Grange Hermitage 2016 Penfolds

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24 tasting notes

96p by Tuula Hällström
97p by Christer Byklum/ BWW2024 Finalist
98p by Juha Lihtonen / The Best Scandinavian Sommelier 2003
96p by Tuula Hällström
97p by Tuula Hällström
96+p by Markus Del Monego MW / BWW2024 Finalist
98p by Tuula Hällström
97p by Pekka Nuikki / Editor of the Fine Wine Magazines and Champagne Magazine

Tasting note

color

Deep, Purple and Clear

ending

Endless

flavors

Cranberry, Mint, Plum, Toasty, Floral and Balsamic

nose

Intense and Complex

recommend

Yes

taste

Average in Acidity, Warming, Medium tannin, Balanced, Developing, Full-bodied, Round, Elegant, Full, Dry and Silky tannins

Verdict

Masterpiece

Written Notes

Very spicy, dried ground baking spices on the nose as well as dried sage leaves and other roasting herbs and a kind of wet chalky element too. This translates to savory and earthy secondary characters at the fore, highlighting herbal notes with licorice, currants and cocoa powder. Feels ample, rich and as transparent as fine silk, framed by velvety tannins and refreshing acidity, finishing epically

- Pekka Nuikki / Editor of the Fine Wine Magazines and Champagne Magazine

As is usual, 18 months in new American oak hogsheads. 97% Shiraz and just 3% Cabernet. The fruit was sourced from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, the Clare Valley and Magill Estate.

For me, as good as any young Grange released this century. It will sit comfortably with 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2012, and I suspect, exceed them all in time. A truly great Grange. Peter Gago advised that some components in this wine came from the same vineyard which featured in the recent Bin 111A 2016 Special Bin from Penfold's, though from different blocks within those vineyards. Peter describes this as “an old fashioned Grange made modernly”.

Still very young, of course. Black/purple. There are notes of nutty oak apparent, but integration is proceeding immaculately. Extremely complex, even at this early stage. Balanced, coiled with endless power to be released over the decades. New leather, coffee beans, chocolate, spices, black fruits. A hint of aniseed and a touch of garden compost, which adds to the complexity. Has the length of a great fortified and the intensity remained throughout. I have no doubt that well cellared bottles will be wowing winelovers in fifty years. For me, anyone who does not give this 100 points is lacking in soul and basic human generosity.

That, of course, meant I immediately painted myself into a corner. Next day, I would swear that it looked even better. What do you do?

Some would be aware that the 2015 vintage of Grange recently won ‘Best Wine in the World’ for the American Robb Report, a fabulous achievement. This wine is better.

- Ken Gargett

100p

Served blind. Blackberries, nuanced, scented, dark fruits, rich nose, intense.
Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, dark fruits, liquorice, rich, fruit driven, detailed, nuanced, rich, blackberries, long finish. Firmer than previous bottles.

- Christer Byklum/ BWW2024 Finalist

Dark purple colour with violet hue and black core. Aromatic nose with fine vanilla aroma, gingerbread spices, fine toasting, dark chocolate, hints of eucalyptus in the background. On the palate rich with opulent character, mild spices, ripe tannins, well-structured, a very bold wine with rich fruit and toasting.

- Markus Del Monego MW / BWW2024 Finalist

Good looking normal size bottle and in an perfect condition. Colour is purple, and looking clear and deep. On the nose it is intense and complex. The taste is fruity, full, round, elegant, and dry, warming, with medium tannin, with silky tannins, and average in acidity, full-bodied, with balanced structure and developing. On the palate it is layered and has cassis, balsamic, cranberry, toasty, plum, floral, mint and chocolate flavours. The finish is endless. This wine is masterpiece. I paid around 500-1k€ a bottle. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 20-30 years, decant at least 30min before tasting and this is not a good invest wine. Too expensive for quality. I do recommend.

- RICARDO GIL

A blend of 97% shiraz and 3% cabernet sauvignon from Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and Magill Estate. This is a very intense Grange with such rich black-fruit, tar and coal-smoke aromas together with iodine and black-olive notes and an array of wild dark herbs. Almost impenetrable dark plums and licorice, as well as bacon fat. The palate has such seamless delivery of intense blackberry and plum flavors with some redder tones emerging, too. The power here is countered by such freshness and an almost elegant feel. This has such impressive, vibrant, long and seamless fruit power. Really is exceptionally complete, but tight, needs time to open. Very enjoyable now, but better after 2023.

- James Suckling / BWW2024 Finalist

18 months in new American oak. The detail is superb, light and shade allowing blackberry and plum fruit pride of place, and also flashes of spice and licorice. It’s as mouthwatering with the last taste as the first, its 7.3g/l of acidity leaving the mouth fresh. 14.5% alc, cork 99 points, drink to 2066, $950

- James Halliday / BWW2024 Finalist

The most powerful expression of Penfolds multi-vineyard, multi-district blending philosophy. Australia’s most celebrated wine and officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. Crafted utilising fully ripe, intensely flavoured and structured Shiraz grapes, the result is a unique Australian style that is now recognised as one of the most consistent of the world’s great wines. With an unbroken line of vintages from the experimental 1951, Grange clearly demonstrates the synergy between Shiraz and the soils and climates of South Australia. 97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon blended from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and Magill Estate. TA 7.3 g/l, pH 3.63. Aged for 18 months in American oak hogsheads (100% new). Autumn and winter were dry and cool across South Australia. Below long-term average rainfall continued throughout spring and summer, resulting in a slightly delayed start to the growing season across the warmer districts. The early part of summer was warm, with plenty of sunshine, allowing Shiraz vines to develop healthy canopies and good bunch set. Rainfall in late January and early February was a welcome relief across the state and greatly improved yield forecasts. Optimal conditions in late summer and early autumn ensured the grapes were able to ripen evenly, develop desirable flavours and firm tannins. The Barossa Valley and Clare Valley harvest was outstanding, for both yield and quality. McLaren Vale recorded only a handful of days above 40 °C in December, with no heatwaves from veraison to harvest. Mild conditions were also welcomed at Magill Estate vineyard, where Shiraz was able to ripen evenly across all three blocks. Grapes from the Magill Estate harvest were hand-picked on 11 and 12 February.

Very, very dark, concentrated, blackish purple. Almost more of a decongestant than a wine. Goes straight up the nose rather than offering a complex array of different aromas. Very sweet, round and gently textured initially so that only after a while do you become aware of the massive tannins underneath – really massive! But clearly a great deal of work has been done on smoothing the tannins. Concentrated but not exaggerated. Sweet and smooth with a hint of camphor. Salt and spice, and drier than some Granges at this early stage. But such a baby!!! Though if you were really in a hurry, you could decant this into a young-wine decanter and leave it overnight. It is too strong to harm.

- Jancis Robinson MW / BWW2024/Best Wine Critic of the World

95.5p

An open, rich and intense nose shows a plethora of seductive aromas – dark chocolate, ripe cassis, and Christmas spices. Beautifully layered aromas. Full-bodied palate is rich with everything but in still in great balance. Dense and chunky texture is a mixture from ripe jammy fruitiness, pronounced toastiness, and vibrant spiciness. The tannins are extremely smooth and integrated. The finish feels like never-ending. A big wine that is not polished and elegant, but very generous. Will definitely benefit from further cellaring at least for 5-8 years. If served now, decant 6 hours in advance and serve at 18°C with medium-rare beef or venison. JL 96p (12/2020)

- Juha Lihtonen / The Best Scandinavian Sommelier 2003

Grange (2016; AUD $950) is very much in style, a formidable wine of enormous concentration and presence, and certainly the one wine that is not easy to drink and enjoy now, but it undoubtedly has a great future. I thought it was at least as good as the much-feted 2015. Will those tasters who rated the 2015 a perfect 100 points rate this 101?!

- Huon Hooke / BWW2024 Finalist

Deep crimson. Classic blackberry dark cherry praline aromas with roasted chestnut, espresso herb garden notes. Supple and compact with deep set blackberry, dark cherry dark chocolate hazelnut paneforte flavours, fine plentiful dense graphite slightly al dente/ chewy tannins and roasted chestnut espresso oak notes. Finishes chocolaty firm and minerally long. The archetypal Penfolds Style with superb fruit power and complexity, generosity and structure. It will slowly unpack over the next ten years and more. Seal; Cork, Drink 2028-2060+ 14.5% alc 98 points

A great follow up to the spectacular 2015 Grange. Everything is in near-perfect alignment. Should develop for decades. Another exciting year for this great marque.

97 percent shiraz, 3 percent cabernet sauvignon. Barossa Valley (including Kalimna Vineyard), McLaren Vale and Clare Valley with a 1 percent contribution from Magill Estate.

18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads

- Andrew Caillard MW / BWW2024 Finalist

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