Grange is both Penfolds and Australia’s most famous wine and is officially listed as a heritage icon of South Australia. An exceptional vintage, 1998 remains a superbly balanced and sumptuous wine, with all the hallmarks of a great, long-living Grange. "The temptation must have been to create a monster, it’s curvaceous but considered. At this early stage complexity, an array of fruit flavours already showing: bright, crushed cranberry, dense blackberry, licorice, raisins, woodspice and a hiss of blueberry, with a spit-and-polish of sweet smoky milk chocolate flavour!" -Campbell Mattinson Penfolds Grange 1972 won a Gold and four other medals at Australian wine shows in 1973, 1976 and 1977. Originally described by the winemakers as "medium deep brick red in colour, intense liquoric dark chocolate blackberry violet aromas with hints of vanilla spice. A loose knit palate with herbs and camomile, meaty mocha flavours and fine cedary tannins." A single batch was unintentionally oxidized before bottling, resulting in some bottle variation. Otherwise a lovely elegant wine, and a very good Grange vintage Despite a difficult vintage, rigorous selection of intensely flavoured grapes from mature vines in some of the finest vineyards produced a wine that exceeded vintage expectations. "An impressive Grange that may ultimately prove to be underrated, like many wines from this vintage, the 1995, a blend of 94% Shiraz and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, exhibits a saturated plum/purple color and a sweet blackberry liqueur nose intermixed with cassis, licorice, and new oak. It is long, ripe, with unobtrusive acidity and tannin!" -eRobertparker.com Grange is Australia's most famous wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. The most powerful expression of Penfolds long and prolific traditions, Grange boasts an unbroken line of vintages from the experimental 1951, and clearly demonstrates the synergy between Shiraz with the soils and climates of South Australia. Grange displays fully-ripe, intensely-flavoured and textured Shiraz in combination with splendid oak. A unique Australian style, recognised as one of the most consistent of the world's greate wines The 1980 Grange is predominantly Shiraz with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (4%) from the Kalimna and other Barossa vineyards, the Clare Valley, Magill Estate, McLaren Vale and Coonawarra. A generally good growing season with fine and warm conditions, was followed by a cool vintage. "This was a light harvest. A nose of melted asphalt, pepper, creme de cassis, and blackberries changes little in the glass, but with airing, some sweeter plum, prune, and chocolate emerge in a very full-bodied, powerful, seamlessly constructed wine" -Robert Parker 260 cases of this wine were produced. This is the first Grange to incorporate wine from the Kalimna region in the Barossa. This was a revelation. An astonishing, great wine with remarkable vigor and freshness, this wine has a dark garnet color with considerable amber at the edge. A sweet nose of mushrooms, roasted herbs, tar, red and black fruits, and underbrush is followed by a wine with considerable opulence, flesh, and vivacity. The wine has terrific harmony and a long finish. It is an amazing effort that should continue to drink well" -Robert Parker Feb 2002 |
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