Grange is likely to remain positioned as Australia's flagship wine, many vintages far into the future. When Max Schubert embarked on his voyage of discovery and innovation during the late 1940s, the fledgling wine industry was relatively amateurish and fragmented. Winemaker John Duval's contribution to the evolution of Grange has also been critical. His stewardship has probably seen the greatest developments and innovation in viticulture and winemaking. A remarkable vintage Grange is the 1997, considering it's place between the great 1996 and 1998 editions

Grange is both Penfolds and arguably Australia's most famous wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. Penfolds Grange displays fully-ripe, intensely-flavoured and textured shiraz grapes in combination with new American oak. The first 100% Shiraz Grange since 1963, and an excellent follow on to the "98 vintage. Sourced primarily from the Penfolds Kalimna Vineyard and other Barossa Vineyards, with proportions from McLaren Vale and Padthaway. A fitting Grange release to end the 1900's, with decades of life ahead.

Bottles labelled Bin numbers 71, 72 and 95. "A great Grange, and certainly the best bottle I have had out of four different tastings, this large-scaled Grange showed a huge nose of cigar box, licorice, coffee, mocha, caramel, plum, and currant, and in the mouth, fabulous concentration, plenty of glycerin, wonderful freshness, and superb delineation for a wine that is 35 years of age. A very long finish of close to 40 seconds is also impressive. Pristine bottles should continue to drink well for at least another decade" -eRobertParker.com

By the early sixties, Penfolds Grange had secured its future. The experimental work carried out by Max Schubert left lasting impressions. Penfolds work in research and development, working hand in hand with new ideas within the constraints of the knowledge of the time, resulted in an emerging Penfolds house style. This is the first Grange to use grapes from the cool-climate Coonawarra district. The wine won two Gold and three Silver medals in Australian wine shows between 1963 and 1968. Bottles labelled Bin numbers 95 and 395

No other red wine in Australia can rival the reputation, consistent quality or proven development pattern of Penfolds Grange. The pinnacle of Australian reds, Grange is a rich, opulent, full-bodied Shiraz, destined for a long cellar life. The winemaking process involves great attention to detail, from selecting the best possible grapes sourced from low-yielding, old Shiraz vines, through to fermentation and fastidious oak maturation. The 1992 Grange has great complexity and balance, a powerful and rich vintage with mouth-coating tannins

A fabulous Grange, powerful, seamlessly constructed wine with perfect levels of glycerin and extract. The wine still seems very youthful, made in a very voluptuous, blockbuster Grange style. It is just now reaching its plateau of drinkability" -eRobertParker.com Feb 2002. Considered an outstanding vintage, Tim White said of it at a tasting in September 1999, "Very good. I like this, it’s just about perfect!" Anthony Rose at the same event observed, "Very big-boned and just starting to ease into a long final straight. I suspect this is - will be - a classic!"