Community Tasting Note

Sunday, March 24, 2019 - 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?

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Comment posted by MC2 Wines:

3/25/2019 6:20:00 PM - How long did you decant? This wine especially is pretty young and I think can come across as a bit closed down.
Comment posted by NCWino1:

4/1/2019 4:28:00 PM - Was this wine properly stored? Are you the original owner? 21 years is a long time to keep track of provenance. No Grange should receive an "85" unless it was flawed.
Comment posted by Charlie Carnes:

4/1/2019 5:06:00 PM - Purchased 12/30/2004. Cellared on its side at 55 degrees since then. I know what a flawed bottle of wine tastes like. The wine leaned toward spoof, but I said it didn't get to that, but it was close; reminiscent of Rolland, but not all of the way. My question, and my guess is that the wine is supposed to taste like this, that it wasn't flawed, and that I am in the minority of those who drink this wine. But that sucks, because I have other, older, perfectly stored bottles, and I want to like Grange. The wine reminded me of something modern, from St. Emillion, with a bunch of points. FWIW, one of my friends had a glass and was wowing the wine. And seriously, a person can score a wine 85 and be very serious and thoughtful. An important aspect of CT is to have views from people who share likes and dislikes so guys like you and me can compare and contrast wines and make informed decisions on when to drink, whether to purchase, etc. It's possible that other wines I have scored 85 you might like a ton.
Comment posted by NCWino1:

4/1/2019 5:14:00 PM - Everyone's palate has different nuances......true. But to give a rating of 85 is akin to a rating for a $5 bottle of yellowtail. I suggest you revisit the Grange another time, since you said you had other bottles. Grange, for me, is an ethereal experience and Grange was the bottle of wine that got me excited about collecting wine many years ago, when a bottle went for $50 retail. Don't give up the ship[ just yet.
Comment posted by MC2 Wines:

4/1/2019 5:47:00 PM - Just a thought - I think the '98 is one of the best years of this wine and I love it, but it is a beast. And if you prefer a bit more old world in style I think you can like this wine, but it needs a good amount of age and then it needs a lot of air. Every time I've had Grange it's been WOTN, but it's not uncommon for that to be where it ends the night rather than where it starts. So depending upon how much you decanted and how much time you gave it you might find you feel differently later. Or maybe not. The great thing about wine is it's personal and we all like different things.