Grange is a unique Australian style, officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. When the late, great Max Schubert embarked on his odyssey to define the nation's ultimate red wine, his efforts were met by adversity and derision from peers. Today Grange is recognised as one of the world's great wines, each vintage is eagerly awaited round the globe. The small 2005 vintage release makes no quality compromise. A Grange that is balanced, firm and polished. The first sip welcomes, the second sip asserts, the third entreats submission

A meticulous regimen for vineyard selection, coupled with exacting winecraft, ensures each vintage of Grange displays a different character. "The best showing ever for this wine from my perspective, a relatively forward, accessible style of Grange. The color is still a dark plum/purple, and the wine shows plenty of sweet cassis, with notes of chocolate and toasty oak. The wine is opulent and luscious, with great intensity, full body, and fabulous extract. The acidity seems relatively low and integrated, and the tannins quite ripe!" -eRobertParker.com

Tastings in September 1999 confirmed that the sheer intensity, power and overall balance of 1976 Grange meant it deserved its place as one of the great vintages of the 1970s. "Spectacular; enormous density of fruit with plenty of chocolate and dried fruits; almost port-like. Tannins are velvety and thick; so youthful, so monumental, so massively concentrated; amazing!" -Andrea Immer. "Consistently one of the most awesome wines ever made at Grange, It had a phenomenal showing at Penfolds' Magill estate. A legend for sure! " -Robert Parker Feb 2002

The 1964 Grange claimed a Trophy, four Gold and three other medals in 1968 and 1969. Individual bottles are labelled Bin numbers 95, 395, 66, 67 and 68. "This is a light, elegant style. It almost comes across as a medium-bodied claret style of Grange, with notes of cedar, cassis, licorice, and plum. The wine is medium-bodied with modest alcohol (about 12.8%) and a dark garnet color with plenty of amber at the edge. The wine is balanced, restrained, and believe it or not, quite elegant. Drink it over the next 6-7 years" -eRobertParker.com

Don Ditter, who succeeded Max Schubert as Chief Winemaker observed that, "The 1957 and 58 vintages reflect a time when we were unable to purchase and mature the wine in new American oak. In the end, we employed and completed fermentation and maturation in used oak hogsheads. We never quite picked up the same characters. All the same, these are interesting wines and after almost fifty years they are still holding together." Bottles from the 1958 vintage were eventually released as Bin numbers 46, 47 and 49

A very great Grange, the mild and relatively dry growing season lead to a very successful vintage. This was the final release crafted by Max Schubert's successor Don Ditter. "A current as well as future legend, this has long been considered by Penfolds winemaking team as the greatest Grange of the 1980s. The wine is fleshy, massively concentrated, multi-dimensional with extraordinary power, beautifully integrated acidity, tannin, and alcohol, that seems to only occur in the greatest vintages. This is a Grange to kill for" -eRobertParker.com Feb 2002