1983 Penfolds Grange
Community Tasting Note
PIntag wrote:
Friday, July 20, 2018 - First try of a Grange for me. Pop 'n pour and decanted for sediment. Huge nose with kind of a caramel/brown sugar aroma. On the palate, less dense and more elegant than I expected - definitely not a wine for impressing Napa Cab lovers - more in my wheelhouse, though I found this to be a little monolithic and one-note. Still some tannic bite. Enough acidity to keep it balanced. Did not seem to have much distinctive Syrah character. Oak also a little too prominent for my palate. This was indeed very good, but a bit disappointing given high expectations. I think there are dozens of $40 Cali Syrahs that I would enjoy more than this (e.g. any number of Carlisle bottlings), though the aromatics were fantastic. Grateful for the chance to try this anyway.
Post a Comment / View PIntag's profile1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (3,361 views)
3 comments have been posted
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (3,361 views)
Comment posted by Goldstone:
7/22/2018 3:15:00 AM - Hi Pintag, this wine needs an 8-hour decant: despite its relative age it is still a youngster in Grange terms. Worth remembering if you get you hands on another Grange in the future.
Comment posted by PIntag:
7/22/2018 11:49:00 AM - Yes, perhaps you're right about giving this a good, long decant. This bottle was immediately decanted and then consumed over the next 2 hours. It didn't seem to change very much during that time. Still, I don't think would have turned into something that would justify the huge price premium that it commands, especially when you consider that top Northern Rhones sell for much less. It seems to me that this is a label for impressing people more than for real wine lovers who have some sense of value.
Comment posted by MC2 Wines:
7/27/2018 9:46:00 AM - Wine's definitely personal, but you might be surprised depending upon the style you like. These tend to be different than Northern Rhone (less meaty) and Cali (less fruit). We love the herbal, eucalytpus, fruit, floral, etc. in them. Agree with the earlier comment though around decant. Have seen what you noted in a PnP situation where the wine totally doesn't live up.