From a pristine in neck bottle, this needed a lot of air, really started coming together after 6 (!) hours in the decanter. Unfortunately while the mouthfeel was phenomenal and hallmark Grange, the aromatics in the nose faded a bit. I’m a bit puzzled what to do with my remaining two bottles. Either sell or wait another 10 years. I think I opt for the latter.
Thanksgiving wine. Rich, dark and quite supple tannins. A little off putting "old" nose at first but was gone within 20 minutes. A friendly monster to be thankful of surviving 2020 with less bruises than most. I have one more bottle from the 70's so will be drinking it within the next 3 months...
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The ‘78 Vintage of Penfolds Grange is not far behind the otherworldly ‘71 and ‘76. It actually over delivers in terms of value compared to the other two 70s favorites.
Beautiful combination of dark chocolate and coconut on the nose, think Almond Joy. Sweet and supple tannins with rich and dense black fruits. These old bottles of Grange are for the guiltiest of hedonistic pleasures!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
im a little amazed that the average scores are not a lot higher for this wine. i know it can be overshadowed by 71 and 76 but excellent bottles of 78 are up there with both those legendary vintages and certainly 3rd best grange of the 1970's by a long shot. and its a relative bargain on the auction scene compared to the others although i have noticed it is starting to push up in price. nonetheless it remains a youthful rich, dense black fruit, friendly monster that is only just starting to allow all the individual parts to party together. I would have no hesitation in putting good condition bottles away for another 15 + years. Ive never had a bad bottle, it always sings and always blows others away when i drink it with them. Grab some before its priced out of reach
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted at Penfolds Magill Estate, Adelaide. 40 Vintages of Grange: Made with 10% Cabernet. Great balance and elegance with much finer tannins than its compatriots from the '70s. Less stewed fruit than '76. On par with '71 but probably not the longevity. This is a wine you really want to drink.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Old Grange and some other goodies (Ristorante Morini): This wine is always a favorite for me and this night was no different. I am coming to believe it's still really on the young side and we'll want to wait with our bottles. In addition to the eucalyptus that they all have and the fruits and the spices this is starting to add a bit more cigar and tobacco flavors as well. A bit more secondary but still so very fresh. Opened and decanted for prob close to 2.5 or 3 hours by the time we tried it. Just kept getting better throughout the night.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
The big 4-0 (Ristorante Morini): I am really loving this vintage of Grange. Probably my WOTN although it's slightly younger brother (the '79) and the '85 Monprivato gave it some stiff competition. Again you're getting those darker fruits and spices and a bit of violets and flowers and some eucalyptus. The difference between this and the '79 was this felt just a touch more integrated at this point (although I will say both are still pretty young wines). Really delicious. Drinking window on CT all off - this is going very strong.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Syrah from Afar with a Champagne Flight to start (Long Island, NY): 5/12 syrahs tasted single blind. Nose is perfumed and floral - very feminine. On the palate this seems to have more Northern Rhone styled notes though with grilled meats and game taking precedence over the dark mature fruits. More restrained and subtle than wines 2 ('96 La Chappelle) & 3 ('97 La Mouline) but still very nice.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
An Afternoon in LI w/Friends (Champagne Reception, Syrah from Afar) (Long Island): One of my favorites of the night. Eucalyptus jumps right out of the glass. It's actually quite young and vibrant tasting (amazing to imagine for a wine that is 40 years old). Some floral and violets and very well integrated. It's almost a pretty wine. Really tasty.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium to very dark red/purple colour – is this really 38 years old? Seems young, juicy and powerful for its age, blackberry, cocoa, vanilla bean oak, very long, velvety and grippy. A joy to drink. A classic full-weight Grange with black fruits, lots of American oak and time on its side. RWC 2014.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This wine was still fresh and showed some positive development in the glass, so still has some life left in it. Smoky dark fruits to start and adding in a bit of raspberry later on. It was long, but not overly so and the acidity balanced the whole very well. So an experience rather than a revelation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Next to the 1973 Grange, this was not impressive. Interesting but fading black and red fruit, some spice and earth. The palate was quite disjointed and the finish unbalanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Joao's birthday 78 cross horizontal - London 19 June 2010 Grange Hermitage! Big powerfull wine with lots of character and fruit. Could easily be mistaken for a 10yr old wine as even the colour is still very dark. Big fruit big nose. Really an impressive and very enjoyable wine. Does beg the question what next though. Superb. Will last another 20yrs easily.
Decanted for 1hr.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Grange Offline (1990-1975) (Alba Restuarant London): 13.3% For me easilly the wine of the night, deep dark berry fruit, very young with the same velvetty fruit as the 80, but an additional level of silk. Not a massive wine like the 1990 / 1986 but beautiful balance, kirsch, cassis and black pepper, solid but smooth tannins, only concern is a slightly thin finish. A long life ahead of it..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Penfolds Grange Vertical Tasting (1990-1975) (Alba Restaurant, Whitecross Street, London): Blend unknown. A mature integrated nose with gentle fruit. Big, powerful attack. This is a huge wine. Massive on the palate. Remarkable stuff. But it's also very enjoyable. Quite a sour cherry flavour on the finish. 93/100 Re-tasted around 11 p.m. This has quite a definite tar burner nose now with a good soft fruit character. Very, very big. The palate hasn't changed much, if at all. Wine of the night for me (though only just pipping a number of others)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Furniture polish as well as the furniture itself on the nose. Palate is acidic, tannic, lacks fruit and has a bitter finish. This bottle was past its best.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
10/21/2023 - G_H wrote: 93 Points
From a pristine in neck bottle, this needed a lot of air, really started coming together after 6 (!) hours in the decanter. Unfortunately while the mouthfeel was phenomenal and hallmark Grange, the aromatics in the nose faded a bit. I’m a bit puzzled what to do with my remaining two bottles. Either sell or wait another 10 years. I think I opt for the latter.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (1)
11/26/2020 - 89grange wrote: 96 Points
Thanksgiving wine. Rich, dark and quite supple tannins. A little off putting "old" nose at first but was gone within 20 minutes. A friendly monster to be thankful of surviving 2020 with less bruises than most. I have one more bottle from the 70's so will be drinking it within the next 3 months...
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2020 - La Flama Blanca Likes this wine: 95 Points
The ‘78 Vintage of Penfolds Grange is not far behind the otherworldly ‘71 and ‘76. It actually over delivers in terms of value compared to the other two 70s favorites.
Beautiful combination of dark chocolate and coconut on the nose, think Almond Joy. Sweet and supple tannins with rich and dense black fruits. These old bottles of Grange are for the guiltiest of hedonistic pleasures!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2020 - yodamark Likes this wine: 98 Points
im a little amazed that the average scores are not a lot higher for this wine. i know it can be overshadowed by 71 and 76 but excellent bottles of 78 are up there with both those legendary vintages and certainly 3rd best grange of the 1970's by a long shot. and its a relative bargain on the auction scene compared to the others although i have noticed it is starting to push up in price. nonetheless it remains a youthful rich, dense black fruit, friendly monster that is only just starting to allow all the individual parts to party together. I would have no hesitation in putting good condition bottles away for another 15 + years. Ive never had a bad bottle, it always sings and always blows others away when i drink it with them. Grab some before its priced out of reach
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/22/2019 - KoalaHK wrote:
Tasted at Penfolds Magill Estate, Adelaide. 40 Vintages of Grange: Made with 10% Cabernet. Great balance and elegance with much finer tannins than its compatriots from the '70s. Less stewed fruit than '76. On par with '71 but probably not the longevity. This is a wine you really want to drink.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/28/2019 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Old Grange and some other goodies (Ristorante Morini): This wine is always a favorite for me and this night was no different. I am coming to believe it's still really on the young side and we'll want to wait with our bottles. In addition to the eucalyptus that they all have and the fruits and the spices this is starting to add a bit more cigar and tobacco flavors as well. A bit more secondary but still so very fresh. Opened and decanted for prob close to 2.5 or 3 hours by the time we tried it. Just kept getting better throughout the night.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/15/2019 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
The big 4-0 (Ristorante Morini): I am really loving this vintage of Grange. Probably my WOTN although it's slightly younger brother (the '79) and the '85 Monprivato gave it some stiff competition. Again you're getting those darker fruits and spices and a bit of violets and flowers and some eucalyptus. The difference between this and the '79 was this felt just a touch more integrated at this point (although I will say both are still pretty young wines). Really delicious. Drinking window on CT all off - this is going very strong.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2018 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine: 93 Points
Syrah from Afar with a Champagne Flight to start (Long Island, NY): 5/12 syrahs tasted single blind. Nose is perfumed and floral - very feminine. On the palate this seems to have more Northern Rhone styled notes though with grilled meats and game taking precedence over the dark mature fruits. More restrained and subtle than wines 2 ('96 La Chappelle) & 3 ('97 La Mouline) but still very nice.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/11/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine: 97 Points
An Afternoon in LI w/Friends (Champagne Reception, Syrah from Afar) (Long Island): One of my favorites of the night. Eucalyptus jumps right out of the glass. It's actually quite young and vibrant tasting (amazing to imagine for a wine that is 40 years old). Some floral and violets and very well integrated. It's almost a pretty wine. Really tasty.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/12/2016 - phill mz Likes this wine:
Medium to very dark red/purple colour – is this really 38 years old? Seems young, juicy and powerful for its age, blackberry, cocoa, vanilla bean oak, very long, velvety and grippy. A joy to drink. A classic full-weight Grange with black fruits, lots of American oak and time on its side. RWC 2014.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/19/2014 - Lordswood wrote: 89 Points
This wine was still fresh and showed some positive development in the glass, so still has some life left in it. Smoky dark fruits to start and adding in a bit of raspberry later on. It was long, but not overly so and the acidity balanced the whole very well. So an experience rather than a revelation.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/27/2013 - johnh1001 wrote: 87 Points
Next to the 1973 Grange, this was not impressive. Interesting but fading black and red fruit, some spice and earth. The palate was quite disjointed and the finish unbalanced.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2010 - Papies wrote: 94 Points
Joao's birthday 78 cross horizontal - London 19 June 2010
Grange Hermitage! Big powerfull wine with lots of character and fruit. Could easily be mistaken for a 10yr old wine as even the colour is still very dark. Big fruit big nose. Really an impressive and very enjoyable wine. Does beg the question what next though. Superb.
Will last another 20yrs easily.
Decanted for 1hr.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/8/2006 - Russell Faulkner wrote: 97 Points
Grange Offline (1990-1975) (Alba Restuarant London): 13.3%
For me easilly the wine of the night, deep dark berry fruit, very young with the same velvetty fruit as the 80, but an additional level of silk. Not a massive wine like the 1990 / 1986 but beautiful balance, kirsch, cassis and black pepper, solid but smooth tannins, only concern is a slightly thin finish. A long life ahead of it..
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/7/2006 - andrewstevenson.com wrote: 93 Points
Penfolds Grange Vertical Tasting (1990-1975) (Alba Restaurant, Whitecross Street, London): Blend unknown. A mature integrated nose with gentle fruit. Big, powerful attack. This is a huge wine. Massive on the palate. Remarkable stuff. But it's also very enjoyable. Quite a sour cherry flavour on the finish.
93/100
Re-tasted around 11 p.m. This has quite a definite tar burner nose now with a good soft fruit character. Very, very big. The palate hasn't changed much, if at all.
Wine of the night for me (though only just pipping a number of others)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/8/2006 - CamWheeler wrote: 78 Points
Furniture polish as well as the furniture itself on the nose. Palate is acidic, tannic, lacks fruit and has a bitter finish. This bottle was past its best.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/4/2005 - M&D24 wrote: 95 Points
Simply wonderful wine; slightest step behind 1975 as WOTN
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment