2016 & rated 92 points: Amazing richness and balance! This wine totally lives up to the hype. The initial aromatics were a pronounced burnt caramel. As it opened up, some dark red berry - cassis & currant came through. I was most impressed with the texture, which was mouth filling but not overblown and had a real long finish. And, though void of even a hint of acidity (and so, I don't think this wine had many more years in it), the nice, mostly integrated, chalky tannin kept it from fading out. (6838 views) | |
| Tasted by Ericsson on 4/22/2016 & rated 93 points: Bordal à Bernex (Pingus, Grange, Mouline, Chambertin, Montrose) (Chez moi): Couleur quasi violette. Impressionnant dès l'ouverture jusqu'à 7 heures plus tard car ne s'est jamais refermé tout en proposant une palette aromatique très variée. En bouche, d'abord beaucoup d'alcool puis de l'équilibre, une douceur surprenante mais avec un éclair d'acidité en finale. A facilement été reconnu comme "hors Europe". Le préféré d'AS et JRN, pour moi un peu trop travaillé! (6921 views) | |
| Tasted by S R U D I N on 3/13/2016 & rated 97 points: This wine is a shot of life. Every bottle tells a different story of beauty. I'm a lifetime fan and look forward to trying as many vintages as I'm blessed to come across. (7475 views) | |
| Tasted by Altiplano on 1/31/2016 & rated 97 points: Best of the best. May be nearing the end of its good drinking life. This bottle was shared with three fronds. Loved by all. (7896 views) | |
| Tasted by joshabramson on 12/1/2015 & rated 97 points: Drank at Maialino restaurant. 30 minutes in the decanter made a noticeable difference. Really amazing wine... huge, but restrained, nicely integrated tannins. Exceptional balance and very long finish. Excellent! (9212 views) | |
| Tasted by Burgundy Al on 11/27/2015: Friday after Thanksgiving (FAT) - Part 2 - Penfolds Grange Vertical (Palm Beach Gardens FL): Tasting in 30 vintage Grange vertical, late night, brief note. While extremely ripe, this has the structure to remain in balance. Very delicious. A personal (and group) favorite of the younger, more modern-styled vintages of Grange tonight. (7259 views) | |
| Tasted by Quiet Lion on 11/20/2015 & rated 92 points: Clean and well balanced. I prefer a style with more bedrock and earthiness but I can't really find fault and others will rate higher. Still plenty of dark fruit. Dry and approachable. Soft tannins. Overpriced in my opinion but delicious. (8492 views) | |
| Tasted by Topper on 10/31/2015 & rated 95 points: In a week of great wines, this was my second favorite (outdone only by the 01 Araujo Eisele Cab). The grange was amazingly fresh with an amount of pure black fruit that just hit you in the face. The tannins were still present but so sweet that they didn't much alter the flavor profile. Not much in secondary flavors even now but beautifully concentrated, voluptuous fruit. Full, lush and powerful. Quite an experience. Other wines tasted this week: Araujo Eisele Cab 02 (delicious but slightly softer and just a touch less spectacular than the 01), Cos d'Estournel 96 (classic cedar pencil bordeaux), Chateau Figeac 00 (mellow and seductive), Fricke Syrah 95 (faded), Girardin Chambertin 05 (not ready),, Pavie Macquin 05 (not ready), Raveneau Chablis Montee Tonnerre (bright, full and pretty), Saxum James Berry Syrah 06 (dark and brooding), Sea Smoke Southing 09 (smooth and delicious), Valdicava Brunello 10 (bright but young), Voerzio Barolo Cerequio 04 (needs 10 more years) (8478 views) | |
| Tasted by RCarlyleParker on 10/18/2015: Stunning, sublime 100! The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. (8598 views) | |
| Tasted by galewskj on 9/21/2015 & rated 93 points: Aussie Shiraz; 9/20/2015-10/3/2015 (Edina Country Club): Decanted 2.5 hours, drank a glass over about 2 hours. This wine is perfumed, complex and slightly understated. Very elegant. I would probably not guess Australia. (8966 views) | |
| Tasted by 3daywinereview.com on 9/20/2015 & rated 95 points: Wonderful wine. Thanks Jason. White pepper, red fruits, violets and spices. Multilayered, complex and long finish. Very anti Aussie character. Wow! (6610 views) | |
| Tasted by rocknroller on 9/20/2015 & rated 94 points: High Scoring Aussies (Edina Country Club, Edina, MN): Very dark red/purple color. decanted for 2.5hrs, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. What a treat. These are always so complex and sophisticated. There are subtleties that are had to describe but it comes together in every way and pleases to no end. The mouthfeel is spot on with good acid, a freshness of acid and fruit that blend so nicely into the spices and mushroom. Long on the finish and well integrated. This has years left. 94+pts. My and group WOTN. (7214 views) | |
| Tasted by mzimberg on 9/20/2015 & rated 97 points: Aussie's at Edina Country Club (Edina): Open and decanted 4 hours before dinner. Gorgeous inky. Aromas of menthol plus blue and black fruits. Baker's chocolate, coffee, toffee, black pepper. So smooth and harmonious. Would not guess shiraz blind. More like northern Rhone. Sappy, pasty clay on its very long finish. This is a beauty. The group WOTN. Thanks Jason! (6508 views) | |
| Tasted by hongkongtom on 9/13/2015 & rated 96 points: Wine of the night. Beautifully balanced wine, decanted for an hour and drunk with steak and ribs. (6408 views) | |
| Tasted by NickBurwood on 8/28/2015 & rated 94 points: Dinner at daughter's house with Aussie guest. As per first note - the combination of concentration with light touch and raciness of this wine is what differentiates it from so many Syrah/Shiraz wines from around the world. The lost point was probably due to the lack of decanting time (2 hours rather than 4). Certainly another decade in this wine if I can resist drinking all my stock in the interim. (6083 views) | |
| Tasted by BradE on 8/13/2015: This bottle didn't come together for me. Wild, a bit hot, and all in all a disappointment. Hopefully a bottle issue, but I'm not sure. (6584 views) | |
| Tasted by rbc1978 on 7/7/2015 & rated 95 points: I rated this wine after the 1st glass. I had only been decanted 45 minutes as dinner was ready early, not my plan. Deep dark reds, noise of fruit and leather. Taste was at first thin and fruity cherry, boysenberry and leathery finish. Tannins are still strong and has plenty of life for shelving a couple more years. After 2nd glass nearly 2 hours after decanting I want to say it opened up some much more and as I didn't want to change my initial rating would upgrade it to a 97. (6939 views) | |
| Tasted by larker900 on 6/7/2015 & rated 98 points: Close to a perfect drinking wine. The integration with oak was superb, velvety finish, loads of wonderfully balanced fruit and alcohol. Seamless wine. We drank this with a '98 baby grange and a '98 basket press. Grange in a league of its own. Now I understand what all the fuss is about (7383 views) | |
| Tasted by Shoebox on 5/4/2015 & rated 100 points: Bluey purple colour; complex multi layered nose. The tiniest sip completely fills the mouth. Velvety unctuous texture. Blueberries definitely the strongest fruit note but very complex. Elegant. Lasts on and on and on. Utterly beautiful. The best wine I have ever tasted. (8381 views) | |
| Tasted by Stefanos T. on 4/16/2015 & rated 94 points: Penfolds Grange Wine Dinner at Botrini's (Botrini's Restaurant Athens): Second flight, wine no. 2. Sweet and velvety with typical Grange aromas and a pronounced toffee/oak element. A very good wine. (8265 views) | |
| Tasted by Yiannis on 4/16/2015 & rated 96 points: Penfolds Grange Wine Dinner at Botrini's (Botrini Restaurant, Athens, Greece): This is the third time I had this wine and it seemed to me somewhat tighter aromatically than when previously drank. Darker fruit and coffee with less botanical notes compared to the 1996 and 1997. Much more impressive on the palate than on the nose with an almost endless aftertaste. (9047 views) | |
| Tasted by Mascarello59 on 2/28/2015: At Penfolds masterclass: 12 more years of age compared to the 2010 this has as one could expect put on more complexity, animalic notes of meat, black and blue fruit, cigar box, licorice. In the mouth, its’ very filling with wonderful balance between the integrating tannins, fruit, alcohol and the acidity. The tannins will need more time to resolve fully. The finish seems never to stop. A fantastic wine! (4673 views) | |
| Tasted by RayOB on 2/28/2015 & rated 97 points: A Matter of Taste: London Edition (Saatchi Gallery, Chelsea): The joys of tasting this again. Deep crimson. Nose of blackberry, liquorice, leather and spice. Rich mouth filling luscious palate. Yum Yum (9615 views) | |
| Tasted by dharrison93 on 2/7/2015 & rated 97 points: Deep ruby approaching black in color, this tasting likely suffered by comparison to the brilliant 1986 Mouton Rothschild which preceded it. The nose was a complex mosaic of cherry, dates and plum, with a shadow of spice. Tasting confirmed this brilliant assembly of dynamics and left me pining for the next opportunity to open another bottle. Fantastic juice! (10733 views) | |
| Tasted by europat55 on 2/6/2015 & rated 93 points: Syrahs: Fairly dark color. Outstanding, somewhat sweet nose with a good concentration (A-). Gorgeous, very rich palate (A). Feels young with the best for this wine still to come. My #2, Group's #5 (80 pts). Tasted Blind. (9878 views) | |
| Tasted by RayOB on 1/22/2015 & rated 96 points: Drank in Hong Kong Complex nose of red fruit, mint, earth with hints of eucalyptus. Lovely stuff. (9558 views) | |
| Tasted by Uglypinga on 11/22/2014: A bit tight but with vigorous swirling some mushrooms, chocolate and raspberries come out to play. The palate is full of luscious berries, a hint of mint and a tannic finish. Young but delicious wine. I've had this a few times and always loved it but the 82 makes it just seem so young. (11373 views) | |
| Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 11/21/2014 & rated 96 points: Penfolds Tasting with 5 vintages of Grange and a bunch more (Downtown Cleveland): Opened at 7 am, so it had about 14 hours to slow-ox. This is still a monster wine showing very young. I would hold off for another decade at least on opening another bottle. The nose has black raspberries, leather, bacon fat, black olives and cedar. Gorgeous texture. complex but it is huge and deep and tightly layered. it unwinds in the glass to show a beautiful wine. Concentrated, complex and delicious. Its best days are ahead though. (11183 views) | |
| Tasted by robertek on 10/31/2014 & rated 95 points: Still a bit tightly knit and far from mature. Give it a very good decant if consumed now. Or wait Another 10+ years. (9083 views) | |
| Tasted by Chainthroer on 10/25/2014 & rated 95 points: SAFW Reunion tasting. Blackberry, sweet cassis, black cherry,a slight hint of bacon fat, roasted meat, leather, spices, black pepper, vanillin oak. Big, intense and rich fruit. Tannins are somewhat resolved, but not totally so. Good structure. A long finish. (9278 views) | |
| Tasted by Wine Canuck on 10/18/2014 & rated 93 points: A Nice Saturday Dinner in Oakville with Family Friends: This is still pretty early in it's development, pouring inky dark. The nose blasts eucalyptus, menthol, medium roast coffee, espresso, soil, blackberry, cassis and dark chocolate. The palate is creamy in texture with good acid and just slightly elevated alcohol. The finish is medium plus in length. It shows great potential with excellent complexity and balance. Could pick up a few more points as it ages. (7598 views) | |
| Tasted by Ex-Ray on 9/25/2014 & rated 89 points: Tasted alongside an '01 Grange, which I liked better. This was dark and opaque. The nose was a bit musty but otherwise closed. Medium-full bodied flavor, but the fruit in the background and tannin too prominent. Dry tannic aftertaste. Fruit faded further over several hours. A nice wine, but not what I would have expected. I'll try another soon. Ric (9091 views) | |
| Tasted by jlgnml on 8/3/2014 & rated 98 points: Dinner at our house with 1998 Auusie Wines (Our home Northfield IL): Big, dark, concentrated nose, decanted 2 hours before serving, developed nicely over time in the glass, gained depth and strength. This was simply marvelous and a great contrast to the Hill of Grace. (9387 views) | |
| Tasted by walkerjfw on 6/17/2014 & rated 95 points: With Paul H and Stephanie on the patio with pizza - drank next to an 01 Greenock Creek Apricot Block, great comparison of two premiere Aussie wines. Dark garnet color. Decanted for about 30 minutes, drank over 2 hours. Its been several years since I have had this vintage, still very young. has the signture grange nose of oak/cedar black fruits. Dark fruits, blackberry compote, savory meats, cedar, cinnamon, mint. Long and layered finish. Stylistically, this was acutally more refined than the Greenock, even as a "big" wine on its own. As noted, this is very young and will no doubt add complexity as it ages. Will be good for a couple decades from this point....really special wine (9679 views) | |
| Tasted by MC2 Wines on 4/26/2014 & rated 97 points: Birthday bash @ Bern's (Bern's Steakhouse (Tampa)): I should preface this by saying that a '98 Grange is one of my bucket wines and the expectations were pretty high. I'm happy to say this one really delivered. It's still a baby (funny that a 16 year old wine is, but that was clear). Drank over the course of a few hours and wish we'd thought to give it more time since it evolved quite a bit. An intense wine without being overpowering, it had all flavors. Deep dark black fruit, cinnamon, pepper, earth, meat.... This wine overshadowed everything else we had at dinner (either on the plate or in the glass). Just stunning. Can't wait to try ours, but given this experience will prob need to wait ten more years. (10271 views) | |
| Tasted by WinoRick on 3/15/2014 & rated 94 points: Brought by my friend, Cork, enjoyed with osso bucco. This wine is big, packed with dark fruit, perfectly balanced and would blow away any other wines in a blind tasting. In fact, Grange will do that every time. Always a crowd pleaser. (10207 views) | |
| Tasted by pjaines on 2/28/2014: Big, ripe and swamps the palate. This will need a lot of time - right now it is too primary and brutal. Lots of mint and black fruit - lacks nuance for me, but no doubt in about 20 years this will unfurl. (10519 views) | |
| Tasted by Wine_lvr on 1/17/2014 & rated 95 points: "Best of the Best" Tasting (Switzerland): Tasted blind 0.75 bottle, decanted 4 hrs back into original bottle: Dark garnet in color. Nose of black currant, cooked mixed berries and black pepper. The wine has a nice length, smooth tannins and lots of sweetness (ripe/cooked berries). A true beauty to drink. Drink - 2030. (14809 views) | |
| Tasted by psmith on 11/15/2013 & rated 94 points: Dark fruits. Has rounded out considerably with time. Earthy blackberry and bramble notes. Full flavored but subdued structural elements. Youthful, but not young. Very nice. (21852 views) | |
| Tasted by KVM on 10/9/2013 & rated 96 points: Grange tasting at Divino, Calgary; 10/8/2013-10/9/2013 (Divino Bistro, Calgary): Dark red, pink edge. Black fruit, smoke, charcoal, mint. Very concentrated black fruit, juicy, chalky minerality, oregano. Layered and exquisite. Sixty seconds+ finish. (26600 views) | |
| Tasted by Papies on 10/7/2013 & rated 91 points: Fine Syrah/Shiraz wutg Michael Schuster (Bordeaux Index, London): We fail to understand the hype before this wine. We have tried a few vintages of these including the indestructible 78 and we fail to see the hype. Granted this is a baby still (again having trying the 78 and that was very young we dont know when this will ever come to maturity). Oaky, sweet feel attacks the nose and continues to dominate to the palate and to the finish. Light lactic feel. Full of ripe sweet fruit. We fail to understand this and cant see any elegance or complexity at all. 91 at best. (26264 views) | |
| Tasted by Button Yang on 9/26/2013 & rated 96 points: Always good, never disappoints me. Fruit bomb with kneaded flower, eucalyptus, and a loooooooooot of licorice and black pepper. The finish is long. To drink or to keep another 30 years (26243 views) | |
| Tasted by dcwino on 9/22/2013 & rated 95 points: A small gathering at Mark's duck house - Grange, A shot in the dark, Rousseau, Yquem and more. (Marks duck house, Falls Church, Va): This is a big scale, extremely ripe wine. I get a bit of molasses in the nose and palate, ie extremely ripe expression of shiraz. Dry black fruits, blackberry jam, maple syrup, coffee, bitter chocolate, coconut, vanilla, mint and eucalyptus. With air, mint/eucalyptus notes become more intense. Exceptional concentration, a bit of molasses in the palate as well. Despite the extreme ripeness, the wine displays remarkable balance without being heavy and cloying. It’s ability to handle the extreme ripe fruit reminds me a SQN or Saxum. The coconut aspect and ripe note are also like a Unico. Although I appreciate the quality, my appreciation for extremely ripe wine lessens as I get older. (23193 views) | |
| Tasted by RussK on 9/22/2013 & rated 93 points: Pablo's WW tasting at Council Oak. One of my WOTN. Cedar and Old Bx nose, with a touch vanilla. Plenty of grit and sediment. A beatiful crossroads between old world and new. 93- (14200 views) | |
| Tasted by Tenuta Stefan on 9/14/2013 & rated 95 points: Perfect bottle. Top fill/A-stand. Dark and compact. Young. Sweet scent. Blueberries, blackberries, black pepper, american oak. After 8 h the wine offers salmiak/liqourice . Sweet, lots of tannins, nice balance ... but the wine is a bit shut down. Long taste, + 40 sec. The wine evolves well over 52 h. The day after the wine shows more of salmiak and liqourice even on the palate. This wine is a masterpiece, but it is a bit shut down at the moment and I will not touch this wine again until 2017/2018. I'm sure this wine will live for another 40 years ... at least. Today this wine perform 95 - 96 points. (9840 views) | |
| Tasted by hpchew7 on 9/6/2013 & rated 96 points: Wonderful. (10888 views) | |
| Tasted by seifer187 on 8/19/2013 & rated 95 points: Delicious! (7068 views) | |
| Tasted by hkm520240 on 7/12/2013 & rated 97 points: 1998 Aussie Showdown dinner (Jade Palace Restaurant): Decanted before dinner for almost 2 hours and served as 6th wine. This flight is tasted blind (along with Hill of Grace and Tahbilk 1860). Darkest colour of tonight, black and opaque with purple-crimson hue, still very youthful and can't believe this is 15 years old. It is still tight when poured into the glass, so I let it continue to develop. Lots of black and dark dark fruit on the nose, with blackberry, blueberry and chocolate. Big and masculine on palate and yet balance with adequate structure. The oak influence is still quite prominent, suggesting that the wines is good now but will continue to improve and integrate better. Long and strong finishing with ripe and chewy tannins. Amazing wine making skill, still backward and has years to come. I really admire Max Schubert, for created Grange with secret recipe (fruits often sourced from multi-region) as oppose to other top Shiraz produced from single vineyard like Hill of Grace, Chris Ringland and Astralis. (12174 views) | |
| Tasted by NickBurwood on 6/23/2013 & rated 95 points: Decanted for 4 hours. Wonderfully integrated aromas around black berry fruit with truffle, smokey chocolate and earthiness. Flavour follows nose with wonderful depth of concentration but absolutely not heavy but with an exquisite race and "breed" and all the elements fully integrated. Extended length. Superior to most French equivalents. Drink over next dozen years or so on this showing. (10959 views) | |
| Tasted by Ex-Ray on 6/19/2013 & rated 98 points: Dark garnet, still completely opaque. Very pronounced, complex nose of sweet American oak with musty-earthy aromas of syrah, some mocha. Mouth-coating, with similar sweet oak and syrah flavors, slightly hot on the palate and aftertaste. Very full-bodied but not cloying; nice acidity, with moderate tannin but in the background to the fruit. Some typical black raspberry notes throughout. This is an outstanding Grange which is at the early part of its plateau, and should continue and possibly improve over the next 5-15 years. Ric (10979 views) | |
| Tasted by adei on 6/15/2013 & rated 95 points: A huge wine with so much more to give. Wait at least 5yrs before trying again. (9898 views) | |
| Tasted by Shouzen on 5/16/2013 & rated 96 points: Still young! Surprisingly dusty and spicy, with undercurrents of berries. Another 10 years in the bottle should be just about perfect. (9794 views) | |
| Tasted by rh marcin on 5/11/2013 & rated 98 points: - Brick color with fast forming legs. It's balanced with a full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Drank 5/10/13 with broiled lamb chops and greens. Nice pairing. Wine was opened about an hour before enjoying and was fine. Very rich, smooth and lasting flavor. (8789 views) | |
| Tasted by mwanasheria on 4/19/2013 & rated 96 points: Château Margaux Tasting; 4/19/2013-4/20/2013 (Eltville, Germany): Another spectacular bottle, it even felt younger than the previous one. Nose of cassis, palate of dark fruit, minerals, tobacco, pencil shavings, wood. (9213 views) | |
| Tasted by Kirk Grant on 3/22/2013: The Usual Suspects...a new tradition; 3/22/2013-3/24/2013 (Lucerne Inn): Color: Ruby with opaque core Smell: Feminine, delicate, lavendar, dark fruits, minerals, Taste: Bright red fruits, blue, black, tobacco, earth, Overall: Outstanding!! Medium-full bodied, med+ acidity, moderate tannin, medium+ fruit, and a 30+ second finish. Of all of hte granges that were in this flight this was clearly the best and the most delicate of the group. Tasted immediately after opening the bottle. When this wine was revisited later it was much more full bodied, more oak and fruit dominant, and the feminine beauty that was initially there was gone. (10264 views) | |
| Tasted by Jeff Leve on 2/19/2013 & rated 96 points: Massive, packed and stacked with multiple layers of ripe fruit. The wine is filled with fresh blackberries, smoke and spice. This is a beefy, masculine, powerful, tannic wine that demands time. While the quality of the wine is there, and it's clearly well made, for my own palate, it is more about sheer power than finesse. (10995 views) | |
| Tasted by Stevey on 2/12/2013 & rated 97 points: Humongous wine. Full bodied complex intense black fruit. Long finish. Drinking well now but will get better with more aging and it's got the stuffing to last another 10 years. Best Shiraz I've ever had. 97pts (9516 views) | |
| Tasted by soyhead on 2/10/2013 & rated 94 points: nose - spicey, cinnamon, clove mouth - very well balanced, lively corucopia of fruits with nice structural tanins. Still young. When i came back to it with time it appeared even more generous in fruit but in a very harmonious sense. I'd suggest holding this for a few more years still. Universally liked by all tasters (9329 views) | |
| Tasted by JJAussie on 2/9/2013 & rated 98 points: As good as it gets (8943 views) | |
| Tasted by JimN on 1/30/2013 & rated 94 points: Just starting to grow up. Gorgeous wine, but still fairly primary. Can drink now, but it is just starting to get interesting. Would love another crack in a decade. Thanks, John! (8472 views) | |
| Tasted by prufrocksabogado on 1/6/2013 & rated 96 points: Still young. Nose alone gets you to 90 points. Kept evolving and expanding through the evening. Not a sappy aussie fruit bomb. Truly world class. (8693 views) | |
| Tasted by mwanasheria on 12/24/2012 & rated 97 points: This was a spectacular bottle of Grange. Huge and unctuous with spices, pepper, cassis, pencil shavings, cedar, vanilla. (8779 views) | |
| Tasted by The Vinsider on 11/20/2012 & rated 94 points: From the sweet and spicy nose that married black pepper and sweet tart notes to the powerful tannins and black fruit layers, there was loads going on in this wine. It followed a 1998 St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz in our tasting, and pretty much turned the dial up to 11 (but not ungracefully). Though this was a remarkably rich, powerful wine it carried itself with an Ali-like precision and grace that belied it's size and power. The wine was still very youthful, with big tannins, but there was so much concentration in the blackberry and black raspberry fruit that it all melded together. Hints of coffee and coconut added nuance throughout. (8300 views) | |
| Tasted by The Vinsider on 11/20/2012 & rated 95 points: From the sweet and spicy nose that married black pepper and sweet tart notes to the powerful tannins and black fruit layers, there was loads going on in this wine. It followed a 1998 St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz in our tasting, and pretty much turned the dial up to 11 (but not ungracefully). Though this was a remarkably rich, powerful wine it carried itself with an Ali-like precision and grace that belied it's size and power. The wine was still very youthful, with big tannins, but there was so much concentration in the blackberry and black raspberry fruit that it all melded together. Hints of coffee and coconut added nuance throughout. (10141 views) | |
| Tasted by strickt01 on 7/20/2012: Huge, brooding, packed with fruit and with an intensity that for my tastes make it impressive but unrelaxing and thus slightly unenjoyable company. I would normally use the word awesome to denote a stunning wine that I would happily pay to drink again. In this case however I mean it in the true sense of the word. Most people like the idea of dining with an icon but the reality is they tend to be rather overbearing. (12430 views) | |
| Tasted by WineSnob7 on 6/17/2012 & rated 98 points: Oh my gosh this is jammy and great nose as well (12227 views) | |
| Tasted by shellylowen on 6/16/2012 & rated 96 points: Fabulous wine and really different than what you'd expect from a Shiraz. Lots of vanilla, dusty but smooth tannins with a long finish, combination of red and black fruits. Amazing nose. (11941 views) | |
| Tasted by Burgundy Al on 6/9/2012 & rated 93 points: Acker Merrall June 2012 Chicago Auction (Waldorf Astoria - Chicago IL): I haven't always enjoyed this wine, but am excited on its trajectory based on today's performance. Blackberry and plum aromas with lots of toast, oak and liqueur. Same dense, ripe black fruit along with good smoky, gamy meat flavors. Good black pepper and licorice as well. Great length and more balance than i ever recall from previous times I've tried this wine. Still a bit too sweet today, also with some baby fat that still needs to integrate, but I like where this is going. (12978 views) | |
| Tasted by tooch on 6/9/2012 & rated 84 points: Acker Auction (Waldorf Astoria - Chicago, IL): Wasn't a huge fan of this. The nose was nice with meaty notes, dark fruit, and lilacs. The palate, on the other hand, was sickingly sweet and candied. Given the other beautiful wines at the table, I poured this out to focus on the other stuff! (13263 views) | |
| Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 5/9/2012 & rated 94 points: A lineup of top Aussie Shiraz (Charlie's Home): Despite being the oldest wine at the table, nobody picked this out blind. It seemed to be a wine that nobody loved or hated (relatively speaking to the other wines). It finished middle of the pack. The nose is dusty with modeling clay and black raspberries. Great texture, best on the table, so perhaps that should have been a clue. It did have a streak of bitter tannins, but that seemed to sort itself out in the glass. Lots of black raspberry fruit. Very long finish. Slight heat. Certainly still youthful. (12676 views) | |
| Tasted by DonalOB on 4/27/2012 & rated 96 points: Opus One vs. Penfolds Grange (AWSEC, Hong Kong): Cool Spring and Warm Summer - apparently the best vintage for Grange in 20 years. Dark core with a ruby rim. It was a little closed on the nose but meaty with mint. Big explosion in the mouth - mint, fruit, lots of spice, pepper, clove. Good tannic grip but not bitter at all. Nice balance with medium length. This is good but needs time. (8296 views) | |
| Tasted by jamie24 on 4/27/2012 & rated 99 points: Tasted alongside 1995 Chateau Margaux and 1998 Vega Sicilia and it outshone both these illustrious wines with ease. Sweet blackcurrant fruit is prominent then the 3% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend perfectly offsets this with a palatial elegance. Incredibly long finish. I don't have much experience of tasting older vintages of Grange but I'm assuming it may still benefit from another few years cellaring and possibly warrant a perfect score. (12394 views) | |
| Tasted by steinersing on 4/25/2012 & rated 96 points: Penfolds tasting with Grange etc (Osia): even though our bottle was very slightly corked the expressiveness of the wine was obvious (12761 views) | |
| Tasted by adrom72 on 4/18/2012 & rated 99 points: - Oily texture with a long finish. (12307 views) | |
| Tasted by DonalOB on 3/6/2012 & rated 96 points: Big rich open nose of dark fruits and lots of eucalyptus. Spicy and acidic on the palate with huge length. Glycerol with lots of chocolate. No jam here! (12592 views) | |
| Tasted by RayOB on 3/6/2012 & rated 96 points: Drank at Home A wonderfully rich a vibrant Penfolds still in its prime. Nose of red fruit, smoke and vanilla with hints of eucalyptus. Silky smooth texture with a full palate that goes on and on. (12576 views) | |
| Tasted by rdsboca on 1/18/2012 & rated 97 points: Aussies at Abe and Louie's (Abe & Louie's): Ridiculous! Blackerry and blueberry pie in a glass. This wine is drink soft and easy. Very feminine. Memorable and my WOTN. (14052 views) | |
| Tasted by Alberta66 on 1/1/2012 & rated 97 points: Visually: a deep inky purple color, strong right to the rim with a small ruby'ish rim at the edge. Nose: deeper scents like chocolate, a bit of oak, maybe some eucalyptus and blueberry (they way they grow naturally, not the over-sweet commercial kind) Taste: thoroughly enjoyable! Some Ozzie reds can be full of fruit (jammy). This was nicely balanced, with fruit flavors but not overdone. Silky smooth mouth feel, no tannins gripping the sides of your tongue. Guess this is what the fruit / tannin / acidity balance means. :-) Enjoyed this immensely and has sparked my interest in aged, well rated wines. I'll definitely buy this wine again. (14285 views) | |
| Tasted by danp on 12/21/2011 & rated 95 points: Caramel, blackcurrant, cherry, mocha, a little anise, tannin was there but just right, and a finish that went on and on and on ... I can close my eyes and I'm still sipping it. Wonderfully complex and utterly delicious. (14525 views) | |
| Tasted by Stefanos T. on 12/6/2011 & rated 97 points: Deep ruby with some garnet on the rim - very youthful looking. Nose again very youthful with a lift from an ethereal light vanilla touch, florality and deep ripe fruit. I was expecting a full blown palate but the wine gives a surprisingly light feel. Impeccable balance of fruit and acidity, mellow texture and textbook tannins. Finish is unending. Dream wine! (14923 views) | |
| Tasted by Yiannis on 12/5/2011 & rated 98 points: Very dark, opaq core with ruby-garnet hues at the rim. The nose is spectacular, so close to what I had in mind as aussie shiraz typicity but at the same time unique, with perfectly integrated volatile acidity, coffee, chocolate, blueberry cream, sultanas, eucalyptus and sweet oak. Full-bodied with very rich yet vibrant fruit, big but velvety tannins and balancing acidity. Very long, persistant aftertaste. Powerful and very rich but by no means over the top. Still quite primary but already enjoyable, will improve with prolonged cellaring. Glad to have one more bottle. A masterpiece in every sense of the word. (14701 views) | |
| Tasted by alittle on 11/12/2011 & rated 94 points: Tasting at Chateau Gallo (Chateau Gallo): The sixth blind of the afternoon, supplied by myself. Dave suggested I bring it, and I figured it would be good for a blind tasting as most of us could evaluate without the price tag attached to the wine. Being the first truly “expensive” bottle of wine I’d ever purchased, I held a bit of an emotional attachment to this one. Upon opening, I was certainly a little disappointed. Still an inky dark purple in colour, this had a huge nose of blueberry, blackberries, espresso, licorice, crème brule, vanilla, earth, mint, eucalyptus and hints of tobacco from the small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. On the palate, dark fruits (blueberries, plums), caramel, with a long, smooth, supple finish. Very well balanced, with exceptional contrasting acidity to the sweetness of the ripe fruit. Still a bit of tannin to shed until it hits it’s absolute peak, but drinking surprisingly well now. An extremely well made wine, just not what I’d hoped it to be. (15419 views) | |
| Tasted by shadow on 11/5/2011 & rated 93 points: Enjoyed this twice before, in fact it once was among my all time favorites. Its still ok, but like royalty in full robes, strip off the cloths, just another Aussie Shiraz. Easy on the palate, touch of prune, drink up or sell, the magic is gone (15175 views) | |
| Tasted by pea on 9/24/2011 & rated 97 points: Wonderful. Still young. (15248 views) | |
| Tasted by Wrighty on 8/27/2011 & rated 95 points: Mark's 45th birthday dinner (Crown Wine Cellars): Restrained nose, some eucalyptus. Palate is showing lots of fruit - small berries - and some smoke. It's tannic but they're well integrated. Finish continues but at a lower level, more lingers. (16245 views) | |
| Tasted by jsebiri on 8/24/2011: Massive , Massive bottle of wine . Dark fruits , huge nose , very enjoyable Shiraz.......I would assume many more years to come (15482 views) | |
| Tasted by marmionj on 8/9/2011 & rated 95 points: The 1998 Grange has evolved to a very lush wine. The nose is earthy with black fruits. The mouth feel is full and velvety. The taste is coco and red plums with a lingering after taste. As expected, the wine throws a significant amount of sediment. This is classic Grange. (15318 views) | |
| Tasted by pablopilot on 7/23/2011 & rated 96 points: Stunningly good, full of wild blackberries with that great Grange underlay of motor oil/tar flavors. Wait ten more years (and it probably will have evolved glacially, but will be slightly more floral and blossomed). (15678 views) | |
| Tasted by Ophelia Dick on 7/18/2011 & rated 99 points: TASTE: greeeeeeeeat. SMELL: loooooovely (16279 views) | |
| Tasted by BlancdeBlanc on 6/2/2011 & rated 96 points: Nose: blueberries Palate: blueberries seamlessly melting into caramel and coffee. This wine knew what it wanted to do and it did it. Every sip was consistently the same. It seemed like an effortless performance. This was a good wine for me as blueberries and caramel are my favorite foods. (15822 views) | |
| Tasted by vanpe003 on 2/1/2011 & rated 95 points: Score is a mix between current drinking (93pts) and potential (97pts). As with the first time I had this, it shows all the right materials, but just isn't ready yet. A pleasant bottle, but at this price, one expects more than that. I continue to believe that this will evolve into something more ethereal, but its not there today. (15347 views) | |
| Tasted by garambler on 1/22/2011 & rated 99 points: We had this at our 1/22/11 Lamb & Shiraz dinner. It had a fabulous bouquet of blackberry, black cherry, smoked meat, licorice, black pepper and spice. The palate was massive, smooth, nicely balanced and just down right delicious with flavors that followed the nose. It was incredible stuff that was truly a privilege to drink! 98+ (15063 views) | |
| Tasted by ShiverSeeker on 12/20/2010 & rated 91 points: Decanted 2.5 hours and cooled to its best tasting temperature. As someone else said, I just don't get it. It's good, has some depth, but nothing grabs me, nothing stands out. I have had more fun with $50 bottles (e.g. serre nuove), and I touch the sky with bottles in the same price/rating range (e.g. tertre roteboeuf 2000, solaia 1997) . I think Australian shiraz is not my thing (Torbreck Run Rig 2002 rated 99 was better; but felt more like a 94 wine). I recall having once had a very good French syrah (shiraz) at some restaurant. better than both of these (for me), and probably in the range of $40 ($85 in the restaurant). So maybe its new world shiraz that I don't like, although I certainly prefer new world in brunellos. (15163 views) | |
| Tasted by sandda on 12/15/2010 & rated 90 points: probably just not to my (old world) taste, spectacular nose akin to a port, but just too much like a jar of jam and too alcoholic. or maybe just not yet ready? (15035 views) | |
| Tasted by Vinomarcus on 12/8/2010 & rated 96 points: Wednesday Night Club - December 2010 (Peter Pratt's Inn): An absolute masterpiece of a wine. Silky smooth, absolutely complete, perfectly balanced, very soft yet complex. This had a great depth of fruit that kept going to another level, still very young and I'd say easily could age another 20yrs. Delicious. (15848 views) | |
| Tasted by A&C on 11/27/2010 & rated 98 points: I slow roasted a winter goose, and we needed something to match the rare bird and that would hold up to the richness and fat of the goose. The Grange was an inspired choice. Holy crap was this good. Blueberries, blueberries, blueberries, and blueberries, in a silky smooth, complex, symphony of flavor. This truly was the wine of the night, and no doubt, was one of the very best bottles of Australian wine I've ever had. The wine had an amazing perfume, and the sweetness of the wine complimented the richness of the goose as if they had been made for each other. This was a memorable wine. (14951 views) | |
| Tasted by KVM on 9/26/2010 & rated 95 points: Beautiful and complete (15300 views) | |
| Tasted by Kemo Sabe on 8/29/2010 & rated 95 points: Wonderful nose on the open. Decanted for about 90 minutes before tasting. Deep, full color. Nothing about this wine show any fading. On the palate an earthy, voluptuous feel. Very smooth with no rough edges. This was my only bottle but I will be purchasing more... (15411 views) | |
| Tasted by Roberto_1 on 6/25/2010 & rated 93 points: Clearly new-world but not overdone. Dark black fruits on the nose with tar and menthol. On the palate the wine is ripe but not overdone. Well done and has the structure to age. (16209 views) | |
| Tasted by rikipedia on 6/7/2010 & rated 97 points: Terroir-istes International - Australia-Penfolds (Rodwell House): 97%| Shiraz, 3% Cab, 7.2 TA; pH: 3.5; Alc: 14.5%; Opaque black-red, the bouquet penetrates with liquorice, Maldon sea salt, melted tar, tapenade, woodsmoke and dark chocolate. There is a mix of ripe red fruits as long as blackberry and cassis. Richly textured wine, this full-bodied wine has power yet elegance. It stands tall and has muscularity yet manages to feel seamless - a gentle giant. The tannins are tight, there is a massive extract, and the sweet fruits are multilayered with liqueur-filled chocolate, more blackberry and blackcurrant on the palate; salted liquorice and tar. The high alcohol is perfectly integrated. A long, winding finish, the wine is incredibly complex, with immense depth; and you want to reach for another glass! (2152 views) | |
| Tasted by JDB on 6/5/2010 & rated 92 points: I have been sitting on this purchase for several years in an unlikely display of patience. in the mean time my tastes have changed. For it's varietal this is one spectacular bottle of wine. Blueberries & mocha , leather & tobacco backnotes and a finish I can still taste the next day. WOW , just not my cup of tea. So now i own 5 bottles of really expensive wine I am kind of lukewarm on ... bummer (15709 views) | |
| Tasted by Harrypotter on 6/1/2010 & rated 98 points: Aromatically - Blackberry, black licorice, touch of vanilla and clove. A very soft and enticing aroma. A very flavorfull aray of blackberry and black cherry on the palate. Juicy acid keeps the wine floating on the palate and a very thick tannin structure is great very fine grain. pH 3.5 (16236 views) | |
| Tasted by vanpe003 on 5/14/2010 & rated 97 points: Much better than the bottle I had 18 months ago. Popped/poured. Very aromatic on the nose, with some secondary aromas starting to emerge. One of those that I could sniff all night without taking a sip. But on the palate, this delivers the goods. Very balanced, though still a fair amount of acidity as a pure sipper. Lightly tannic. Long finish, almost haunting. Unlike the last bottle which seemed quite closed and difficult to interpret, this one is showing well. That said, well kept bottles should enjoy a long life. If I only had one bottle left, I'd wait another 5-10 years to see if some of the acidity folded into the wine. (15340 views) | |
| Tasted by WildeMeeuw on 4/10/2010 & rated 96 points: Penfolds Grange among Australias greatest (Heemstede - Rest. Southern Cross): 1998 Penfolds Grange (Australië, South Australië) Kleur: Diep donkerrood Aroma / bouquet: Explosief als de overtreffende trap van expressief. Het bouquet dendert het glas uit. Zwoel donker fruit, krachtig en kruidig, prachtig chique hout, typische Grange, vleugje rozenbottel, kruidigheid als lavendel en thijm. Smaak / Afdronk: Krachtig, uitgesproken zuur, onvoorstelbare powerwijn, veel tannine en veel lengte. Algemeen / potentieel: Supermooie Grange… 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 14 + Smaak / Afdronk: 18 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 = 96/100 (16288 views) | |
| Tasted by Serge Birbrair on 3/14/2010: Tasted blind. Very young, I pinpointed Australia, but thought that the wine was much younger vintage. My first Grange and hopefully not the last one. I'd let it sleep for another 10 years. (14887 views) | |
| Tasted by Umay Ceviker on 3/6/2010 & rated 95 points: deep, dark, inky ruby. A complex and pronounced nose from a big wine with black fruit, hints of sweet spices, chocolatey oak and a dusty minerality. dense and opulent on the palate with firm tannins and a powerful structure. very well balanced with a long finish. (13387 views) | |
| Tasted by bludvl444 on 2/25/2010 & rated 99 points: Incredible. Very impressive with room to grow. A must drink if you can!!! (15339 views) | |
| Tasted by jeff nowak on 2/20/2010 & rated 93 points: one of two bottles i contributed to the charles banks dinner at his home in montecito. decanted. reports are that both bottles drank similarly. better than a bottle tasted from my cellar in early december of last year. this showed tight, but not closed. stylish, blue blood that will reward patience. hold. (13862 views) | |
| Tasted by svdheijden on 2/15/2010 & rated 96 points: Don't touch well stored bottles in the next five to ten years. Even after 24 hours in the decanter, this wine did not show any matureness. All the ingredients are there, although the style is a little (too?) modern, for my European tastebuds.... Only beaten during tasting of Auatralian topwines by the almost perfect Henschke Hill of Grace 1987 (98 points). Textbook syrah, fullbodied, mouthfilling, pepper, large amounts of dark fruit, multilayered, herbs, spices, eucalyptus. Not yet well balanced, much too young. A little heat showing very high alcohol levels. Big, big promise for 2020+ (14963 views) | |
| Tasted by kstoddard on 12/2/2009 & rated 90 points: Best of Cellar - Double Blind (Backstreet Wine Salon): Dark ruby color. Blueberry nose with some menthol notes. Blueberry, anise, cherry and pencil lead on the palate. Bright acidity. Cherry kirsch finish. Tasted double blind. My guess was Australian Shiraz. My #4 and 4BOW #2. Odd, this wine showed much better the last few times I've had the pleasure to drink it. (15099 views) | |
| Tasted by jeff nowak on 12/2/2009 & rated 91 points: my bottle, double blind to the group. double decanted 3 hours prior to drinking, left uncorked in cellar, and then splashed into decanter about one hour prior to drinking at the venue. single blind to me. i wrote down california rhone on my note sheet. thick tannins, and mild heat on the finish. the group enjoyed this a bit more than i did. a nice wine to be sure, drinking younger than it's age. hold. (15043 views) | |
| Tasted by MatthewF on 12/1/2009: Ken's Birthday (Inovasi, Lake Bluff, IL): Huge, blue and black fruit nose with a lot of peppery spice. Expansive palate with dark fruit and spice throughout. Quite a bit of tannin with good acid. Very good. (15060 views) | |
| Tasted by psmith on 12/1/2009: Ken's Birthday (Inovasi; Lake Bluff, IL): Dark syrah blackberry fruit and smokey wood notes. Full bodied. Big wine. Rich, but well balanced. Medium-grain tannins. Still very young. Very nice. (15201 views) | |
| Tasted by astroman on 10/22/2009: WFA 2009 Grange Vertical Tasting: No much secondary aromas modern with sweetness or fruit forward nose with slight secondary on the back. Slightly advance but mouth coating tannins with lots of chocolate and mocha. Lingering finish. Aroma is more advanced as compared to palate which is very drinkable right now. (15136 views) | |
| Tasted by wineismylife on 10/17/2009: Sacred Cow is released into the wild (Restaurant X, Oklahoma, OK): WIMLNR Tasted October 17, 2009 at an offline. Dark garnet to purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose was heavily dominated by the aroma of Kirsch with some floral aspects and a bit of saddle soap. Flavors of berries, cherries and currants. Medium acidity, firm tannins, medium to full bodied. Continue to hold. No rating at this time; nowhere near ready. (15110 views) | |
| Tasted by Argrath on 10/16/2009 & rated 92 points: (Very old note for personal reference) Full, parody aussie up-front nose. Massive attack dark fruit. Oak and vanilla. Impenetrable with menthol and cocoa. Impossibly full body. Massive. Impenetrable. Loads of fruit and loads of tannin. Needs 10 years more, at least. Now ultra-concentration with layer upon layer of dark fruit and oak. Hard to know what to make of a wine like this... Such a beast. I suppose it will add elegance at 30 years of age, but at 11 there was no such thing. (5572 views) | |
| Tasted by markellen.foodies@gmail.com on 10/3/2009 & rated 93 points: ELLEN's REPRISE BOUILLABAISSE Dinner @ ICON Brickell: Flight 4. Decanted for 3 hours. Very good but not superior to the 2004 Hundred Acre. This wine has not met my expectations the two times I have tried it. (14880 views) | |
| Tasted by Bak on 9/18/2009 & rated 97 points: Smagt til smagning med vinstyrken. Forventningerne var høje og det var med en vis ydmyghed dråberne blev hældt i glasset. Konklusionen var nem. Det smagte fantastisk og levede til fulde op til de høje forventninger. Ikke en overdrevet kraftbombe hvor smagsløgene er bedøvet efter første slurk, men en meget robust vin med rigtig mange finesser og elegance i den lange eftersmag. (12845 views) | |
| Tasted by Wrighty on 9/12/2009: Was this closed; did we give it enough time? Had a little heat and confected fruit on the nose. Palate followed suit although there was an obvious level of intensity, class and stature. But it just didn't impose itself, it didn't grab us or make us think or even talk much about it. The previous bottle ('92 Stonewell) was much more interesting: did it put a Grange in the shade? (12779 views) | |
| Tasted by 60ouvrees on 8/18/2009: Wow, this is a monumental wine. Massive, slow-burning nose that kept changing and evolving. Incredible power and length balanced by sufficient acidity. This should last a very long time. (11957 views) | |
| Tasted by JJL on 8/11/2009 & rated 95 points: 4 Star Syrah Dinner at 11 Madison Park (NYC): Frank's bottle and paired with the '04 Astralis and suckling pig. I have had hit and miss experiences with this wine, but this one was definitely a hit. I must admit the nose was someone muted, but the palate had vanilla, blueberry, big sweet tannins, no heat (unlike the last time I had this wine) and pretty good acidity. Great mouthfeel and long finish. (12624 views) | |
| Tasted by mdefreitas on 7/19/2009 & rated 94 points: Grange in the 90s @ Mike J's (Wilton, CT): Getting to the "young" wines. Either this is showing its burly youth or there is a change in winemaking style. This is so much more concentrated, with rich fruit compote and big doses of oak (which somehow is still balanced by the copious flesh of the fruit). Shows more of a black fruit profile than red, with hints of licorice and coffee. Impressive, but too young. (12777 views) | |
| Tasted by Goldstone on 7/17/2009 & rated 93 points: 1998 Dinner (Crown Wine Cellars, Hong Kong): Almost black, totally opaque colour just lightening slightly at the edges. The nose is all jam and monster primary fruit - fresh prunes, fresh figs, plums and black fruits. Thick, thick palate that is totally toothcoating and very primary but with huge promise.......black, black tar and almost too primary for even wet warm lawns to poke through. Thick and jammy. Great length. Very primary........but promising. (11798 views) | |
| Tasted by futronic on 6/5/2009 & rated 92 points: 5th Annual Italian Offline Pre-Game (Simple Bistro, Toronto, Canada): Showed nothing on opening, hints at 3 hours in a decanter, better with 5+ hours of air. Opaque purple colour. Aromas of black sambuca, vanilla, bramble. Full-bodied, intense, outstanding texture, with blackcurrant, white pepper, vanilla through to the moderate-long finish. If I had any, I'd bury it in the cellar for at least another 5 years. (12289 views) | |
| Tasted by wineismylife on 6/5/2009 & rated 94 points: WIML924. No formal notes. Still a fairly huge monster but it is beginning to settle in. Give it at least 5 more years. (11314 views) | |
| Tasted by InternationalWineReport on 3/28/2009 & rated 98 points: It simply just doesn't get much better than this. This wine is a heavyweight. Exotic aromas of blueberry, cassis, ripe plums, spices and herbs bursting from the glass. Dense and focused with layers and layers of complex delicious dark fruits. Perfect balance and perfect acidity keeping everything together. This finish on this wine is absolutely insane, with dark fruit and herbs that just keeps on coming. A stunning beauty! - JD98+ (12540 views) | |
| Tasted by Wrighty on 2/21/2009 & rated 96 points: Some seared meat, spearmint, dried coriander or fennel seeds. Intense berry fruit, not extracted, just intense. Lovely texture: a little grip balanced with a little plushness. The finish hits a plateau and the just stays there. (12218 views) | |
| Tasted by gigabit on 2/8/2009 & rated 98 points: We gave this bottle a 4+ hour decant; to be consumed at the end of one of the most wonderful evenings of dining I have ever experienced, with many great friends, and my beautiful wife. Immediately after pouring, we passed the decanter around so that everyone could smell the wine. I believe that all were VERY intrigued by the bouquet. Personally, I had never smelled such a dark, lurking behemoth. Once dinner was finished, after 4 hours, our server brought fresh stems, and we decided to pour five glasses - one for each couple to share. Everyone was very quiet as they swirled and smelled the wine. It was truly a pleasure to see such gratification as they began to sip from their glasses, and I wanted everyone to vocalize their impressions of the wine. The comments from the group were: "warm blanket", "soft and smooth", "dark, concentrated, and delicious", "big and balanced", and "OK, that is ****ing good!" Penfolds Grange has always been right near the top of my list of wines that I have wanted to enjoy, and it did not disappoint. The nose was dark, sweet, and inviting. The palate was massive, but balanced. The finish went on forever - I could still taste it this morning. It was the finest bottle of wine I have ever tasted; made even more enjoyable by fantastic food and some of our very close friends. (11627 views) | |
| Tasted by JJL on 1/31/2009: I tasted this wine last month at the Acker BYO party and it was great. This bottle was completely different. Very hot and way too forward. The label says 14.5% alcohol, but it seemed more like 24.5% alcohol. It made my eyes tear when I tried to drink it. I guess it was fitting that we had this last as it was like an after dinner drink. If it was like the BYO bottle, I would have given it a 96. (11765 views) | |
| Tasted by idrinkvino on 12/21/2008 & rated 93 points: This is the second time I've had this wine, and although it is very fine wine, I can't yet put it in the "great" category. The flavours were pronounced, full of spice - yet very short on the finish. (11250 views) | |
| Tasted by rdfech01 on 11/28/2008 & rated 97 points: We drink a lot of Australians and had high expectations. This was the final wine after 8 other syrah/shiraz. It was the shining star. The nose has the earthy bouquet I associate with a cab/shiraz. Eucalyptus and spcicy fruit. The mouth feel is luxurious. The flavor are smokey, toasty, black currant and every other thing in a wonderful shiraz. I hesitated to open it so soon but it is ready with ample reward now and plenty of life left. (11019 views) | |
| Tasted by jmull on 11/1/2008 & rated 98 points: Decanted three hours. Tremendously expressive and complex nose of pure dark fruits, cola, chocolate, cedar and earth. And the palate delivers on the nose's promise, with all the aforementioned notes plus some strawberry flavors. Powerful structure, with plenty of evident tannin on the finish, which is the longest I've ever encountered at well over a minute. Yet for all the huge flavor, power and structure, there's an elegance and a restraint to this. It's built for the table: An absolute perfect match with braised short ribs. After it was all gone, I poured the sediment into my glass just so I could smell this some more. The best wine I've tried to date --period-- and it will only get better in the decades to come. 98+. (11041 views) | |
| Tasted by vanpe003 on 11/1/2008: Rating withheld. For me, this must've been too young. Obviously well made and a very good wine, but did not crack the "WOW" level for me at this point in it's evolution. Seemed somewhat lacking in comlexity / secondary character. Hopefully, some more time in the bottle will allow it to achieve at a level more consistent with its reputation. If I were to rate it toay, 92-94 pts. (11117 views) | |
| Tasted by smorris291 on 10/31/2008 & rated 98 points: Decanted this for approx. 3 hours (could have been much longer). Reddish purple in the glass with an almost opaque purple core. Black fruits and a hint of oak and spice on the nose. Upon the first sip, wow...a 60+ second finish with cascading flavors of black cherry cola, herbs and a hint of spice. A minty/herbal aftertaste that was more reminiscent of Cab Sauv. Still fairly tannic, but well integrated...could age for decades. Almost more notable for what it wasn't...never having Grange, I half expected an over-extracted sweet, teeth-staining monster that couldn't be consumed with food. Happily, I was wrong. I've had a couple other high-end Aussie Shirazes befoe, and this was more restrained and balanced. Wonderful. (10753 views) | |
| Tasted by mghomula on 7/31/2008 & rated 99 points: My best friend from childhood was visiting from California and the occassion called for a special wine. I called on the 1998 Penfolds Grange and boy was it ever up to the task. I have been reluctant to open any of my 6 bottles too soon (as evidenced by my drinking the 07's) but this was the right occassion to take this wine for a spin and find out where it is 10 years in. Decanted for 2 1/2 hours before serving. You will have to excuse the verbose nature of my tasting note but this wine brought out the poet in me (Whitman I am not) and elicited all sorts of verbs and adjectives that just needed to get out. A wine this good deserves much be written about it. On the pour, both for the decant and then later in the glass, this beauty was a deep, dense and elegant inky purple. Indeed it was almost black. An absolute work of art to look at. Nosing this wine was an experience unlike any other. The room was slient as we all savored amazing and bold aromas of blackberry, plum, black currant with some elements of oak, spice and a hint of vanilla. Outstanding bouquet that quieted the room in reverance to what we were experiencing. In fact, we nosed the wine for so long we almost forgot to taste as it almost seemed an afterthought. On the palate there was an abundance of dark fruits with blackberry, plum, black currant, spice (white pepper and dare I say a hint of ginger?) with traces of oak, licorice and vanilla cream. It was massive! Huge mouthfeel, full bodied, well integrated and complex. There were some well integrated tannins still showing and this wine will surely age very well for 10-20 more years and I would lean more toward the longer the better. The finish was forever. We tasted and drank this wine in silence for some time and then the descriptive words just poured out of us. Elegant, supple, beautiful, majestic, without peer, we know there is a God are all words that were said about this wine. This is a flagship Grange for Penfolds no doubt and I suspect with some more time it will be a 100 point monster. I have 5 more and I will be holding these for a while. (11515 views) | |
| Tasted by Happy Sommelier on 7/15/2008 & rated 96 points: Penfolds Grange 1998 has become a collectors item with prices now at four times what I originally paid. The wine is intensively packed with flavours of plum, blackberry, and cassis nuanced with olives, tobacco, and leather. It really does require a minimum of 10 years to taste but most likely would drink at its best with 20 years of ageing. The wine is very fat and sweet as a result of an extreme alcohol level of 14.5% I prefer my wines at 12 to 13% and find these new world alcohol bombs a bit over the top but I can appreciate that Grange is to Australia what Masseto is to Italy and DRC to France. Grange is a national flagship wine that should continue to find demand rise as it becomes world famous...if it hasn't already done so. The wine is chewy in the mouth and ends with a powerful complex finish. At current prices however I should have kept it for resale value. Oh well! It was a treat nevertheless. (6257 views) | |
| Tasted by GrandeSerataFuori on 7/14/2008 & rated 90 points: Dense, dark and young. Exceptional mouthfeel, and a fantastically seemless wine. Plum, black cherries and cedar were in the mix. This is not my style at the moment though. Maybe in a few more years it will become something i'd dig more. Others at the table were imrpressed. (10565 views) | |
| Tasted by E on 7/13/2008 & rated 88 points: This may be our single largest wine disappointment ever...do not think it was an off bottle...certainly not corked...a beautiful nose...initially with asian spice and then eucalyptus becoming more prominent as time passed. Beautiful dark color, moderate amount of sediment, but certainly we've had bottles and bottles of shiraz better...perhaps the expectations were too high, but nothing close to a wow moment. 2 bottles left, will wait another decade for the next. (10611 views) | |
| Tasted by snaff on 7/4/2008 & rated 96 points: Drank with my wife for our 20th anniversary. The nose on this wine was absolutely engrossing. We spent at least 5 minutes reveling in the wild scents of licorice, black cherry, black berries, cigar box, and leather. Smooth and unctious in the mouth with powerful black cherry, blackberry and cedar. Flavors developed over the evening. A captivating wine worth every penny. (11000 views) | |
| Tasted by psmith on 6/19/2008: Rich, dark blackberry liqueur fruit. Less giving palate, but a rich balance of alcohol, tannin, and extract that begs age. Intense wine. Really promising. (10818 views) | |
| Tasted by idrinkvino on 6/8/2008 & rated 96 points: Definitely an Auzzie shiraz, but with subtle notes and layers of refinement that put it in a different class. (11025 views) | |
| Tasted by shiraz guy on 6/6/2008 & rated 94 points: This was my first grange which we had at our rehearsal dinner. I was fairly disappointed given the lore and hype of this wine. Was is very good? Yes. But was is phenomenal? No. This was your typical very good, sweet, black fruit aussie shiraz. I could think of nothing remarkable about this wine, and the QPR (even with paying 275 at a restraunt) is Way out of line. Glad my (now) father in law paid for it! (11030 views) | |
| Tasted by jamieirving on 5/29/2008 & rated 99 points: The Sampler (Angel, London): Arguably the best wine ever to come out of Australia it was with some trepidation that I tried this wine. Robert Parker gave it 99 points and described it as an "all time classic", so I was expecting it to be good - luckily it didn't disappoint! Rich purple in colour with a dense black core, this wine initially showed blackcurrant, cassis, cream on the nose. After some time in the glass it began to display cola cube characters, meatiness and a hint of mint. The palate is rich, smooth, elegant and well balanced. Great fruit flavour - blackberry, cherry and plum. Amazing depth and complexity. Still very fresh - I think I'll leave my bottle for a few more years yet! (12515 views) | |
| Tasted by kstoddard on 4/28/2008 & rated 95 points: G7 (Jock): Black cherry, blackcurrant and earth. Still possesses some fine grained tannins. Great mid palate complexity. Long elegant finish. Solid. (12094 views) | |
| Tasted by jeff nowak on 4/28/2008 & rated 96 points: terrific young, this is now in a transitional stage. it's a killer wine that i will try to hold 3-5 more years, and then start to pick off my six bottles. younger winos can hold at their discretion for... well, forever. fabulous. (11845 views) | |
| Tasted by pakabear on 4/19/2008 & rated 93 points: Very sweet nose of licorice, casis, raspberry and other dark fruits. It was a bit port like on the nose at first. The palate was an explosion of dark fruit, sweet fruit and some oaky components (caramel, vanilla etc.). This is a great example of what Australian Shiraz can be, but really not my favorite style of wine. Very youthful at 10 years. (11290 views) | |
| Tasted by aof on 2/29/2008 & rated 93 points: Rather muted nose, but exhibited a fantastic density of fruits in delicate balance with fine tannins. Such a harmonious wine!. It reminded me of a Haut-Brion in a good vintage. Great stuff. (11813 views) | |
| Tasted by buckeye76 on 2/23/2008 & rated 100 points: TONS OF BLACK FRUITS, BLACK CHERRIES AND RICH BLACK LICORICE IN THE NOSE AND FLAVOR. INCREDIBLE COMPLEXITY AND A VERY, VERY LONG LONGERING FINISH. (4759 views) | |
| Tasted by markellen.foodies@gmail.com on 2/19/2008: French Bakery BYO SHIRAZ from OZ (French Bakery, Kane concourse, Bay Harbor Islands, Florida): Ellen & Mark (ours) Pending 2/19 (14914 views) | |
| Tasted by win on 2/16/2008 & rated 94 points: Large tasting the day after another large tasting. Minimal notes. Oh so young. Tried it multiple times over 3 hours....just kept getting better. Hold a few more years. (10708 views) | |
| Tasted by wineismylife on 2/16/2008 & rated 94 points: KSC02 does Dallas, Part 2 (Daniele Osteria, Dallas, TX): WIML94? Dark purple color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of melted black licorice, graham crackers, a hint of blueberries, a touch of thistle. Flavors of rich currants and juicy berries. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, full bodied. Hold. (12179 views) | |
| Tasted by Zweder on 12/24/2007 & rated 98 points: Immense a massive bouquet as well as taste. Intense black fruits, especially ripe blackberries. Beautiful sweetness, probably from the 14.5% alcohol, but not disturbing at all; on the contrary:……adding to the complexity. Coffee, leather. A lot of tastes. Extremely full bodied. A refined blockbuster. Powerful, but silky as well. Beautiful integrated oak, tannin and acidity. This is a wine you can write a book about. And with an enormous future. (11482 views) | |
| Tasted by winefool on 11/24/2007 & rated 94 points: Wineflock Blind Tasting Competition (Ken's): Opaque black/red color. Full deep rich black fruit with coffee notes on the nose. Rich jammy candied black fruit with coffee and a bit of tar. Long tight smoky finish. This wine might have finally started to close down just a bit. (11506 views) | |
| Tasted by Siggy on 10/25/2007 & rated 93 points: Syrah Tasting w/ Bob Macdonald (David Anderson's House, Minneapolis): Very youthful black/ruby color. Beautiful, kaleidoscopic nose. Ultra-ripe, blackberry liquor fruit, earth, and coffee. Well structured, showing fine spicy tannins on the finish. After a few hours, this started smelling and tasting like a dry vintage Port. The Port-like character reminded me of a recent bottle of 1998 Henri Bonneau CDP "Celestins". Unbridled and intense. Needs many more years. WOTF for me. Group average 18.7/20; #3 of 7. (12544 views) | |
| Tasted by N2Vin on 9/27/2007 & rated 97 points: A beautiful and well manered adolescent, this 1998 version of Grange shows fabulous notes of plum, oak, berry , spice and smoke. With powerful tannins still in place, the wine's deep purple color shows no sign of age yet. A long fine grained and silky finish shows this wine has many many years ahead of it. (12069 views) | |
| Tasted by Kirk Grant on 9/9/2007: The nose on this wine was absolutely captivating with wild scents of red twislers, black cherry, black berries, cigar box, and charcoal. The mouth feel was hypnotic as flavors of black licorice, tobacco, blackberries, and black chocolate cascaded across my palate. The finish is 45+ bordering on 60+ seconds. This is an absolutely brilliant effort and well worth seeking out for your cellar. (8860 views) | |
| Tasted by psmith on 8/25/2007: Deep and meaty nose. Intense syrah fruit. Massively structured with a minty, finely tannic finish. Delicious. (11987 views) | |
| Tasted by Hillel on 4/29/2007 & rated 95 points: Velvety smooth. Thick on the tongue. Surprisingly light but not without depth. Juicy. Fruity. (12617 views) | |
| Tasted by jeff nowak on 1/18/2007 & rated 99 points: this is one of those wines that seemingly is bulletproof to a dumb or closed stage. every time i've had it, it's been on fire, and tonight is no exception. this is just about the most complete australian wine i've ever tasted. i could gush on it forever...no point. superb. (8877 views) | |
| Tasted by Vino Me on 11/22/2006 & rated 96 points: This was purchased off the wine list at the CWM cellar dinner at Courtrights for $300 and paired with a course of Petite Rack of New Zealand Lamb, Potatoes-Bacon, Fennel Gratin and Lamb Jus. My favorite wine match with this course and my favoritered of the night. This got 99 points from both WS and WA. My first Grange. This was young but then everyone in the CWM knew that going in. We had the restaurant decant this 6 hours before the dinner. Earthy nose. Round texture and full bodied. Despite being so young I found this to be quite silky and smooth. Notes of blackberry, mint and charcoal. Long ripe finish. Still improving. 96+ points. (15942 views) | |
| Tasted by AllRed on 11/18/2006 & rated 96 points: Chicago Wine Mafia Dinner in the Cellar (Courtright's Restaurant, Willow Springs, IL): This was purchased off the wine list for $300. Inky purple color, opaque to the rim. A massive wine that unfortunately wasn't giving up too much initially. Some blueberry and dark fruit notes followed by dark fruit and tannins on the palate. This started to come around with some vigorous swirling toward the end of the course, and the food helped. Clearly young and nowhere near ready to be opened. (15004 views) | |
| Tasted by thelostverse on 11/18/2006 & rated 94 points: Wine list purchase for Courtright Dinner. I think this wine was the one I was most excited to try. While it did eventually open, it clearly needs significant time in the cellar. Color was an inky glass-staining purple and opaque throughout. Slight nose of blueberries and blackberries. Blackberry and plum on the palate. The tannins are still overpowering to me, but checked somewhat by the Lamb. I'd love to try this again in ten years. (13164 views) | |
| Tasted by bevetroppo on 7/10/2006 & rated 92 points: Served blind on Jim's patio in the semi-darkness. Not exactly your Monday night special. Dark color but who could tell? Silky smooth texture. Deep rich blackberry fruit that sat like a fat smiling Buddha on the tip of my tongue. I really wasn't sure but I guessed that it was an elegant, high end Shiraz. I had no expectation that it could be Grange at 9:00 on a Monday night, so I subconsciously dumbed it down when I guessed. On depth of refined fruit and elegance alone it merited this score, though it seemed still young and probably likely to develop significantly more with bottle age. (13998 views) | |
| Tasted by Burgundy Al on 6/17/2006 & rated 92 points: Old Wine Dinner (Caliterra -Chicago IL): An exciting Grange flight. Decanted ten hours. Huge black fruit, not very forthcoming. Blockbuster flavors, but dense and firmly structured, showing great pedigree just not providing lots of pleasure tonight. (8217 views) | |
| Tasted by winefool on 6/1/2006 & rated 94 points: Ray Goder Dinner at Caliterra (Caliterra): Deep black/purple opaque color. Huge blackberry cassis nose with asphalt notes. Big bold black fruit, still showing tight a somewhat tannic. This was decanted for about 10 hours and still showed tighter than the last couple I’ve had. The 98 might finally be on the front end of shutting down to sleep for about 20 years?? Bummer! 94 pts. (14348 views) | |
| Tasted by winefool on 4/1/2006 & rated 95 points: I keep drinking this wine thinking that it's going to be shut down one of these days, but I'm please to say that it's still open for business and as good as ever! Full opaque black/red. Full black fruit and briar nose. Mmmmn... Rich lovely black cassis fruit with spicy complexity. A great wine. 95 pts. Group WOTF 4/06 (13061 views) | |
| Tasted by sthugo on 3/11/2006 & rated 97 points: Tetsuya's Super Dinner (Tetsuya's Restaurant, Sydney, Australia): The lowest professional wine critic score I have seen for this wine is a 97 ... so if there is going to be an Aussie wine that will blow your socks off ... then this has to be it. Decanted for 13 hours prior to consumption, this wine was still opening up in the glass when served. Purplish/red in colour, we all knew we were commiting a crime opening it up this early in its life ... but boy was it enjoyable. If you want a wine that has everything in abundant quantities then this wine is for you. The nose was full of intoxicating fruit .. blackberry, plum, blackcurrant. It was hard for us to take our noses out of the glass .. just like when you were a kid and loved to take in the freshly cooked smell of home baked cookies. But unlike the cookies, the aromas coming from this wine had a definite complexity about them, and they continued to meld and change as the minutes passed by. But I could wait no longer, I needed to taste this monster of a wine, a wine that Parker awarded 99 for and Andrew Calliard gave the perfect score too. And boy it did not disappoint. Massive in flavour and body, this wine is greatness in a bottle. Smooth, supple, balanced and complex ... the flavours that coat the palate are amazing. Blackberry, licorice, plum, chocolate, and raisin with a hint of oak in the background. In fact I was expecting a lot more upfront oak in this wine since it is so young, and don't get me wrong, it is there, but not to the levels you would expect from this caliber of wine. A long, long flavoursome finish with fine, ripe tannins. Although 14.5% alcohol, you wouldn't know it. A classic in the making but unfortunately you will have to wait +20 years to experience it. I will definitely be hiding my remaining bottles! WOTN and WOTY in a canter. (15855 views) | |
| Tasted by scravis on 1/1/2006 & rated 97 points: Had on New Year's Eve, decanted 10 hours. Deep intense purple color, nose still closed but the following morning (saved 1 glass overnight) WOW! Huge blackberry, cherry, cassis. On the palate, medium-full bodied, with ripe acidity and perfectly integrated oak, tannin, fruit. Similar black cherry, and cassis with a finish that lasted for ever (1 minute) The tannins show through as a bit mouth drying on the finish. The has the legs to go the distance! If you are going to open I recommend a 24 hour decant. (14622 views) | |
| Tasted by winefool on 12/1/2005 & rated 95 points: At Tapawingo - this wine is only getting better - no shutdown stage so far. Absolutely stunning concentration with abundance of rich black fruits, cassis, and spices. Killer 95 pts. 12/05 (7910 views) | |
| Tasted by Burgundy Al on 9/24/2005 & rated 92 points: Through the Decades in Burgundy - A Taste for Life 2005 (San Francisco CA): Massive, massive black fruit aromas. Far more "New World" style than I ever recall from prior vintages of Grange. Super concentrated without any subtlety. This will be interesting to revisit every few years for the next few decades. (8278 views) | |
| Tasted by Barbara B on 6/19/2005 & rated 96 points: Nose: strong feral notes at first, evolving to dark red and berry fruits, roasted coffee. Palate: rich fruity sweet flavours (not sugar), big broad tannins, high alcohol (14.5%), fantastically concentrated, complex, long, huge, mesmerizing. (13093 views) | |
| Tasted by winefool on 12/1/2004 & rated 94 points: Shiraz Shootout - Group #1, My #2. Full purple blue color. Forward aroma of 'hidden' black fruit with some jamminess. Rich black cassis fruit on a sturdy but round frame. Teeth staining! 94 pts. 12/04 (7736 views) | |
| Tasted by Joe Belmaati on 5/19/2004 & rated 97 points: Dark purple. Completely opaque with note light edge. At first the wine smelled a bit like glue and paint, but with just a little bit of swirling and air, notes of bramble berry, raspberry, and blueberry emerged from the glass. Quite a stupendous bouquet. Very thick and oily in the mouth with high levels of glycerin, intense raisin and cardamom flavour with superbly defined, round and sweet fruit. Extremely well structured with freshness in spite of the overwhelming power and concentration, and a vanilla spiced aftertaste. Simply STUNNING! (16732 views) | |
| Tasted by Spencer on 3/30/2004 & rated 96 points: Farmington Wine Class. Inky, opaque, almost pitch black color. Powerful, explosive nose with spicy oak, raspberry liqueur, espresso. A bit overextracted I thought, with some slightly astringent oak tannins, but a long, beautiful finish. Great chewy mouthfeel, with dense, concentrated, extracted flavors. A little too much oak for my taste, but otherwise impeccably balanced. If the oak integrates a little more, this will merit an even higher score. A delicous wine, and it was a great experience to try it, but it's just not my style - at least at this price range. I think I annoyed a few people in the class who went ga-ga over the wine when I said (tasted double blind, before the identity was revealed) that it tasted like a $200 barbecue wine to me. I stand by that description even now that I know what it was. (16348 views) | |
| Tasted by Winetex on 2/15/2004 & rated 94 points: Very closed and mostly showing oak. [Tasted at an Australian Tasting; 2/15/04] (16235 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 2/5/2004 & rated 98 points: Beautiful blackberry nose; seamless, blackberry, boysenberry ripple, vanilla and caramel palate; long finish (3810 views) | |
| Tasted by rjonwine@gmail.com on 8/29/2003 & rated 98 points: Beautiful, pure, blackberry liqueur nose; wow, tasty, deep and layered blackberry palate with well integrated vanilla oak and big, sweet tannins; long finish (3500 views) | |
| Tasted by Eric on 8/10/2003 & rated 98 points: Dinner with Jason and Tracy: On my goodness! I decanted this wine about 10 hours before we drank it (although it spent 5 of those hours back in the bottle). The nose shows spearmint and eucalyptus, rising in intensity over time. Texturally this is stunningly lithe and powerful at the same time. If there is one word to typify this wine it is "balance." It shows unreal power and depth on the palate with an endless finish, nearly a minute. This wine was a singular experience for me, just amazing. (17727 views) | |
| Tasted by OneLastSyrah on 8/3/2003: ($185) Dallas Blur Tasting 2003: Lance brought this in a Lancer's bottler as a joke. Inky, with lots of concentrated red and black fruit. I recall some currant fruit as well. Lush, seamless, accented with some toasty oak, but I find it mostly in the background. I didn't have a clue what this might be, but the scale of it made me think things like Petite Sirah. (6973 views) | |
| Tasted by otisabdul on 10/20/2002 & rated 97 points: Sampled as part of a Grange vertical at the 2002 Wine Spectator Wine Experience in Las Vegas. 97% Shiraz and 3% Cab. Scheduled for release in May, 2003, this was the first public tasting outside of the winery. A hot Jan/Feb resulted in an early harvest. Very overt blueberry flavor, with fantastic elegance and grace. Outstanding, and my clear favorite of the vert. 1986 was 2nd best. (16591 views) |
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PenfoldsProducer websiteProducer 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 2013 1998 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 Patiencehttp://www.grange.biz/library/rewards/bin-95-grange.pdf AustraliaWine Australia (Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation) | Australian Wines (Wikipedia)South AustraliaSouth Australian Wine Industry Association | South Australian Wines (Wikipedia) |