1955 Penfolds Grange

Community Tasting Notes (6) Avg Score: 95 points

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  4/22/2023 - walkerjfw wrote:

  Zurich Supper Club (London Finale) CVA/Christine/Andrew/Po Lin/Valerie, special guest Ethan! (67 Pall Mall - London, UK): A very generous contribution from Andrew - one of his prized bottles. A notable and important wine not just for Grange but the history of Aus wine....and the world of wine. I was honored he would share a bottle of this provenance and importance with the group. Expertly decanted by the somms. Cork came out (mostly) clean. Drank over the course of the evening
  
  Color was dark garnet, mild separation. Nose was classic Grange - perhaps the earliest example of this signature(?) Dark and red fruits, leather, coffee, cedar. Palate of dusted dark cherry, savory, eucalyptus, cigar box...fruit is still expressive and front of the palate. Elegant texture, smooth and fined. Medium weight and finish.
  
  We drank over the course of the evening (3+ hours), coming back to it to see how it evolved. Old wines like this can hit a plateau and roll over quickly - this one did not. Continued to evolve in the glass (too many descriptors for the patience of most readers...). This showed a lot of substance - could go another 10+ years?
  
  Really special experience. For uniqueness and rarity of the bottle, would have to crown this one WOTN

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  11/28/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 94 Points

  I will be brief as I bought the btl from Christie’s in LA in 2004-2005. I assembled a horizontal wine tasting of all the great 1955’s (birthyear) for charity in 2006. I was excited and not disappointed other than it was in a flight of Latour, Petrus and Haut Brion. Clearly, the outlier. I still remember the sweetness and although CT doesn’t go back to 2006, I wanted to add my experience and love of Penfolds Grange.

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  8/22/2019 - KoalaHK wrote:

  Tasted at Penfolds Magill Estate, Adelaide. 40 Vintages of Grange: An original bottle (not recorked) made with 10% Cabernet. Lighter in colour than its older brethren, a bit volatile on the nose, a touch of banana peel initially. The sweetness of fruit is evident but this bottle is drying out a little.

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  8/6/2016 - CamWheeler wrote: 98 Points

  SLDS Reunion Tasting (Bentley, Sydney, Australia): 90% Shiraz, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Bin 148A - a blend of Magill Estate/Morphett Vale, Kalimna Vineyard and McLaren Vale fruit. Level was very very high shoulder, cork was soaked through but came out in one piece.
  
  This is something special. Dark coloured, with some bricking only at the very rim. A nose of great complexity and intensity with eucalyptus, vanilla, chocolate, coffee, leather, earth, VA, blueberry and raspberry - I don't like to run with too many descriptors of aroma, but it is impossible to escape here as they just kept appearing every time I took another look. The palate is just as good, there is superb depth here, with a slightly sweet fruit element giving way to a savoury meaty character that feels perfectly in place. Fantastic balance and complexity, it barely moves with time in the glass, holding steady. Would have probably developed for another 10 years without too much problem. Wow.

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  12/10/2014 - hongkongtom Likes this wine: 98 Points

  Beautiful example of an ancient Grange, still fresh and balanced. This was recorked in the Grange Clinic in 2008. Purchased from MW Wines and another example why they can be relied upon for these old bottles. Am sure this will drink well for another decade

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