Grange Hermitage 2017 Penfolds

Latest Pro-tasting notes

14 tasting notes

98p by Christer Byklum/ BWW2024 Finalist
20p by Richard Hemming MW / BWW2024 Finalist
98p by Susan Smith/Sommelier
97p by Tuula Hällström
98p by Pekka Nuikki / Editor of the Fine Wine Magazines and Champagne Magazine
98p by Huon Hooke / BWW2024 Finalist
20p by Richard Hemming MW / BWW2024 Finalist
97p by Gerald Brooks

Tasting note

color

Purple

ending

Long, Extensive and Flavorful

flavors

Blackcurrant, Pepper, Vanilla, Coffee, Toasty and Cedar

nose

Youthful, Complex, Seductive and Refined

taste

Perfectly balanced, Well-Integrated, Multi-dimensional, Youthful, Full-bodied, Rich, Toasty, Vivid and Silky tannins

Verdict

Excellent

Written Notes

Grange 2017 (AUD$950) is a fine Grange and more approachable than most. I didn’t have it up with the greatest Granges but it is a wonderful effort. It is only the seventh Grange ever to be 100 percent Shiraz in 70 years. 97.

- Ken Gargett

100% shiraz. 7th grange monovarietal. Ruby. Rich, intense, layered, blackberries and spices, minerals, tight, layered. Scented, nuanced, floral notes with air. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, blackberries and spices, liquorice, layered, nuanced, deep and long, minerals. This is a Côte Rôtie-styled Grange. 98

- Christer Byklum/ BWW2024 Finalist

70th anniversary year. 86% Barossa, 14% McLaren Vale. 100% Shiraz.
Delivers absolutely everything you want from Grange: the fruit is knee-weakeningly gorgeous, the oak fits in beautifully, and there's endless length that gives a thoughtful, engaging aftertaste.

- Richard Hemming MW / BWW2024 Finalist

100p

Extra full-bodied, tannic, dark plum notes, blackcurrant notes, boysenberry notes, cherry notes, bourbon vanilla notes, rich oak notes, multi-dimensional, rich, full-bodied, long

- Susan Smith/Sommelier

Very deep, dark, dense colour with plenty of purple in the rim. The bouquet is classic Grange, loaded with toasty-smoky-oaky scents of smoked-meats and toasted barrels, dried herbs adding an extra fragrance, and hints of five-spice, especially star anise. It's very full-bodied and concentrated, powerful and long-lasting, but the tannins are beautifully crafted and supple, harmonious, and avoid any suggestion of astringency. The core of the wine is lusciously fruit-sweet and delicious, the robe of tannin complementary rather than domineering. The finish is tremendously long and satisfying. I can enjoy drinking this now: not usual with a new Grange release. A quite magnificent wine and a great Grange. (Barossa Valley & McLaren Vale. Only the 7th Grange to be 100% shiraz. 18 months in new American oak hogsheads)

- Huon Hooke / BWW2024 Finalist

Opaque, bright-rimmed ruby. Highly pungent, smoke- and mineral-accented aromas of cherry pit, violet candy, cured tobacco, savory herbs, coconut and exotic spices on the kaleidoscopic nose. Shows superb clarity and spicy lift to its spice-laced bitter cherry, cassis, blueberry and floral pastille flavors, which take on black cardamom, menthol and cola nuances as the wine slowly stretches out. Shows superb delineation and spicy thrust on the youthfully tannic finish, which features resonating cherry, blue fruit and floral notes.

- Joshua Raynolds

Deep crimson. Unmistakably Grange with lifted dark cherry blackberry, quince, praline mocha aromas and aniseed notes. Generous and inky deep with abundant dense dark cherry, blackberry fruits, plentiful fine chocolaty/ velveteen textures, lovely mid-palate volume and integrated mocha vanilla malty oak. Finishes chocolaty firm, with plentiful fruit sweetness and mineral length. Surprisingly approachable with a richness and viscosity that envelops the tannins and acidity. But don’t drink it now. Wait for a good six or seven years at the very least. Seal; Cork, Drink 2028-2055+ 14.5% alc 96+ points

A solid Grange vintage reflecting superb vineyard sourcing, classification, and selection. A collector’s vintage with the promise of greater things to come.

100% Shiraz, Barossa Valley (including Kalimna Vineyard), McLaren Vale

18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads

- Andrew Caillard MW / BWW2024 Finalist

100% shiraz this year – previously this occurred in 1951, 1952, 1963, 1999, 2000, 2011, 2017. Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale. 18 months in American oak hogsheads (100% new).

This 2021 release marks the 70th anniversary of Grange. Dense, dark, supple and quite beautiful this year. The oak is a major player, of course, but the bounty of red fruits on the palates sings in a louder voice than that of the dark, resinous and frankly charry baritone oak. It is hard not to make comparisons between this and a universe of stars… such is the kaleidoscopic thrust and pull of the galaxy of flavours on the palate. Forest berries, butcher’s meats, exotic market spices, peppercorns from the bush, all of it swirling within a midnight vortex of tannin and shape. Extraordinarily beautiful, perhaps more beguiling than the 2016 simply by virtue of its unexpected delicacy on the palate. I love this release. What a beauty.

97pts

- Erin Larkin / BWW2024 Finalist

Colour is purple. On the nose it is youthful, intense, seductive, refined and complex. The taste is toasty, perfumed,robust, rich, refined, with silky tannins, full-bodied, with multi-dimensional, perfectly balanced, well-structured, well-integrated structure and youthful. On the palate it is layered and has perfumed, blackcurrant, new-oak, pepper, toasty, coffee, vanilla and cedar flavours. The finish is long, vibrant, flavorful, spicy, lingering and extensive. This wine is excellent. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 10-15 years and decant at least over 4h before tasting.

- Juha Lihtonen / The Best Scandinavian Sommelier 2003 (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)

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