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Penfolds Collection 2022
“A milestone two-hemisphere release comprising the spectacular 2018 Penfolds Grange vintage and the inaugural 2019 Penfolds French Winemaking Trial from Bordeaux.”
The Penfolds Collection 2022
The Penfolds Collection 2022 marks the 60th anniversary of the landmark Penfolds Bin 60A, Peter Gago’s 20thAnniversary as Chief Winemaker and new directions for the Penfolds brand with the unveiling of its Bordeaux collaboration. This year’s collection – which is the largest ever - also highlights a grand vision, not seen since the 1960s at Penfolds. It follows some major changes in trading conditions over the last few years, particularly punitive Chinese tariffs and a new agile business structure. The latter has enabled Penfolds to accelerate plans for its future.
Although the China market has been troublesome in recent years, the outlook for global wine brands extends into the decades. For instance, Penfolds has been working towards its California venture since the late 1980s. Ideas for a China project were first mooted ten years ago and already a Penfolds Lot 518 “Spirited Wine” with Baijiu was released some years ago. A Franco-Australian venture has been on the cards for a long while with the Thienot/ Penfolds Champagne collaboration now a few years old as well.
The launch of Penfolds Bin 169 Cabernet Sauvignon on La Place de Bordeaux, the increasing interest in the Beyond Bordeaux category and closer relationships between CVBG/ Dourthe, one of the key players in the sales and marketing of Grand Cru Classé wines, have also created momentum. This year’s collection also marks the release of Penfolds first Bordeaux red which takes place 72 years after Max Schubert’s visit to Bordeaux where he first imagined a great “Australian Claret”.
In the future this annual release is likely to expand as the wines of the world project gathers speed. This Penfolds Collection 2022 is a gear shift because it now incorporates Californian and French partnerships and ventures. Asides from Australian, Californian and Bordeaux releases, the cross-Pacific blends and Franco-Australian wines all add further grist to the mill. Experimentation and transformation are themes that underpin this year’s collection. It makes for one of the most interesting and controversial releases in the history of Penfolds. On the other hand, the golden thread of the signature Penfolds house style weaves through the portfolio creating familiarity, consistency and connectivity. Even though the world faces uncertain times The Penfolds Collection 2022 represents forward thinking and optimism as well as offering a very solid and engaging range of wines.
Scores
Penfolds Australian Collection - 2022
2018 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz - 100 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay - 99 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz - 98 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz - 97 points
2020 Penfolds RWT Bin 798 Shiraz - 96 points
2021 Penfolds Reserve Bin A Chardonnay - 96 points
2019 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz - 95 points
2019 Penfolds Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon - 95 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz - 95 points
2021 Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay - 95 points
2022 Penfolds Bin 51 Riesling - 95 points
2021 Penfolds Bin 23 Pinot Noir - 94 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 138 Shiraz, Grenache Mataro - 93 points
2020 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz - 92 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon - 92 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz, Coonawarra - 91 points
Preview – multi-vintage Yattarna Chardonnay
Penfolds V – 96+ points
Penfolds Bordeaux Collection - 2022
2019 Penfolds FWT 585 Cabernet Sauvignon – 95 points
2019 Penfolds II – 94 points
Penfolds Californian Collection – 2022
2019 Penfolds Bin 149 Cabernet Sauvignon - 97 points
2019 Penfolds Bin 600 Cabernet Shiraz - 96 points
2019 Penfolds Bin 704 Cabernet Sauvignon – 93 points
Penfolds Australian Collection - 2022 Release
The core Penfolds Australian collection remains the reference and like every release in memory there are peaks and troughs. But the peaks this year are the exceptional 2018 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz and the 2020 Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay. The collection also highlights the consistency of Penfolds House Style, cross-regional sourcing and staggered vintage releases (2018-2022).
2018 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange is a particularly beautiful wine and highlights the evolution of fruit sourcing and winemaking. Although Chief Winemaker Peter Gago and his team still reference the original blueprint, the small “one-percenters” over the last thirty years have taken the style to another level. Much of this work has been done in the vineyard through meticulous management and fruit selection. But advances in winemaking techniques, technology and oak selection have also played their part. There was a waypoint in 1986 and I wonder whether 2018 is possibly another important marker on the Grange journey. Regardless, it will be framed against the more recent great vintages (especially 1990 and 2010) for years to come.
2020 Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna is also a splendid release reflecting outstanding fruit sourcing, technical winemaking, selection and oak maturation. The wine has marvellous freshness, fruit definition, volume and tension and should have a wonderful cellaring career ahead of it. The Tasmanian component is a significant feature of the wine.
For those with a more modest budget, the 2020 Penfolds Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz is a superb example of regional definition, fruit complexity and oak integration. Also worth mentioning are the 2020 Penfolds Bin 389 which lives up to its reputation as an Australian classic and the impressive 2020 Penfolds RWT Bin 798 Shiraz which furthers the reputation of the 2020 Barossa vintage. This particular style is really coming into its own now with a very good track record for cellaring.
2019 Penfolds St Henri and 2019 Penfolds Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, both from a recognised Penfolds vintage, are also successful wines and promise a great cellaring career. 2020 Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz is a brilliantly well-made wine as well as the very expressive 2021 Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay. Of special interest is the Tasmania-fruit sourced 2021 Penfolds Bin 23 Pinot Noir. If its provenance continues in this direction, expect this series to take off now. 2020 Penfolds Bin 138 is also delicious. I prefer the primary fruit in this style and recommend it for early drinking although it should last for some distance.
In addition to the strikingly beautiful 2020 Penfolds Yattarna, the 2021 Penfolds Reserve Bin A Chardonnay and the more modestly priced 2021 Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay are impressive reference styles: the latter being extremely good value. All these chardonnay-based wines have been on form for years. This is largely the work of the modest yet highly skilled Kym Schroeter who epitomises the art and science of winemaking in this very specialised space of precision white wine winemaking. 2022 Penfolds Bin 51 Riesling is a very good example of the modern Eden Valley Riesling style where the balance between fruit, acidity and alcohol is neatly balanced.
No Penfolds Bin 707 was made in 2020 reflecting a challenging growing season in the South Estate of South Australia and the difficulty of finding cabernet sauvignon material that could make the grade. In theory the beneficiaries of these type of years are the lower ranking bin numbers especially Bin 407. But judging from the results this is not really a particularly great cabernet Sauvignon year. Even so 2020 Bin 389, with a large proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the picks of the releases, highlighting the benefits of multi-regional sourcing. But no such luxury for the limited release single vineyard 2020 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz which expresses the vintage in its highly individual way.
2018 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz, South Australia
Deep colour. Beautiful and classic with intense blackberry, blackcurrant dark chocolate espresso aromas and wax polish, roasted chestnut, malt notes. Superbly concentrated wine with deep set inky blackberry, blackcurrant, dark plum, dark chocolate mocha flavours, fine chocolaty/ velvety tannins, underlying espresso, malt, oak notes and hints of aniseed. Finishes chocolaty firm with superbly integrated acidity and mineral length. A glorious year for Grange. This will last 50 years at least. Wonderful. One of the greatest vintages of all time highlighting a superb growing season, marvellous vineyard management, the fidelity of the Penfolds housemaking style and generations of imagination and effort. 97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. 18 months maturation in 100% new American oak hogsheads. Drink 2030 -2060+ 14.5% alc 100 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay, Tasmania Adelaide Hills/ South Australia
Pale colour. Sublime grapefruit, white peach, pear, hunt grilled nut aromas with fresh quartz/flinty notes. Beautifully balanced wine with pure grapefruit, white peach flavours, fine al dente textures, hint yeasty / waxy notes, superb mid palate volume and underlying grilled nut, marzipan notes, Finishes chalky and minerally with ample grapefruit notes. All the elements are in perfect balance. A wonderful Yattarna with superb fruit definition, complexity, richness and mineral length. Should last at least 20 years. 100% of the blend is aged for eight months in new (86%) and seasoned one-year-old (14%) oak. Drink now -2042 12.5% alc 99 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz, Barossa Valley – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Intense liquorice, dark chocolate, blackberry aromas with toasty vanilla notes. Classical inky, blackberry, dark plum, dark chocolate flavours, vigorous fine graphite/ al dente tannins, superb roasted chestnut/ vanilla oak complexity and underlying persistent acidity. Finishes cedar firm with a brambly tannin plume. Superb density, richness and claret-like torque. A brilliant year for Bin 150. 12 months in American (24% new), French (23% new) and seasoned oak hogsheads and puncheons. Drink now – 2038 14.5% alc 98 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, South Australia
Deep crimson. Lovely blackberry, blackcurrant, dark plum aromas with roasted chestnut, chinotto, dark chocolate notes. Generously concentrated and beautifully integrated wine with plentiful blackberry, blackcurrant, fruits, fine slinky/ chocolaty, hint al dente/bitter-sweet tannins, superb mid-palate volume, some inky complexity, lovely mocha/ espresso oak notes and fresh long juicy acidity. Builds up claret firm with graphite minerally notes. Very impressive extract, density and torque. A reference Penfolds wine. McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Padthaway. 12 months maturation in American (33% new) and seasoned oak hogsheads Drink 2025 – 2038 14.5% alc 97 points
2020 Penfolds RWT Bin 798 Shiraz – Barossa Valley – South Australia
Deep colour. Beautiful blackberry, blackcurrant, dark chocolate, roasted chestnut, hint marzipan. Lovely plush concentrated wine with smooth blackberry, dark plum fruits, fine loose knit slinky/ graphite tannins, underlying roasted chestnut oak and fresh mineral acidity. Finishes velvety firm with some mocha notes. Very good density, fruit richness and vigour. The Penfolds winemaking stamp nicely balanced with the opulence and beauty of ripe Barossa shiraz. 16 months in French oak (49% new, 51% one-year-old) oak hogsheads. Drink 2024 – 2045 14.5% 96 points
2021 Penfolds Reserve Bin A Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills – South Australia
Pale colour. Fresh camomile, lemon, lime, grapefruit, flinty aromas with hints of vanilla and marzipan. Concentrated, complex and creamy textured with ample lemon curd, grapefruit, white peach flavours, fine looseknit slinky textures, lovely mid plate volume and integrated fresh/ crisp acidity. Finishes al-dente and minerally with tonic water notes. Very well-balanced wine with very good energy, definition and cut. Should last the distance. 72% of the blend is aged for nine months in new (50%) and seasoned one-year-old (22%) oak. Drink now - 2032 12.5% alc 96 points
2019 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz, South Australia
Deep crimson. Intense black cherry, blackcurrant, roasted walnut, cacao, herb garden aromas with cedar notes. Well concentrated sweet black cherry, blackcurrant, hint strawberry fruits, some jammy notes. some dark chocolate chinotto notes, fine loose knit slinky textures, very good mid palate richness and inky density, Finishes claret firm with roasted walnut notes and attractive mineral length. More bottle age with bring all the elements together. Very expressive. McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Wrattonbully and emerging “The Peninsulas” zone of South Australia. 12 months in large, seasoned oak vats. Drink 2024 – 2042 14.5% alc 95 points
2019 Penfolds Bin 169 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia
Deep colour. Wax polish, dark chocolate, blackcurrant, roasted chestnut hint tobacco leaf aromas. Supple and concentrated with plentiful pure blackcurrant, blackberry, mulberry and some dark chocolate chinotto fruits, fine slinky grainy textures, pronounced vanilla/ roasted chestnut notes and persistent fresh juicy acidity. A high-pitched structure, but the elements should fold into each other with some bottle age. It should be worth the wait. A classic claret style. 17 months in French oak (56% new, 44% one-year-old) oak hogsheads. Drink 2024 – 2040 14.5% alc 95 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 28 Shiraz, South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Classic dark chocolate espresso dark berry aromas with malty/ liquorice notes. Lovely choco-berry fruits, some cola/ chinotto/ roasted coffee notes, fine supple loose knit grainy tannins, very good mid-palate density and underlying savoury complexity. Finishes velvety firm and minerally. Very Penfoldsian with lovely intensity, chocolaty richness and energy. Where less can be more. McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway & Clare Valley. 12 months maturation in American oak (16% new) hogsheads. Drink now – 2034 14.5% alc 95 points
2021 Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay – South Australia & Tasmania
Pale colour. Very expressive lime, grapefruit aromas with flinty, tonic water notes. Generously flavoured palate with plentiful lime squash, grapefruit notes, fine slinky textures, lovely mid-palate creaminess, underlying toasty complexity and long fresh quartz-like acidity. Superb mineral length. Very much in the idiom of a Premier Cru. Delicious drinking. 66% of the blend is aged for nine months in new (38%) and seasoned one-year-old (28%) oak. Drink now – 2028. 12.5% alc 95 points
2022 Penfolds Bin 51 Riesling, Eden Valley, Barossa - South Australia
Pale colour. Pure camomile, verbena, lime, lemon curd aromas with hint yeasty notes.
Well composed wine with classical pure round lemon, lime flavours, fine lacy textures and fine crystalline acidity. Finishes long and minerally. Bittersweet notes give lovely vinosity. Very good volume despite the moderate to low alcohol. Drink now – 2030. 11.5% alc 95 points
2021 Penfolds Bin 23 Pinot Noir – Tasmania
Medium deep crimson. Lovely pure strawberry, red cherry aromas with vanilla, herb notes. Buoyant, generous and supple with dense strawberry, red cherry, hint sappy fruits, fine chalky textures, very good mid-palate density/ viscosity and underlying roasted walnut, hint vanilla notes. Finishes chalky with ample red fruits. The quality of the Tasmanian fruit shines through. Very good amplitude and freshness. A brilliant new direction for Bin 23. Best to drink early to enjoy the primary fruit expression, but it has the density and balance to keep for a while. Eight months in French oak barriques (40% new). Drink now – 2027 13.5% alc 94 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 138 Shiraz, Grenache Mataro – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Very attractive musky plum, blackberry, blueberry aromas with hints of roasted walnut. Supple sweet-fruited palate with ample red and dark plums, cranberry, mulberry, red cherry fruits, some savoury / roasted walnut complexity, fine loose knit chalky textures, very good mid-palate viscosity and fresh integrated and persistent crisp acidity. Lovely fruit-driven finish with aniseed notes. Not for the long haul but a delicious gluggable drink. 12 months in French oak hogsheads (12.5% new). Drink now – 2026 14.5 % alc 93 points
2020 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz, Adelaide – South Australia
Deep crimson. Attractive dark chocolate, mulberry, redcurrant, liquorice all sorts aromas with vanilla notes. Generously concentrated when with ample blackberry, damson plum fruits, fine chalky textured bitter-sweet tannins, some brambly notes and underly savoury/ vanilla roasted chestnut/ hint coconut notes. Finishes firm and minerally with plentiful sweet fruit notes. Sweet, savoury and earthy. An important albeit awkward wine, based on remnant and historic vineyard land, first established in 1844. Drink now - 2034 15 months in French (30% new/ 40% one-year old ) and American (30% one-year-old) oak hogsheads. 14.5% alc 92 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Chinotto, blackcurrant, herb garden, sage aromas with some violet/ chinotto notes. Supple blackcurrant, herb flavours, fine slinky/ touch sinewy tannins and some savoury/ vanilla complexity. Builds up grippy/ sappy firm at the finish. A compact cabernet style with very good density and vigour. Best to drink in the medium term. McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, Padthaway, Wrattonbully. 15 months in French (24%) American (12%) and seasoned oak hogsheads. Drink now – 2030 14.5% alc 92 points
2020 Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz, Coonawarra – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Intense pure blackberry, blackcurrant, graphite aromas with hints of vanilla/ herb garden. Inky and sweet fruited with plentiful pure dark and red fruits, fine slinky textures, lovely underlying vanilla/ roasted chestnut notes and fresh crisp acidity Finishes slinky/ grippy with some roasted walnut, hint iodine/sappy notes. 12 months in French oak hogsheads. 12 months maturation in French oak hogsheads (20% new) Drink now – 2028 14.5% alc 91 points
Penfolds V Preview
After the success of Penfolds G4 and G5 it was probably inevitable that this should be followed by similar project using parcels of back-vintage Yattarna. The thinking behind Penfolds V was to seek out optimal vintages from the last decade and then to blend the components into single multi-vintage Yattarna Chardonnay. This idea is not new in Champagne where reserve wine is used to promote complexity and richness of flavour. In many respects this type of wine reflects the idea of an all-round blend which can be enjoyed immediately rather than having to wait for the elements to fold into each other. But well-balanced examples can often last the distance as well.
Penfolds V comprises 20% each of the 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2021 vintages of Yattarna. Back vintages were carefully drawn out of bottles into stainless steel vat on the 5th May using a Champagne decanting technique known as “transvasage” which prevents oxidation and colour pickup. This was followed by bottling under inert conditions a few days later on the 9th May 2002.
The preview tasting took place immediately after the collection tasting in late June. In Bordeaux it is common to taste white wines after a succession of reds. Penfolds V has plenty going for it, but I think it will look better once the wine is settled. Nonetheless it’s fresh and complex with lovely energy and suppleness. From experience the wine will open up in the months ahead.
Penfolds V, South Australia
A blend of 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 & 2021 Yattarna vintages.
Pale colour. Fresh lemon curd, grapefruit, tonic water/ oyster shell aromas with marzipan, vanilla grilled nut notes. Attractive sweet grapefruit glacé, lemon curd, hint apricot fruits, fine slinky textures, creamy viscosity, and underlying saline/ tonic water notes. Finishes bitter-sweet with long fresh acidity. Very expressive and interesting palimpsest of flavours and structure. Youthful yet complex. A paradox. Drink now – 2035 96+ points
Penfolds Bordeaux Collection - 2022 Release
The new French venture, in partnership with Dourthe, is particularly enlightened. Matthieu Chadronnier, managing director of negociant company CVBG Dourthe, is a one of the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic supporters of the “Beyond Bordeaux” category which is making significant inroads into this very specialised and extraordinary fine wine distribution channel. Bordeaux wine merchants are massively effective and reach parts of the world of fine wine, that many New World wine producers have been unable to crack.
The promising Dourthe Penfolds collaboration takes the Beyond Bordeaux category to a new level. It is now 72 years ago since Max Schubert visited the region and imagined Grange. But now generational ambitions are on an equal footing. This joint project is a team effort between Emma Wood and Dourthe’s Frederic Bonnaffous, both highly skilled winemakers – each bringing different perspectives. On the one side there is an ambition to amplify the Penfolds aesthetic and on the other an aspiration to bring out the best of Dourthe’s terroirs in the Medoc. This push me - pull you type of winemaking has created a spirit of experimentation and open-mindedness. If both parties stay the course and egos stay in check, this could lead to something meaningful and special. Chief Winemaker Peter Gago, who oversees the project and works with the team to select the final outcome points out the refined and practiced Penfolds classification tasting process is the final determinant of quality and style. But of course, with Dourthe’s experience with cabernet and the less well known varieties merlot and petit Verdot (from an Australian perspective), there seems to be very good technical exchange and mutual respect. Having known the actors on both sides of the equation for a very long time, I think this partnership has some real legs and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next!
The 2019 Penfolds “French Winemaking Trial” 585 is the first 100% Penfolds Bordeaux wine and is based on Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. This collaboration has yielded a very impressive first vintage. It offers regional authenticity with a subtle Penfoldsian look. While it’s a work in progress it holds up against the Grand Cru circus, although the intent is not to frame it within this context. The technical exchange behind the scenes and new outlooks towards sourcing and winemaking – on both sides of the equation – make this wine the most fascinating of the Penfolds Collection 2022 release.
The Franco- South Australian 2019 Penfolds II is self-described as “aspiringly lofty.” The complicated wine laws mean that it is labelled as Cabernet Sauvignon – France/ Shiraz – South Australia putting it the category of an international Vin de Table. The Shiraz parcel was vinified six months before the Cabernet parcels, and the final blends and bottling took place in South Australia. But of course, like many ambitious projects, this wine would stretch the black-and-white minds of lawmakers. This first vintage is something of a curio. It will be fascinating to see how the fruit and oak fold into each other over time. It is really an experimental release and only more vintages of this type and track record will tell. There is always a chance that this wine will be seen as historic one day. Peter Gago, never short of imagination, said “This wine is not about bigness or boldness or assertion. It is blended to convey an ethereal lightness, subtlety on the palate – sensitively binding two hemispheres Old World and New.”
2019 Penfolds FWT 585 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Petit Verdot, Haut Medoc - France
Medium deep crimson. Fresh inky blackcurrant, dark plum aromas with chinotto, hint roasted chestnut, malty notes. Classical claret-style palate with fresh blackcurrant, dark plum fruits, fine slinky/ grainy tannins, very good mid-palate richness and underlying roasted chestnut/ mocha notes. Finishes cedar firm with chinotto, dark fruits. Very smooth, supple and detailed with attractive volume and vigour. An impressive first edition showing clear regional origins and a sotto-voce Penfolds imprint. Discrete, precise and approachable. 100% maturation for 14 months in new French (44%) and new American (14%) oak. Penfolds first Bordeaux claret! 14% alc Drink now – 2030 95 points
2019 Penfolds II
Dourthe x Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz Merlot,
(Bordeaux Barossa Valley Blend)
France & Australia
Deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant, dark plum, dark chocolate aromas with roasted chestnut, malty oak notes. Full bodied claret style with abundant blackcurrant, dark plum, mulberry, cedar flavours, chocolaty textures, malty, roasted chestnut notes, and integrated mineral acidity. Very generous and classically Penfolds with meaty, barrel ferment notes and prominent malt/ mocha oak dominating the palate. Finishes chocolaty firm. A largely successful experimental blend although elemental and unformed. Should settle down in a few more years. Maturation in new French (70%) and new American (30%) oak barriques and hogsheads. Blended and bottled in South Australia. Drink 2026 – 2038 14% alc 94 points
Penfolds Californian Collection – 2022 Release
Penfolds Californian wines are typically opulent styles and show the kindred spirit of Californian and Australian vine stock. 2019 Penfold Bin 149, described as a wine of the world is a Napa Valley South Australian blend and works impressively well. It’s worth remembering that the Australian component was vintaged six months before California and so the concept of maturation time is blurred. All the same the components all integrate seamlessly, and the wine should enjoy a long cellaring career. The same also applies to the 2019 Penfolds Bin 600 Cabernet Shiraz which has hallmarks of South Australian winemaking but fully amplifies the power and energy of Californian Cabernet. The Shiraz component does the job of filling the mid-palate and adding plushness, but the torque in the Cabernet drives the flavours across the palate with impressive velocity. The wine is strangely familiar yet distant perhaps reflecting the cross-Pacific nature of the wine.
2019 Penfolds Bin 149 Cabernet Sauvignon,
Wine of the World - Napa Valley & South Australia
United States of America & Australia
Deep crimson. A Profoundly complex wine with beautiful dark cherry, blackcurrant mocha aromas, hints of rose garden and graphite. Dense and richly flavoured with pure blackcurrant/ black cherry fruits, fine loose knit bitter-sweet chocolaty textures, well balanced mocha/ vanilla oak and fresh long mineral acidity. Finishes cedar firm with seductive dark fruits. Very impressive wine with presence, potential longevity and finesse. Maturation for 17 months in new French (80%) and new American (20%) oak. Drink 2024 – 2040+ 14.5% alc 97 points
2019 Penfolds Bin 600 Cabernet Shiraz, Napa Valley, Sonoma and Paso Robles
California, United States of America
Deep crimson. Complex dark chocolate, chinotto, blackberry pastille, hint raspberry aromas with hint wax polish notes. Richly concentrated, voluminous and smooth with seductive blackberry pastille, blackcurrant, roasted coffee, mocha/ malt flavours, fine grainy/ cedar-like tannins, lovely mid palate volume and fresh long acidity. Finishes chocolaty firm and long. A lovely wine with ample sweet fruit notes, richness and torque. Maturation for 17 months in new (40%) and seasoned American oak. Drink now – 2038. 14.5% alc 96 points
2019 Penfolds Bin 704 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley – California
United States of America
Deep crimson. Very fragrant mulberry, boysenberry, blackcurrant pastille aromas with dark chocolate, hint black olive notes. Smooth and velvety wine with plentiful choco-berry fruits, sweet vanilla/ spicy oak, fine grained textures and long fresh lacy acidity. Velvety smooth wine with very good density, raspberry glacé sweetness and aniseed/ red liquorice notes at the finish. This is a full bodied, distinctive Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with its core of sweet fruit, palate weight and suppleness. The Penfolds style is lurking in the background somewhere. 100% maturation in new (40%) and seasoned French oak. Drink now – 2035. 14.5% alc 93 points
Special Bin Commemoration – 60th Anniversary
Penfolds Special Bins hold a special significance and place among generations of Australian wine collectors. Some of the early examples are prototypes for masterpieces including Grange or Bin 707. Other later bottlings are exploratory blends to understand how varieties or regional fruit interact. Since Max Schubert’s first experimental bottlings of Bin 1 Grange Hermitage, Penfolds has been at the forefront of fine winemaking in Australia. The Penfolds red winemaking style has been developed and improved through its ongoing limited production of Special Bin vintages. This tradition still continues in the modern era with new imaginative experimental wines and collaborative projects.
Story of Bin 60A
1962 Penfolds Bin 60A Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, Kalimna Shiraz, a Coonawarra/ Barossa Valley blend, is one of the most famous wines of the 20th Century and a colossus in the canon of Australian wine. Although it wasn’t commercially released (although bottles found their way into the market in various ways), it enjoyed an astonishing wine show career and established a mythical status within the Australian wien community and beyond. As a biographer of the Penfolds brand and erstwhile wine auctioneer, I have been privileged to see the wine on many occasions through a myriad of forums, dinners and tastings over 35 years. Whenever I taste or drink the wine it is like catching up with an old friend that is rarely out of sorts. Although the frequency has diminished over the years it will always remain a standout all-time great. At a recent Penfolds dinner in Bordeaux with a distinguished guest list of winemakers and international journalists we were treated to a perfect example of this most famous wine. While it does not have the Churchillian references of 1945 Ch Mouton Rothschild, the transformative 1962 Bin 60A paved the way ahead for ultra-fine Australian wine and brought kudos and fame to Coonawarra. The Barossa component gave the wine richness and volume, but it was the expressive cool-climate cabernet that turned heads at the time. The South Australian Cabernet Shiraz blend where the woof of cabernet and weft of shiraz magically intertwines - also took off as a classic red wine style during the 1960s. Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz has since become a wine collector’s stalwart and rarely disappoints. And every now and again Penfolds releases an homage to Bin 60A, some of which have established very good secondary market currency.
1962 Penfolds Bin 60A Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon Kalimna Shiraz – South Australia
1962 Penfolds Bin 60A is one of the greatest Australian wines ever made. In a world where egos readily clashed, the 1962 Penfold Bin 60A unified wine critics and show judges. It is Penfolds most successful show wine winning 19 trophies and 33 gold medals. A confluence of oenological, physical and philosophical achievement, 1962 Bin 60A was a cross-regional blend which exemplified the emerging Penfolds house wine style and the compelling attributes of blending Cabernet with Shiraz. In seeking his “ethereal” wine, Max Schubert identified that the perfumed cassis/violet aromas, elegant flavours and fine-grained tannins of cool climate Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon could be complimented with the warm climate characteristics of ripe fruit and round chocolaty textures of Barossa Valley Shiraz.
The fame of Bin 60A has reached all corners of the globe. Max Schubert’s direct contemporary Andre Tchelistcheff (1901-1994), the founding father of the modern Californian Wine industry, once asked of a room of startled Napa Valley vignerons; “Gentlemen you will all stand in the presence of this wine! Australian winemakers generally acknowledge the wine as a modern classic of profound and enduring academic importance. Leading critic Len Evans (1930-2006), who apparently brought that bottle to California - once described the wine as “one of the great reds I cut my palate on, and proved forever that the two varieties can blend beautifully together. James Halliday – Australia’s leading wine author once described it as “an utterly superb wine, a glorious freak of nature and Man; ethereal and beguiling, yet the palate is virtually endless, with a peacock’s tail stolen from the greatest of Burgundies; the fruit sweetness perfectly offset by acidity rather than VA. The 100 point dry red? Why not!”
“The stories of Grange and the legendary 1962 Bin 60A Cabernet Shiraz epitomise how imagination and gut-feel transcend numbers. Max Schubert pushed boundaries because he wasn’t constrained by scientific dogma and he dared to believe in himself.” Peter Gago, Penfold’s Chief Winemaker
2021 The Penfolds Collection
Tasting Notes - Andrew Caillard, MW
This compelling 2021 Penfolds release highlights the fidelity of multi-vineyard sourcing, precision winemaking and the authentic Penfolds House Style tradition. The collection in many respects demonstrates that every vintage, regardless of growing conditions, can have a silver lining. In many cases the lining of this year’s release is made of gold. I loved the white wines for their lovely pure fruit definition, volume and tension. The 2019 reds are beautifully made wines with the rich fruit expression typical of Penfolds and a vigour and energy that promises great cellaring careers. The 2018 St Henri is a benchmark vintage and is a must for lovers of this tried and tested maturation style. 2017 Grange does not disappoint and transcends the reputation of the vintage. Although it will fly under the radar for many years, it will develop into something beautiful to drink somewhere around 2028 onwards! Chief winemaker Peter Gago AC and his exceptional winemaking team have triumphed once again! This is a release for punters and collectors. No disappointments and highly recommended.
2021 Penfolds Bin 51 Riesling, Eden Valley
Pale green gold. Beautifully perfumed wine with bitter lemon, grapefruit camomile aromas with hint marzipan/ lemon grass notes. Razor sharp palate with plentiful pure lemon curd, lime, tonic water flavours, fine chalky textures and fresh persistent indelible acidity. Finishes crisp and minerally with al dente notes. Lovely fruit volume and drive despite its elegant structure. Should age for the medium to long term. Seal; screwcap Drink Now-2028 11% alc 96 points
A lighter Eden Valley Riesling style with lovely pure fruits and mineral cut but very much in the Penfolds vernacular. A few years of bottle age will give it more richness and complexity.
A few months in stainless steel
2020 Penfolds Bin 311 Chardonnay
Pale gold. Intense grapefruit, white peach, apricot aromas with flinty/ tonic water/ sea breezy notes. Lively and expressive with plentiful grapefruit, white peach apricot flavours, underlying roasted almond/ toasty notes, attractive creamy mid-palate richness and long fresh minerally acidity. Lovely clarity, volume and crunchy persistency. Not for the long term but delicious to drink now. Seal; screwcap Drink Now-2027 13% alc 95 points
A great follow up vintage showing the hallmarks of multi-regional, multi-vineyard sourcing, precision winemaking and assemblage; the Tasmania factor playing first violin.
Tasmania, Piccadilly & Henty
Eight months in 41% new and 59% seasoned French oak barriques
2020 Penfolds Bin 20A Reserve Bin Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills
Pale gold. Invitingly complex and ethereal wine with pure grapefruit, nectarine, pear skin aromas, grilled nut notes and plentiful slatey/flinty/ matchstick nuances. Generous, layered and mouth filling with grapefruit nectarine apricot grilled nut flavours, underlying vanilla oak notes, fine chalky/hint al dente textures, superb mid-palate volume and fresh long acidity. Wonderful balance, fruit definition and tension. Seal; screwcap Drink Now – 2028 12.5% alc 97 points
A transcendent early to medium term drinking chardonnay that overcomes the challenges of the difficult bushfire-ravaged 2020 Adelaide Hills growing season. Selection, meticulous and imaginative winemaking have made all the difference. 2020 Bin 20A ultimately triumphs as a reference vintage of the region.
Eight months in 80% new and 20% seasoned (one year-old) French oak barriques
2019 Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay
Pale gold. Sensational nectarine, white peach, orange glace, lemon peel aromas with lifted gun flint, sea spray notes. Beautifully concentrated and minerally with complex nectarine, white peach, apricot, grilled almond flavours, fine supple/ silky textures, lovely mid-palate viscosity and underlying pure mineral acidity. A lovely rainwater freshness with superb integration of elements. Seal; screwcap Drink Now – 2030 12.5% alc 98 points
Generously proportioned, refined and beautifully integrated with all the hallmarks of a Grand Cru-type Chardonnay. A fantastic experience for Burgundy freaks and those who aspire to surf the perfect reductive wave.
Tasmania, Tumbarumba, Adelaide Hills
Eight months in 55% new and 45% seasoned (one year old) French oak barriques
2020 Penfolds Bin 23 Pinot Noir
Medium crimson. Fresh strawberry, red cherry, cola aromas with herb garden notes. Well concentrated minerally style with pure strawberry, red cherry chinotto, hint roasted walnut flavours, fine slinky textures, attractive mid-palate viscosity and integrated fresh acidity. Finishes chalky and minerally. A simple flavourful pinot noir with typical Penfolds volume and richness. Seal; cork Drink Now – 2026 13.5% alc 90 points
A lightly structured pure-fruited Pinot Noir with plenty of varietal definition and freshness. Modest in score but authentically Penfolds. Best for early drinking.
Tasmania, Henty & Adelaide Hills
Seven months in 24% new and 76% seasoned French oak barriques
2019 Penfolds Bin 138 Shiraz Grenache Mataro, Barossa Valley
Deep crimson. Lovely boysenberry, musky plum, black cherry, dark chocolate aromas with graphite herb garden notes. Generous and buoyant with rich boysenberry, dark plum, dark cherry praline flavours, with underlying ginger notes, plentiful fine chalky/ chocolaty tannins, superb mid-palate volume and integrated fresh pure linear acidity. Lovely mineral length. Seal; cork Drink Now – 2030 14.5% alc 95 points
A brilliant early drinking style with plenty of fruit generosity, volume and mineral freshness. It will age, but the best times are now. A very successful follow up vintage
70% Shiraz, 17% Grenache, 13% Mataro
Around a year in seasoned French (80%) & American (20%) oak hogsheads
2019 Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz
Medium deep crimson. A classic claret style wine with lovely intense lifted blackcurrant, blackberry, mocha cedarwood aromas with light sage/ herb garden notes. Inky deep, generous, and compact with fresh blackcurrant, blackberry, mulberry, red cherry fruits, plentiful fine-grained tannins, and underlying savoury oak. Finishes juicy firm with an attractive fine tannin plume. Has the substance, tannin quality and the balance to age for the long term. Seal; cork Drink Now- 2035 14.5% alc 95 points
A beautiful expressive Bin 128 vintage showing the class of terra-rossa vineyards and the thumbprint of the Penfolds house style.
12 months in 24% new French and 33% one year old & 43% two year old seasoned French oak hogsheads
2019 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz
Deep crimson. Intense elderberry blackberry, cranberry aromas with red liquorice/ aniseed notes. Elemental, vigorous and juicy with fresh persistent elderberry, blackberry fruits, plentiful brambly/al-dente textures, attractive mid-volume, and fresh long acidity. Finishes chewy firm with dark chocolate chinotto/ dark berry fruits. Needs some time for the elements to fold into each other. Seal; cork Drink 2022-2032 14.5% alc 93+ points
A Penfolds staple that seemingly never disappoints. Still in parts with the fruit predominating and the tannins yet to fold into the wine. Should improve with a touch more bottle age.
McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Padthaway, Wrattonbully.
12 months in seasoned American oak hogsheads.
2019 Penfolds Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz, Barossa Valley
Deep crimson. Lifted blackberry, chinotto, dark chocolate roasted chestnut marzipan aromas. Beautifully balanced vigorous wine with inky blackberry, elderberry, chinotto, praline flavours, fine looseknit chalky grainy tannins and roasted chestnut, crème brulée, espresso notes. Finishes claret-firm with persistent inky dark fruits. Superb fruit definition, oak complexity and vigour. Seal; cork 2024 – 2038 14.5% alc 97 points
A highly individual and beautiful wine with exceptional singularity and stamp of place. A style beginning to make its mark and one to follow.
12 months in American oak (32% new & 29% one-year-old) hogsheads and puncheons.
2019 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz
Deep crimson. Fresh blackcurrant, mulberry, black cherry, dark chocolate aromas with roasted chestnut, cedar, liquorice notes. Full bodied and evenly balanced wine with inky cassis, mulberry black cherry fruits, fine grainy slightly grippy tannins, attractive mid-palate volume and roasted chestnut cedar wood notes. Finishes vigorously firm with plentiful sweet fruit notes. Quite muscular in attack but has the density and the richness to carry the tannins. A dark horse vintage with the shape of Bin 389 and the torque of Bin 707. Seal; cork 2026-2045 14.5% alc 96 points
A fascinating but quite different Bin 389 revealing the light and shade of multi-regional sourcing and the hallmarks of the Penfolds House Style. Should last the distance.
Padthaway, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, Barossa Valley
12 months in 25% new and 75% seasoned American oak hogsheads.
2019 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon
Deep crimson. Lifted dark berry dark chocolate graphite aromas with violet, herb garden, sage, hint mint notes. Well concentrated sinewy wine with plentiful elderberry, blackcurrant, dark cherry bitter dark chocolate flavours, fine chewy firm tannins, underlying cedar roasted walnut and fresh long acidity. Finishes grippy firm with plentiful juicy sweet fruit notes. Seal; cork Drink 2024-2035 14.5% 93 points.
A vigorous and expressive cabernet with attractive fruit definition, volume and persistency. Best to keep for a while to allow the elements to unfold.
Padthaway, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley
12 months in 27% new French, 8% new American oak hogsheads
2018 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz
Deep crimson. A beautiful St Henri vintage. Gorgeously seductive blackberry, mulberry, dark cherry, sweet plum aromas with dark chocolate, graphite, roasted walnut notes. Inky and sinuous palate with plentiful ripe blackberry, mulberry fruits, fine looseknit chalky tannins, superb mid-palate viscosity and underlying chinotto, roasted walnut notes. A standout vintage with superb middle-weight stature, fruit complexity and mineral length. Lovely to drink now but wait a few years to allow further development. Seal; cork 2025 – 2040 14.5% 99 points
One of the great St Henri vintages in recent times, based on the length and breadth of South Australian vineyards.
Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Port Lincoln, Robe, Padthaway, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills.
Aged for 12 months in very old (50 years+) oak vats
2019 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz
Deep crimson. Intense blackberry, dark cherry, praline mocha aromas with herb garden aniseed notes. Generous, supple, and inky textured with smooth deep-set blackberry, dark cherry, plum, dark chocolate flavours, fine grainy tannins and underlying roasted chestnut vanilla oak notes. Finishes gravelly firm with plentiful dark berried fruits, savoury complexity and beautiful mineral length. An impressive vintage with lovely density, generosity, and vigour. Seal; Cork, Drink 2024-2040 14.5% 95 points
A single vineyard “monopole” wine. From one of the last patches of 19th Century vineyard land in Adelaide.
18 months in 26% new French, 6% new American and 68% seasoned oak hogsheads
2019 Penfolds Bin 798 RWT Shiraz – Barossa Valley
Deep crimson. Lovely intense dark cherry, blackberry, mulberry praline aromas with ginger notes. Classical in structure yet Penfoldsian in character with dense dark cherry, blackberry dark chocolate flavours, plentiful fine chalky/ graphite tannins, superbly integrated roasted chestnut vanilla oak and underlying cedar complexity. Finishes al-dente firm with beautiful mineral length and bitter-sweet notes. Superb fruit density and torque. Seal; Cork Drink 2025-2045 14.5% alc 98 points
Another standout vintage showing all the hallmarks of regional provenance and the Penfolds House Style. One for the long haul.
18 months in 57% new and 43% one-year-old French oak hogsheads
2019 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
Deep crimson. Classic blackcurrant mulberry aromas with roasted chestnut, graphite notes. Ample, yet elemental and multi-layered with plentiful pure blackcurrant mulberry fruits, fine persistent grainy/ muscular tannins, superb mid-palate richness and underlying mocha roasted chestnut notes. Finishes brambly firm with plenty of cedarwood cassis notes.
A sturdy Bin 707 with beautiful fruit definition and tannin vigour. Claret lovers rejoice! Seal; Cork, Drink 2028 – 2050 14.5% alc 97 points
A compelling vintage showing superb varietal definition, richness and complexity.
McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Barossa Valley, Padthaway
18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads
2017 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz
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
2018 Penfolds Super Blends
Andrew Caillard, MW
2018 Penfolds Bin 802 A Cabernet Shiraz, South Australia
Deep Crimson. Beautiful wine with lifted blackcurrant, blackberry, mulberry, dark chocolate mocha aromas and herb garden/ chinotto notes. Inky textured and richly concentrated wine with deep set cassis, black berry fruits, hints of chinotto, plentiful fine-grained/ vigorous tannins, attractive mid-palate viscosity and superb integrated mocha malt oak notes. Finishes firm and minerally with a lovely fine chocolaty plume. Harks back to the experimental age. Aged for 22 months in 100% Australian-coopered American oak hogsheads. Lovely classic Penfolds wine. 68% cabernet sauvignon 32% shiraz. Drink 2023 -2035+ 14.5% Alc 97 points
Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, Robe, Clare Valley
2018 Penfolds Bin 802 B Cabernet Shiraz, South Australia
Deep crimson. Intense cassis, blackberry, mulberry aromas with roasted chestnut, vanilla. Generous and inky textured with lovely dark cherry, blackberry, blackcurrant fruits, cocoa/ chinotto notes, plentiful fine-grained slinky tannins and underlying roasted chestnut, vanilla, caramel notes. Finishes claret firm with lovely pure dark fruits, some bitter sweet notes and a fine lacy plume. The French oak brings out a more defined structure. Aged for 19 months in new (54%) and seasoned (46% one year old) French oak hogsheads. 55% cabernet sauvignon 45% shiraz. Drink 2026-2045 14.5% Alc 97 points
Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, Robe, Clare Valley
A fascinating wine showing remarkable similarities yet astonishing differences. The impact of cabernet shiraz ratios, blending options, oak types and maturation bring out different expressions. Yet ultimately time may well see these two wines increasingly look like twins.
Andrew Caillard MW
9th July 2021
2021 Henschke “A Congregation of Ancients” Release
A Timeless Quality
Over 25 years ago I spent some time recorking old bottles of Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone with winemakers Prue and Steven Henschke and their agent and advisor Arch Baker. Bottlings from the early-to-mid 1970s were tasted, topped up, recorked and back-labelled. It was a profoundly exceptional experience. Soon after the wines became available on restaurant wine lists throughout Australia. Although Henschke was already well known and respected by the Australian wine community, the availability of museum vintages seemed to spark new momentum Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone among wine collectors. For a few years the prices of Hill of Grace doubled, doubled and doubled again reaching parity with Penfolds Grange at auction by the late 1990s.
A “push me-pull you” phenomena developed where the market for Hill of Grace and Grange were completely intertwined. If a Grange vintage rose in value, its counterpart Hill of Grace vintage would follow and vice versa. Behind these scenes Prue and Stephen Henschke had embarked on an ambitious programme to improve the performance of their vinestock material and to protect their vineyards from drought and disease. At the time it was unusual to see scientists taking a strong interest in organic and then biodynamic farming.
The fragility, vulnerability and the provenance of the Hill of Grace Vineyard were profoundly highlighted during the 1990s. While it’s not the oldest vineyard in the Barossa, there is a magical realism that surrounds the Hill of Grace story. The vines were first planted somewhere around 1860 by Nicolaus Stanitski a family ancestor. Already by this time shiraz was selected as an ideal variety for dry-growing viticulture. The grape variety was probably first planted in the Eden Valley during the late 1840s by Joseph Gilbert at Pewsey Vale or the early 1850s by Henry Evans who had established his vineyard at nearby by Evandale with riesling, frontignac, espanoir (mataro) and shiraz. Although Hill of Grace is forever linked with shiraz, the vineyard didn’t start that way. It still has legacy varieties like mataro, riesling and semillon as well. Maybe there is a link between the two vineyards. Evandale Nursery was about the closest place to source vinestock in 1860.
But when the Hill of Grace vineyard was first planted there was not much of a wine industry in the Barossa region. It was better known for its wheat. The major sources of wealth in South Australia at that time were copper and cereal crops (wheat, barley, cornflour, brans etc). Wool came in at a distant third when it came to exports. But wine was very much a feature of life among the first Silesian settlers. Most were Lutherans and extremely religious. Wine was made for the local community and church. Around the Barossa Valley the Hufendorf system of settlement promoted mixed farming, orcharding and weingartens. After Benno Seppelt took over Seppeltsfield around 1868 the wine industry began to flourish in the Barossa Valley. Many of the Silesian grape growers lined up their wagons to supply this 19th Century wonder and other wineries with their grape crop. Vineyards expanded as families and new entrants expanded their vineyards. The export market for South Australian Burgundy and fortified wines in the local markets began to crank up during the 1870s and the landscape of the Barossa began to change. The Hill of Grace Vineyard is steeped the visions of a Lutheran Community where living on Earth was ordered around faith and hope. The old grandfather vines neatly capture the essence of terroir where generations have tilled the soil and nurtured the vineyard under huge-blotted skies for over 160 years.
2016 Hill of Grace Shiraz reflects an ongoing cycle of seasons and family life. While steeped in 19th Century origins, it is defined by modern times. The 1958 Hill of Grace Shiraz began a new era and expectations for the vineyard. Its name, a direct translation of Gnadenberg, was coined by Cyril Henschke to appeal to a general audience. The wine, always a limited production, brought wide interest from wine drinkers, but it wasn’t until the late 1970s that its reputation began to firm. In my view it was the 1986 vintage that changed expectations and laid the foundations for a meteoric rise. Prue Henschke’s enlightened vineyard management (with the assistance of viticulturalist Uschi Linssen), Stephen Henschke’s precision winemaking and both their empathy for the land and respect for the generations before them make all the difference.
Although the vintage characters vary, as you would expect of a single vineyard, there is a scent of place that is transmitted through every season. While the 2016 is a touch lighter than the great 2015, the wine is incredibly fragrant offering the combination of pure fruit, an underlying oak complexity and garrigue-like scent of sage. These characters are also present on the palate. The persistent viscosity, density, al-dente tannin, integrated acidity and vigour bring volume, richness and persistency. This is a remarkable follow up vintage; ultimately expressing a unique voice and transparency of place. Hill of Grace is the Penny Black of the Australian Wine Industry.
While they are profoundly connected (especially through winemaking and sub-regional provenance) 2016 Mount Edelstone is a very different beast to Hill of Grace. But the history of the vineyard is also interesting and connected to the early days of the Barossa. It was planted by Ronald Angas in 1912 during the last days of South Australia’s “Red Burgundy” boom. By the time the vineyard was bearing the first world war had begun and the economic future of grape growing was once again uncertain. Nonetheless there was great optimism after 1918 and the inauguration of the Export Bounty in 1924, which promoted the export of fortified wine to England and the Empire, resuscitated profitability for many vignerons. Success at the 1956 Royal Sydney Wine Show with the exquisite 1952 Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz put Henschke Cellars on the map. The Mount Edelstone brand predates Hill of Grace and represents a centrepiece of South Australia’s post war wine renaissance. The renovation work, selection and plantings of colonial vinestock material during the 1990s combined with vineyard management has generally increased the colour, density and flavour intensity of the Mount Edelstone. Although it does not always show the ethereal beauty and presence of Hill of Grace, it is in many respects the reference Eden Valley Shiraz. Those sage notes bordering on mint (but rarely a feature) bring a whiff of vineyard character and contribute to a subtle tension on the palate. But overall, there is a neat balance of richness and volume against precision and vigour. This is nature and nurture working together in uncanny unison. While Hill of Grace highlights the beguiling character of a unique vineyard, 2016 Mount Edelstone is distinguished by underlying craftsmanship and sense of timing. While sub-regional definition is well defined, the wine purrs with the precision and power of a Merlin engine.
Hill of Roses was initially imagined to counter act the release of a wine under the same name by another producer. This development was far too close to home. Other wine businesses were also treading on sacred ground, arguably taking advantage of three generations of hard work and diminishing the magical Hill of Grace name. Unfortunately, this type of conduct has become a feature of wine business and retail wine branding around the World. Perceptive benchmarking, clever packaging and creative marketing can evoke a purchasing response, that borders on misrepresentation. Nonetheless the story ended well. Henschke Hill of Roses has prevailed.
Around 1989 Prue Henschke planted a new vineyard block near the historic Parrot Hill Post Office and within the boundary of the Hill of Grace Vineyard. The Roses connection, by the way, is neatly aligned to the Rozensweig (translated as “rose twig”) family which owned the adjacent land at one time. The shiraz vinestock material in the Post Office Block derives from original plantings and has proven to perform exceptionally well, reflecting behind-the-scenes scientific research and selection. Not surprisingly the wine has a deeper colour and density than 2016 Hill of Grace yet it still possesses the scented hallmarks of the Gnadenberg enclave. There is obviously a feeling that the block has to reach a minimum of 35 years before it can be included in the Hill of Grace cuvée. But it must be very close. On the other hand, while its stature and provenance is unquestioned, it’s adolescence is there to be seen when compared to the real thing. Even so, the wine has a lovely fragrance, purity and density; only ever associated with a distinguished vineyard.
The Henschke stamp of authenticity is also found in the 2016 Keyneton Euphonium, the 2018 Tappa Pass and 2018 Johann’s Garden. The wines are all offer fantastic value and a genuinely delicious Barossa experience. These are wines steeped in an honourable family wine making tradition and enduring generosity of spirit. The 2021 release really highlights the genius of vineyard site, the extraordinary gift of complimentary excellence and the reality of hard, physical labour and patience.
2016 Barossa Vintage
Below average rain during winter were followed by a warm dry Spring. After a hot December, the weather cooled with intermittent replenishing rain during January and early March. Harvest took place around an early Easter. A small but high-quality vintage.
2018 Barossa Vintage
Excellent winter rains and a mild Spring were followed by a generally warm summer with occasional heat spikes. Mild conditions and blue skies towards vintages allowed the fruit to ripen in near perfect conditions. A classic vintage.
2016 Henschke Hill of Grace, Eden Valley – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Intense and fragrant blackberry pastille, dark plum, herb garden, sage aromas, underlying vanilla, roasted chestnut notes and hints of star anise. Complex and pure-fruited with blackberry, dark plum, mulberry flavours, integrated vanilla, roasted chestnut (oak) notes, some chinotto nuances and fine supple and vigorous velvetine/ al-dente tannins, lovely buoyancy/mid-palate viscosity and fresh long mineral acidity. Finishes claret-firm with plentiful sweet and savoury notes. A seductive yet elegant wine with superb vinosity, complexity and resonance. Unmistakably Hill of Grace. A beautiful “sotto-voce” vintage. 14.5% Alc. Screwcap. Drink 2024-2040+ 99 points
Matured in 85% French and 15% American oak hogsheads for 18 months. (Around 29% new oak)
2016 Henschke Hill of Roses, Eden Valley – South Australia
Deep crimson. Fresh blackberry, mulberry, espresso aromas with roasted chestnut, sage notes. Generous and inky with deep set blackberry, mulberry, roasted coffee flavours, underlying roasted chestnut vanilla oak notes, lovely mid-palate richness persistent fine looseknit chalky – al-dente tannins and integrated mineral acidity. Finishes slinky firm with plentiful sweet fruit notes. Buoyant, generous and impactful with superb density, vim and vigour. A very strong sub-regional expression that unleashes the atmospheric spirit of the Gnadenberg enclave of the Eden Valley. From 27-year-old “Post Office Block” vines, a subset of the Hill of Grace Vineyard. 14.5% Alc, Vinolok. Drink 2025-2045 – 97 points
Matured in 100% French oak hogsheads for 18 months (30% new oak).
2016 Henschke Mount Edelstone, Eden Valley – South Australia
Deep crimson. Classical blackberry, dark chocolate aromas with roasted hazelnut/ chestnut, sage, almost light minty notes. Well concentrated and generous with pure blackberry, mulberry, praline flavours, roasted chestnut, vanilla oak notes, inky-deep richness and persistent chocolaty, touch al-dente tannins. Finishes chocolaty firm with chinotto bitter-sweet notes. A voluminous wine superb density and vigour and showing all the hallmarks of a great Eden Valley vineyard and intuitive winemaking. More powerful and concentrated than Hill of Grace, but beautifully balanced. The perfect alter-ego. 14.5% Alc, Screwcap. Drink 2025-2045 - 98 points
Matured in 80% French and 20% American oak hogsheads for 18 months (around 19% new oak).
2016 Henschke Keyneton Euphonium, Barossa – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Fresh blackberry, dark plum, raspberry, dark chocolate espresso aromas with savoury roasted walnut/cedar notes. Concentrated blackberry, dark plum, mulberry fruits, attractive chinotto, negroni notes, sinuous velvety fine tannins and integrated roasted walnut oak. Finishes chocolaty firm with plentiful ripe dark fruits and savoury notes. Richly flavoured wine with lovely volume, texture, freshness and balance. Drink early or keep for a while. 14.5% Alc, Screwcap, Drink Now to 2035 – 95 points
2018 Henschke Tappa Pass, Vineyard Selection, Barossa – South Australia
Medium deep crimson. Lifted dark cherry, dark plum, blackberry aromas with praline/ dark chocolate notes. Generous and seductive dark plum, blackberry boysenberry fruits, fine looseknit chocolaty textures, integrated vanilla, spicy oak notes, attractive mid-palate viscosity and long fresh integrated acidity. Finishes chocolaty firm with plentiful dark fruits and savoury notes. A classic Barossa Shiraz with superb density, richness and vigour. Still elemental needing a few years to achieve completeness. 14.5% Alc, Screwcap, Drink 2023 – 2038+ - 96 points
2018 Henschke Johann’s Garden Grenache, Mataro, Shiraz, Barossa Valley – South Australia
Medium crimson. Fresh musky plum, raspberry redcurrant aromas with roasted walnut, espresso, aniseed notes. Lovely supple and creamy wine with plentiful raspberry, plum, redcurrant, nectarine fruits, fine looseknit textures and fresh long aniseed kick. Generous and fruit driven with lovely density, richness of flavour and line of attack. Best to drink while young and primary fruited. Drink now but will keep for a while. 14.5%, Vinolok, Drink Now – 2026 - 94 points
FUNERAL OF THE CORK
Some years ago Randall Grahm – the wacky genius of the Californian Wine Industry and founder of Bonnie Doone – arranged a “Funeral for The Cork” at New York City Grand Central Station. A eulogy was read to an audience of wine courtesans by Jancis Robinson; the transcripts of this high theatre were broadcast and recorded throughout the world. The future of cork closures for wine bottles looked extremely bleak. Sales and adoption of alternative closures such as screw cap and plastic cork were compounding at an astonishing level. The high incidence of taint and other related problems with natural cork were considered unacceptable and possibly unsolvable by everyone involved in the production and consumption of wine.
I was thinking about this remarkable New York event while walking through the cork forest at Carouche about one hundred kilometres east of Lisbon, Portugal on a mild summer day a few weeks back. The annual cork harvest was in progress. For hundreds of years these squat miniature oak trees - growing in park like forests – have been stripped bare of their bark for the use of stoppering wine bottles. Every nine years a tree is expertly “trousered” revealing its angophora – coloured flesh. It usually takes about four minutes to axe a seam line and then peel off the “planks” of cork bark ready for processing at the local cork factories. For centuries the cork tree has lain at the centre of the “Montado” – the social and environmental life of Portugal.
I have recently been in Portugal as a guest of Amorim – one of the world’s largest producers of cork stoppers with several mills and factories around the country. Since reading the picture book story Ferdinand the Bull as a child I have always wondered what it would be like to sit under a cork tree (not a shady as you would think). Ferdinand’s utter stubbornness and beauty of spirit in the face of his tormentors lead to the odds being beaten. Amorim– not to mention thousands of its workers – have much to loose. The commercial currency of cork depends – not only on fixing the problems of taint and oxidation – but also winning back the hearts and minds of the consumer and the wine producer. In the real world a bull has almost no chance of winning. Its strength is sapped by the endless taunting of picadores and banderillas and then its fate is ritually sealed by the tercio de muerte.
Cork has a better chance. Notwithstanding the overall debate and the impressive advances of screw cap – especially in Australia and New Zealand – it is unlikely alternative closures will muscle out cork. Cork will remain strongly the seal of choice for many of the world’s finest wines for the foreseeable future. The arguments and barrage of media criticism over the last fifteen years have forced considerable change in production practice of cork. While originally in denial, a strong programme of investment and the implementation of new processes and practices have clearly addressed the problem of cork taint. Dr Miguel Cabral – Amorim’s director of research and development believes that the issue is now under control to the point that “TCA is an analytical problem rather than a wine problem”. While this is very positive news, there are hundreds of cork producers with varying levels of quality control. Vital research and development is often kept secret to maintain commercial advantage. While anecdotally cork taint is on the decline, it will remain a problem as long as critical processes remain unregulated or wine producers wittingly or unwittingly buy corks of dubious provenance. In the future consumers may pay a premium for wine with a reputation for high standards of performance – much as in the same way as an Intel chip in computers.
Many observers believe that the real problem with cork is oxidation. McWilliam’s – the producer of the highly acclaimed Lovedale Semillon – has for a number of aged releases utilized a light box to help triage stock before sale to the public. The rejection rate is as high as 25%. Brokenwood has experienced similar problems. At the last Penfolds Rewards of Patience tastings in 2003 the rejection rate for some specific old red wine vintages was high - although by no means across the board. The 1996 white Burgundy vintage is notoriously unreliable with a very high incidence of oxidation. The problem, however, is not fully understood – although many winemakers are adamant that the culprit is cork. Some scientists however suggest that the issue of oxidation is more complicated than many people think. Amorin’s own research – using the Carmine Indigo Method – has shown that oxygen ingress is minimal compared to other types of closures. Notwithstanding the science, the opinion at this stage is stacked up against cork. Rigorous independent and corroborating research is further required to allow the debate to swing towards the cork camp.
Few years ago Langton’s polled its membership about cork versus screw cap. As background, we received 382 (365 Aust and 17 other countries). 100% had heard of Penfolds of which 85% had tasted or consumed Grange. 77% of respondents claimed to have bought it. This data confirms an intended audience of fine wine buyers.
In future, some Penfolds wines will be sealed under screw cap and some under cork. If you were to buy each of the following wines in future, would you choose to buy sealed with screw cap or cork closure?
The overall results showed that buyers were more comfortable with screw cap for lower priced wines. 49% preferred to buy Koonunga Hill in screw cap, 5 % in cork, 24% either and 21% would not buy. 48% preferred to buy Penfolds Bin Range in screw cap, 17 % in cork, 34% either and 1% would not buy. 36% preferred to buy Penfolds Grange in screw cap, 32 % in cork, 26% either and 6% would not buy.
As you would expect with this mostly Australian sample buyers are very comfortable with screw cap or lower priced wines, but for Grange, cork still has appeal. The overall research also suggests that there is growing acceptance of white wine under screw cap. Along with these results accompanied many opinions on both sides of the argument including;
“Even though screw caps have technical advantages over a cork, there is something special about pulling the cork on a bottle of wine. Screw caps have a 'cheap' feel about it. I think with high end wines, people would be more comfortable with a cork.” anon
“The sooner you bottle everything under screw cap the better. I really don’t understand why it is taking so long to convert. It has been many years since I bought a bottle of Grange and until it is put under screw cap, I will refrain from purchasing a bottle.” anon
“Fine wines is not just about functionality but an expression of the wine and its interaction with the drinker. I find popping a cork a highlight of this interaction process. Apart from that, I see a bottle of wine as a living thing - it evolves. Putting a wine in screw cap and effectively time-capsuling the contents, how much of life and growth is there? Some may say the screw cap still allows the wine to develop but my personal experience has been otherwise. So like any living thing some turn out fine and others not so, just like wine in cork. " anon
“I am a huge supporter of screw caps for all white wines and most reds. I note that my cellar numbered 8000 bottles until recently. Due to the incidence of cork taint, I have advised my friendly retail supplier that I am about to confine my purchasing to wines with screw caps in future, with a few red wine exceptions of course.” anon
“Cork is a flawed seal. Cork is responsible for many ruined wines. Cork is irrelevant in winemaking in the 21st century. I have tasted great wines sealed under cork. But the thought, the chance they may be ruined is enough for me to never use a cork in my wines. I know a percentage of my wines will be undrinkable. This is totally unacceptable. Under screw cap wines age slowly and consistently. They retain brightness and youth for longer. We are now seeing wines age as they are supposed to. Not in the random, haphazard manner of cork bark. Every great aged wine I have tasted has had one commonality; it hasn’t looked or tasted as old as it is. The ridiculous argument that screw capped wines will not age is wrong. Not aging is a good thing. Rapid aging is not a good thing. Cork, you are history. You have been consigned to the scrap heap of superseded inventions, as relevant as the typewriter or the steam train. And of course, like the steam train and typewriter, you will be used by enthusiasts, luddites and eccentrics forever. Good luck to them.” Matt Harrop – Shadowfax Winery
“Metal (screw cap) seals require an internal soft compound to actually seal against the glass bottle neck. This plastic compound, from petrochemical sources, is what worries me, from an organic/biodynamic point of view. The manufacturers say this compound is food grade, but there have been many contaminant scares within the food industry in the past. I don't like the idea of my long living wines being in contact with plastic for maybe twenty years and what may leach out of the food grade plastic over time. It is OK for milk, with a contact time of around two weeks in it's plastic bottle, but then again, we no longer have access to glass milk bottles. So, while I like natural cork, this does not mean that I can condone TCA cork taint. I attempt to minimise this cork problem by purchasing bloody good long corks. They originate from a better piece of bark in the first place; well, that's my logic! But they cost a packet. My TCA affected returns are minimal, but unfortunately not zero. My cork suppliers are getting close to this aim and hopefully will achieve this in the near future. Meanwhile, if I have a complaint bottle, I replace it with two bottles, (so clearly it is not a major problem for me) but I would still rather not have any”. Ron Laughton – Jasper Hill
For at least a decade and a half there has been a war raging over the contentious issue of cork. Wine families, friends and neighbours have fallen out. Entire local economies have been at risk. People have taken sides. Science has been used and abused. Spin, counter-spin, bloody mindedness, fear, anger, blame, disappointment and opportunism have created a terrible emotional landscape within the wine community. Those in favour of cork or against it are criticised by opposing sides as being traitors to the cause. An opiniated army of nutcases have jockied for attention, some building an entire career on their noisy rantings. Tastings convened to celebrate a winemaker’s body of work are hi-jacked as bombastic show offs lecture their point of view. At the centre of the fray winemakers – sick of seeing their wine spoiled – have searched for remedies to the insidious and regular occurrence of cork taint and oxidation including alternative types of cork closures such as DIAM or completely different closures including plastic, screw cap and glass. The closure debate has become warfare entrenched. Fighting for hearts and minds has opened up on all fronts. Each side of the argument – the producers of plastic cork and natural cork especially – have been the recipients of legal action. This mire of confrontation and relentless discourse has become a pattern and part of wine culture itself.
The ongoing success of natural cork closure is vital to the Portuguese cork industry and local economies. It is a product that achieves the highest rate of return, out performing all other cork products from gasquets to floor tiles. The Australian and New Zealand Wine Industry have played a pivotal role in challenging and changing the mindset of cork producers. Already at Amorin – which produces three million corks a day – investment in new technology, processes and quality control have resulted in much better and more reliable corks. This has translated in good overall sales to both fine and commercial wine producers. Alternative closures will however continue to enjoy strong support especially from new world winemakers. The future of cork is probably much better than most detractors believe. While they might like to screw the wine world with their prices, the first growths and other traditional fine wine producers are unlikely to give up cork too quickly – especially if their suppliers can establish ongoing positive sentiment through further research and development. Furthermore alternative closures are not without problems either. Not withstanding all of the above, it is always disappointing to open an oxidized or tainted bottle under any form of closure – especially if its rare and expensive – or it was the only bottle in reach.
Andrew Caillard, MW
PENFOLDS BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ 1961 – 2010 / Bin 389 is often referred to as ‘Poor Man’s Grange’ or ‘Baby Grange’, in part because components of the wine are matured in the same barrels that held the previous vintage of Grange. First made in 1960, by the legendary Max Schubert, this was the wine that helped to build Penfolds solid reputation with red wine drinkers.
Combining the structure of Cabernet with the richness of Shiraz, Bin 389 also exemplifies Penfolds skill in judiciously balancing fruit and oak.
1961 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep brick red. Flinty, demi-glace, leather, spice aromas with a hint of herb garden and dark chocolate. A supple sweet-fruited palate with dark chocolate, panforte, demi- glace flavours, lovely mid-palate volume and richness, fine loose-knit chalky tannins and mineral acidity. Finishes lacy, firm and dry with some leather, spice notes. Has now reached the end of its drinking window. Some bottles are now past. Nonetheless this is a remarkable old wine. Drink now.
Drinking Window: Now ••• Past
1964 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep brick red. Fragrant and complex toffee, leather, graphite, dark chocolate aromas with some herb notes. Well-concentrated and developed leather, sweet dark chocolate, leafy flavours with fine lacy dry tannins. Finishes quite chalky and lean. Starting to fragment. Some bottles are now on the downward slide. Drink up.
Drinking Window: Now ••• Past
1966 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep brick red. Salted liquorice, seaweed aromas with some red fruit notes. A touch oxidised with salted liquorice, dried fruit, earthy flavours and sinewy dry, al dente tannins. Leafy firm at the finish. The fruit has dropped out now. A great old vintage diminished by time. Drink up.
Drinking Window: Now••• Past
1967 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium brick red. Fresh toasty, marmalade, roasted chestnut, redcurrant, sage aromas. Very complex and concentrated with toasty, roasted chestnut, leather, redcurrant flavours and fine chalky, slightly chewy tannins. Still tangy and vibrant with some graphite, smoky notes at the finish. A lovely old wine but now near its end. Drink up.
Drinking Window: Now••• Past
1970 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep brick red. Intense camphor, herb garden, redcurrant, leather, mushroom aromas with lovely toasty, marmalade notes. Well-concentrated redcurrant, orange peel, demi-glace, leather flavours with fine loose-knit, muscular tannins. Finishes chalky firm with some leafy notes. Still has concentration and richness. Some bottles are beginning to dry out now .
Drinking Window: Now
1971 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson to brick red. Fully mature wine with praline, apricot, dark chocolate, earthy, polished leather aromas. Supple, dense, chocolatey wine with developed dark chocolate, espresso, herb flavours and lacy dry tannins. Finishes flavourful and minerally with some mushroom notes. At the brink of its life, but still impressively complex and balanced.
1972 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Most bottles are past their optimum drinking window.
1973 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Most bottles are past their optimum drinking window.
1974 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ Most bottles are past.
Drinking Window: Now
1975 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep brick red. Lovely dark chocolate, meaty, dark berry aromas with some apricot notes. Well concentrated and fully mature wine with ample praline, meaty, earthy flavours and soupy, dry, muscular tannins. Finishes minerally and long. A robust style with plenty of sweet fruit notes. Probably best to drink soon.
Drinking Window: Now
1976 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson to brick red. Fragrant dark berry, salted liquorice aromas with some ironstone, rusty notes. Reticent at first with dark berry, liquorice and praline flavours, fine chalky dry tannins and some herb garden notes. It builds up richness and length at the finish. It has lost its magic now, but it will hold for a while.
Drinking Window: Now
1977 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Complex expressive orange peel, apricot, praline aromas with some leather, sandalwood, spice notes. Rich supple panforte, apricot, salted liquorice flavours, loose-knit chalky tannins, plenty of mid-palate fruit sweetness and mineral notes at the finish. A fully mature wine with lovely flowing texture and vinosity. Drink now.
Drinking Window: Now
1978 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Fresh herb garden, graphite, sweet fruit, dark berry, spicy aromas with a touch of mint. Well-concentrated and sturdy with redcurrant, leafy, graphite flavours, tertiary roasted walnut notes, a thread of fruit sweetness and loose-knit slightly dry tannins. Elegant and muscular but still holding. Drink soon.
Drinking Window: Now
1979 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep brick red. Intense roasted coffee, dark berry, dried fruit, liquorice aromas with mocha, panforte, sous bois notes. Generous liquorice, dark chocolate, espresso, herb flavours, sweet mocha notes and muscular dry, touch grippy tannins. Finishes firm and tight. A solid wine with plenty of richness and length. Now entering its dotage. Drink soon.
Drinking Window: Now
1980 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson to brick red. Intense, leafy, cassis, praline, panforte aromas with polished leather, spicy notes. The palate is richly concentrated with deep-set praline, dark fruit, panforte flavours, underlying savoury sous bois notes and gritty, dry, leafy tannins. Finishes granular and minerally. It still has energy and persistency but the structure dominates the fruit. Drink soon.
Drinking Window: Now
1981 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep brick red. Roasted walnut, leather, smoky, sandalwood, toffee, black fruit aromas with some minty notes. A complex, dense chocolatey wine with plenty of panforte, roasted chestnut, black fruit flavours, abundant granular, touch leafy, tannins and underlying savoury, roasted walnut, malty notes. A firm style with plenty of spicy fruit sweetness and richness.
Drinking Window: Now ••• Past
1982 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep brick red. Fragrant red cherry, redcurrant, sage aromas with leafy, herb garden, dark chocolate notes. Smooth, silky palate with redcurrant pastille, chocolate, herb, tea leaf flavours, lovely mid-palate fruit sweetness and supple, fine-grained tannins. Builds up chalky dry but the flavours lengthen out at the finish. The wine is evolving in the most surprising and delightful way. Drink now or possibly wait for a while.
Drinking Window: Now
1983 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep brick red. Intense panforte, roasted earth, liquorice aromas with blackberry, hazelnut, toffee notes. Well-concentrated blackberry, panforte, earthy, graphite flavours, plentiful savoury dry tannins and underlying crème brûlée, orange peel notes. Finishes chalky firm but long and sweet. It has reached its full potential now but will hold for a few more years.
Drinking Window: Now
1984 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep brick crimson. Intense dark chocolate, dark plum, vanilla aromas with some liquorice, herb garden notes. Rich soupy wine with deep-set dark choco-berry, panforte, vanilla flavours, underlying savoury notes and loose-knit, grainy, touch rusty tannins. Finishes firm and flavourful with confectionary, glacé fruit nuances. Drinking well now; should hold for a while.
Drinking Window: Now
1985 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson to brick red. Fresh blackberry, sage, tar, pot pourri aromas. Concentrated and juicy with vanilla, crème caramel, blackberry, roasted earth, aniseed flavours, underlying spicy notes and chocolatey rich, slightly muscular tannins. Finishes tangy with plenty of sweet fruit. Not a classic vintage but shows lovely fruit complexity, density and flavour length. Drink now or hold for a while.
Drinking Window: Now
1986 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Complex and classic with dark chocolate, praline, espresso, dark berry aromas with sage, demi-glace notes. Ripe, expressive and generous with deep-set praline, dark berry, spicy flavours, underlying sweet vanilla notes, cedary, almost briary tannins and gentle mineral acidity. Finishes al dente firm but richness of fruit gives an expansive roundness. Lovely vinosity and personality. In top form, but could develop further.
Drinking Window: Now ••• 2018
1987 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Intense redcurrant, leafy, roasted chestnut aromas with sous bois notes. Well-concentrated wine with ample redcurrant, cranberry flavours, underlying mocha notes and plentiful chalky, lacy tannins. Finishes chewy/leafy dry. A difficult vintage. Drink soon.
Drinking Window: Now
1988 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Fragrant cassis, herb garden aromas with spearmint, sage notes. Rich and flavourful with blackcurrant, plum, minty flavours, underlying savoury notes and velvety, touch leafy, tannins. Finishes firm and minerally with some rich panforte notes. A substantial wine with plenty of fruit complexity and volume. Drink now.
Drinking Window: Now
1989 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Intense ripe, black cherry, raspberry aromas with vanilla, spice, dark chocolatey notes. Concentrated red cherry, blackberry, praline, herb flavours, plush velvety firm tannins and plenty of vanilla oak notes. Finishes long and sweet. Lovely to drink now .
Drinking Window: Now••• 2018
1990 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Intense dark chocolate, dark berry, panforte, mocha aromas with a hint of mint. Rich, voluminous wine with dark berry, panforte flavours, abundant chocolatey tannins, plenty of mid-palate richness and superb fruit sweetness. Finishes chalky firm and long. A beautifully balanced wine with lovely fruit complexity, density and flow. Should last the distance. Drink now or keep for a long while.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2025
1991 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Fragrant, roasted coffee, salted liquorice, beef stock aromas with some eucalypt, toffee notes. Intensely concentrated and vigorous with dense roasted coffee, blackberry, liquorice, roasted walnut characters, underlying savoury, mocha notes and supple graphite tannins. Finishes chocolatey long with plenty of sweet fruitiness. A classic Bin 389. Drink now or keep.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2025
1992 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Fragrant redcurrant, red liquorice, vanilla aromas with bouquet garni notes. A dense, richly flavoured wine with redcurrant, dried fruit, spicy, herb garden notes and plentiful chalky, dry tannins. It builds up grippy firm at the finish. A solid muscular wine packed with sweet fruit, tannins and mineral notes. Drink soon.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2016
1993 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Fresh roasted walnut, cassis, black olive aromas with some praline, polished leather, barnyard notes. Concentrated dark chocolatey, walnut, panforte flavours and fine-grained, touch leafy tannins. Finishes sappy with complex sweet fruit, silage notes. A difficult year. Unlikely to improve greatly. Best to drink soon.
Drinking Window: Now
1994 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Intense and complex blackberry, dark chocolate, seaweed, liquorice, minty, bouquet garni aromas. Rich and powerful with deep-set dark chocolate mint flavours, earthy, meaty, black olive nuances and sinewy/leafy tannins. This is an atypical vintage with plenty of stuffing to last the distance, but will it ever really soften out? Drink now or keep.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2020
1995 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep red. Intense espresso, dark berry, mulberry aromas with some graphite, sweet fruit notes. Sweet, dark berry, mulberry, ground coffee flavours, chocolatey, al dente textured tannins, underlying mocha notes and a leafy dry finish. A firm, muscular style with plenty of buoyancy, fruit density, richness and length. Drink now or keep for a while.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2016
1996 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Intense praline, blackberry, panforte, malty aromas with lifted mint, aniseed notes. Plush, expansive and fresh with generous praline, chocolate/dark berry flavours, underlying vanilla, ginger, oak and fine plentiful chalky tannins. Finishes firm with plenty of flavour length. Rich and voluminous with superb tannin structure, power and fruit complexity. Drink now or keep.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2025
1997 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep red. Fresh, redcurrant, leafy aromas with walnut, polished leather, mint and violet notes. Fleshy sweet redcurrant, plum flavours, firm gravelly tannins and underlying savoury nuances. Plenty of mid-palate richness but tannins muscle up towards the finish. Best to drink soon.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2016
1998 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Powerful dark chocolate, dark berry aromas with cedar, malt, panforte and sweet fruit notes. Rich, voluminous and buoyant with superb rich sweet fruit, dark berry, praline notes, abundant fine chalky firm tannins and underlying savoury spicy notes. Finishes grainy firm, long and fruit-sweet. Lovely vinosity and generosity of flavour. An outstanding vintage with plenty of cellaring potential. Drink now but recommended to keep.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2030
1999 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Complex roasted chestnut, blackberry, graphite aromas with apricot, herb garden, grilled almond nuances. Richly concentrated with developed blackberry, graphite, dark chocolate, roasted chestnut, cola flavours, plentiful muscular tannins and underlying acidity. Salted liquorice, praline, bittersweet notes at finish. More advanced than 1998, but showing lovely fruit complexity. Drink now or keep.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2020
2000 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Fragrant redcurrant, cranberry aromas with geranium, herb garden notes. The palate is sweet and fleshy with dried fruits, plum, dark chocolate flavours, underlying savoury notes and slinky dry, loose-knit tannins. Finishes long and tangy. Pleasant to drink but it doesn’t have the density or energy for long-term ageing. Best to drink soon.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2016
2001 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Fresh cassis, cherry, redcurrant aromas with leafy, sage notes. Richly concentrated, substantial and buoyant with abundant sweet blackcurrant, dark chocolate flavours, fine slinky/velvety tannins and underlying malty, vanilla notes. Finishes chewy firm and fruit sweet. A generous wine but with a rigid structure. Drink now or keep.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2020
2002 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Intense dark chocolate, blackcurrant, mulberry, vanilla aromas with herb garden, mint notes. The palate is well concentrated and balanced, with deep-set cassis, mulberry, plum, praline flavours, an underlay of mocha, savoury notes and fine- grained tannins. It finishes classically firm with lingering savoury, sweet fruit nuances. A beautifully structured wine. Drink now or keep.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2030
2003 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep red to purple. Intense dark berry, cassis, dark chocolate aromas with sage, spicy notes. Fleshy and concentrated with juicy blackberry, cassis, raspberry, dark chocolate flavours, spicy nuances and chalky firm tannins. Finishes grippy with a peppery, alcoholic kick. A solid wine with excellent fruit generosity and drive, but best to drink soon.
2004 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep purple red. Fresh juicy cassis, blackberry, brambly aromas with some herb/leafy notes. Tightly structured, well concentrated and expressive with blackberry, graphite, brambly flavours and classic fine-grained tannins. Finishes firm with a long flavourful tail. Wonderful vinosity and energy. A top Penfolds vintage. Should continue to evolve for decades. Drink now but best to keep.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2035
2005 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep purple red. Crème de cassis, mulberry, praline aromas with a hint of herb, cedar/spice. Fresh seductive mulberry, blackcurrant, praline, herb flavours, plentiful, chocolatey tannins and underlying malty nuances. Finishes firm and cedary with superb fruit sweetness. Lovely density and richness of flavour with a sinuous structure. Compelling potential. Drink now, but best to keep.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2035
2006 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Intensely perfumed crème de cassis, dark cherry, vanilla, malt aromas with garrigue notes. Generous, expressive and superbly balanced with blackcurrant, dark cherry, praline, vanilla, malt flavours, lovely mid-palate juiciness and fine cedary tannins. Finishes firm with a lingering plume of fruit sweetness. Beautiful wine with great structural integrity and balance. ‘This is one of the greatest Bin 389s of all.’ You can drink this now but best to keep.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2025
2007 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Fragrant blackberry pastille, white pepper aromas with a touch of violet. Medium-bodied with gentle white pepper, blackberry, spice flavours and loose-knit chalky al dente tannins. It doesn’t have the precision, weight or overall balance for longevity. Drink now or keep for a while.
Drinking Window: Now••• 2020
2008 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson. Fresh, powerful and elemental with intense inky, mulberry, blackberry, aniseed, ginger, malt aromas. The palate is immensely concentrated, fleshy and vibrant with plush blackberry, cassis, mulberry fruit, underlying ginger, malty, vanilla oak notes and plentiful chocolatey sweet tannins. It finishes velvety firm, sweet-fruited and long. Lovely density, richness and length. Easy to drink now, yet still best to keep.
Drinking Window: 2016••• 2050
2009 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Medium-deep crimson to purple. Fresh, exuberant dark cherry, elderberry, star anise aromas accompanied by savoury, ginger oak. Richly concentrated, elemental and powerful wine packed with dark cherry, elderberry, liquorice, star anise flavours, assertive firm, almost brutish, tannins and plenty of new vanilla oak. Dense, almost impenetrable fruit is matched equally with a solid structure. Its full potential will take decades to realise. Best to keep.
Drinking Window: 2018••• 2045
2010 BIN 389 CABERNET SHIRAZ
Deep crimson purple. Impressively powerful with intense blueberry, blackberry, liquorice aromas and dark chocolate, ginger, marzipan, oak nuances. A substantial palate with remarkable richness and concentration. Saturated blackberry essence, juicy fruit, liquorice, aniseed flavours are balanced by abundant ripe generous tannins and plenty of vanilla, malt, ginger oak notes. It finishes chocolatey firm with tremendous drive and depth of flavour. All the elements are in harmony. It’s delicious but ultimately this wine needs time to reveal its true potential. Keep.
Penfolds Grange is an Australian icon – a National Trust Heritage-listed wine – which captures both a “sense of place” and the essence of Australian agricultural ingenuity and innovation. The story of Grange is steeped in the Australian ethos. Max Schubert – the creator of Grange – is an Australian folk hero; a man who battled against the odds and then succeeded in creating one of the very great wines of the world.
Andrew Caillard’s Penfolds Grange tasting notes and scores 1951-2006
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Bin 95 Grange Shiraz |
Drink |
Points |
1951 |
The first experimental Grange and extremely rare. A valuable collector’s item because of its historical significance. Rare hand blown bottles. Largely the wine has a dull tawny colour and skeletal palate structure with little flesh and fading tannins. Very rare. 100% Shiraz |
Past |
NS |
|
50% Magill Estate 50% Morphett Vale (Adelaide Environs). A hot, very dry growing season. 100 cases/3 Hogsheads made. Released as Bin 1 |
|
|
1952 cliniced bottle |
First commercial vintage. Medium deep brick red. Intense herb garden/ roasted meat aromas with some demi-glace/ wet bitumen notes. Sweet roasted meat/ demi glace/ dark chocolate flavours and lacy fine tannins. Finishes dusty but long and sweet. Very rare. Well past it’s prime. 100% Shiraz |
Now - past |
85 |
|
Magill Estate/Morphett Vale blend. Average growing season with normal rainfall conditions. Around 100/150 cases made at less than $1 a bottle at release. Some half bottle ‘pints’ were also produced. Released as Bin 4 and Bin 4A |
|
|
1953 cliniced bottle |
Medium brick red. Lovely fresh Provençal herbs/ violet/ mocha/ apricot aromas with hint of demi-glace/ polished leather. Remarkable old wine with complex roosted meat/ herb garden/ polished leather flavours and slinky dry tannins. This is a great Australian wine and still drinking beautifully. Very rare. 87% Shiraz 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now |
100 |
|
Magill Estate/Morphett Vale (Adelaide) Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa) Blend. 260 cases made. Some half bottles (375ml) were released. First vintage – and then uninterrupted - use of Kalimna fruit – hence the term “Mother Vineyard”. Released as Bin 2 (also Bins 10, 86C and 145) |
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1954 cliniced bottle |
Medium brick red. The wine is now in decline. It’s showing lifted Amontillado/ demi-glace/ salty aromas and flavours. There’s still some fruit sweetness but the tannins are gritty and dry. A minerally finish with some cedar/ graphite notes. Still has some charm but well past its peak. Very rare. 98% Shiraz 2% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now - past |
82 |
|
Magill Estate (Adelaide) Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) Blend. Internal criticism of Grange led Max Schubert to lighten the style slightly. Only nine months in oak. Cool to mild growing season followed by a mild to warm vintage. Released as Bin 11 ad Bin 12 |
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1955 cliniced bottle |
Deep brick red. Coffee/ mocha/ gamy/ grilled meat aromas with some camomile/ leather notes. Sweet meaty/ gamy/ mocha/ dark berry flavours and soft – slightly sappy green tannins. The fruit is beginning to fade now. A famously great vintage. Now quite rare. 90% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now |
90 |
|
Magill Estate (Adelaide) Morphett Vale (Adelaide) Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) McLaren Vale Blend. The most decorated Grange – winner of 12 trophies and 52 Gold medals on the Australian wine show circuit. Spent only 9 months in oak. A favourite of Max Schubert’s, partly because it won a gold medal in the open claret class at the 1962 Sydney Wine Show – some members of the judging panel had previously been vocally critical of the style. A mild to warm growing conditions – interrupted by above average rainfall. A warm dry vintage followed. Chosen by the US publication - Wine Spectator Magazine – as a “Wine of the Millenium”. Most common but later release (after show success) is Bin 95 (also Bins 13, 14, 53, 54 and 148A) |
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1956 cliniced bottle |
Medium brick red. Mocha/ molasses/ amontillado/ vellum aromas suggesting slight over-development. The palate is well concentrated with sweet mocha/ molasses flavours, fine grippy tannins. Finishes firm and tight with touch of saltiness. Past ist best but still interesting. Very rare. 96% Shiraz 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now- past |
83 |
|
Magill Estate (Adelaide) Morphett Vale (Adelaide) Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) Blend. Only nine months in oak. A cool mild growing season. Released as Bin 14 and Bin 53. |
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1957 cliniced bottle |
Deep brick red. Fresh sea-breezy/ chocolate/ mint/ violet aromas with some herb garden notes. The fruit is beginning to fade but it still has some mint chocolate/ earthy flavours and fine chalky but pronounced tannins. The tannins build up quite leafy and dry at the finish. Just holding. Very rare. 88% Shiraz 12% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now - past |
83 |
|
Magill Estate (Adelaide) Morphett Vale (Adelaide) McLaren Vale Blend. A so-called “Hidden Grange” because the wine was made without the knowledge of Penfolds management – who had ordered Max Schubert to cease production. Matured in previous year’s Grange barrels. A mild dry growing season. Released as Bin 50 and Bin 113. |
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1958 cliniced bottle |
Deep brick red. Very complex rich dark chocolate/ peat/ malt whisky/ herb garden aromas with some overdeveloped orange/ clove notes. Sweet fruit/ rich dark chocolate/ malty flavours and leafy/ gritty tannins. The fruit fades towards the finish leaving an austere slightly acidic finish. This is well past its prime but its holding firm. Very rare. 94% Shiraz 6% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-Past |
80 |
|
Magill Estate (Adelaide), Morphett Vale (Adelaide), Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale Blend. A “Hidden Grange” Mild to warm growing season. Released as Bin 46 (also Bins 14, 47 and 49) |
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1959 |
Deep brick red. Dark cherry/ bitter chocolate/ demi-glace aromas with hint of malt/ marmalade. Sweet dark chocolate/ mocha/ herb garden flavours and fine grained chalky – almost stemmy tannins. Finishes oily dry but it still has great flavour length. It’s starting to lose freshness. Rare. 90% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now |
85 |
|
Magill Estate (Adelaide) Morphett Vale (Adelaide) Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) Blend. Cool to mild growing season followed by a warm dry vintage. Released as Bin 95 (also Bins 46 and 49) |
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1960 |
Medium brick red. Beautiful dark chocolate/ grilled meat/ herb garden aromas with some demi-glace/ apricot notes. The palate is well concentrated, developed and fresh with lovely fruit richness, demi-glace/ plum/ dark fruits/ apricot flavours and fine lacy/ chalky loose knit tannins. Finishes minerally and long. A lovely old wine. Finishes silky, minerally and long. Rare. 92% Shiraz 8% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now |
94 |
|
Magill Estate (Adelaide) Morphett Vale (Adelaide) Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) Blend. A hot dry growing season. Released as Bin 95 (also as Bin 49) |
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1961 |
Medium brick red. Fresh bitter chocolate/ cedar/ almond/ bitumen aromas. Complex old wine with bitter dark chocolate/ bitumen/ tea leafy/ marmalade flavours and slinky dry tannins. Finishes long and sweet. Still holding. Rare. 88% Shiraz 12% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now |
86 |
|
Magill Estate (Adelaide) Morphett Vale (Adelaide)Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide) Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) Coonawarra Blend. A hot dry growing season with hot vintage conditions. Released as Bin 95 (also as Bin 395) |
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1962 |
Deep red brick. Intense chocolate/ mocha/ menthol aromas with some herb garden/ demi-glace notes. Sweet mocha/ herb garden flavours/ chocolaty fine grained tannins and underlying cedar/ vanillin notes. Finishes chalky firm, long and sweet. A very beautiful old vintage. Rare. 87% Shiraz 13% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2018 |
95 |
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Magill Estate (Adelaide) Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) Adelaide Hills Blend. Barossa Valley fruit becomes ascendant component. Ideal warm – fairly dry – growing season followed by a warm, dry vintage. Released as Bin 95 ( also as Bins 59, 59A and 456) |
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1963 |
Deep brick red. Utterly superb wine with intense perfumed demi-glace/ rose-petal/ apricot/ camomile aromas. Rich chocolaty/ apricot/ demi-glace flavours and sweet velvety tannins. Finishes chalky firm with lovely fruit sweetness and flavour length. Outstanding wine. A very great wine. Will continue to hold for many years. Rare. 100% Shiraz |
Now-2018 |
100 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Morphett Vale (Adelaide)Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide) Blend. A warm dry growing season. Released as Bin 95 (also as Bin 65) |
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1964 |
Medium brick red. Fresh herb garden/ camphor/ prune/ molasses aromas. The palate is sinewy and dry with leather/ walnut/ prune flavours and slinky/ leafy tannins. Finishes firm and long. Rare. 90% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now |
85 |
|
Magill Estate (Adelaide) Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley Blend. A wet growing season followed by a fine cool vintage. Released as Bin 95 ( also as Bins 395, 66, 67 and 68) |
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1965 |
Medium deep brick red. Intense earthy/ bitumen/ cedar/ marmalade aromas. Well concentrated but elegant wine with earthy/ dark chocolate/ cedar/ herb flavours and fine chalky/ chocolaty tannins. Finishes leafy firm. Rare. 95% Shiraz 5% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now - 2016 |
88 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Morphett Vale (Adelaide) McLaren Vale Blend. Jimmy Watson Trophy Winner – a prestigious Melbourne Show award. A warm dry growing season. Released as Bin 95 ( also as Bins 69, 70 and 71) |
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1966 |
Medium deep brick red. Lovely complex but fresh grilled meat/ mocha/ chocolate/ violet aromas. Archetypal Penfolds Grange with sweet meaty/ dark chocolate/ cedar/ graphite flavours, lovely mid plate richness and slinky firm loose knit tannins. Finishes long and sweet. Still has plenty of time ahead. Rare. 88% Shiraz 12% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2015 |
96 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Morphett Vale (Adelaide) Blend. A dry growing season was followed by an ideal warm vintage. Released as Bin 95( also as Bins 71 and 72) |
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1967 |
Medium deep brick red. Fresh meaty/ mint/ Provençal herb aromas with touches of plum/ liquorice. The palate is elegantly structured with meaty/ ground coffee/ mint flavours and fine grainy slightly leafy tannins. Finishes chalky firm but long and fruit sweet. Increasingly rare. 94% Shiraz 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now-2015 |
80 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Blend. A warm dry growing season. Won the Jimmy Watson trophy at the Melbourne Show – for a second time. A generally dry growing season followed by a warm vintage. Released as Bin 95 ( also Bin 74) |
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1968 |
Medium brick red. Intense fragrant herb garden/ mocha/ cedar aromas with some earthy/ rustic notes. Complex cedar/ herb garden/ rustic flavours with leafy firm tannins and underlying malt oak. Finishes brambly dry at the finish. Drink up. Increasingly rare. 94% Shiraz 6% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now -past |
81 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra Blend. A hot dry vintage with only intermittent rains during the growing season. Released as Bin 95 ( also as Bin 826) |
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1969 |
Medium brick red. Lovely fragrant dark chocolate/ mocha/ red berry aromas with some meaty complexity. Fresh richly concentrated wine with plenty of dark chocolate/ mocha red currant flavours and fine slinky dry tannins. Builds up a touch sappy at the finish. Finishes long and sweet. Drink up. 95% Shiraz 5% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now |
88 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Clare Valley, Morphett Valle (Adelaide), Coonawarra Blend. Mild wet conditions prevailed during the growing season and vintage. Released as Bin 95 ( also a Bin 826) |
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1970 |
Medium brick red. Intense liquorice/ polished leather/ black olive/ Provençal herb aromas. Well developed savoury and sweet palate with black olive/ polished leather/ herbal flavours and fine cedary tannins. Drink soon. 90% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now |
79 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Blend. A dry mild growing season and vintage. Standardisation of bin numbers starts – all vintages are now released as Bin 95. |
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1971 |
Medium deep brick red. A classic Penfolds year with an unusually low alcohol of around 12.3%*. An immensely complex and mature wine with lifted smoked meat/ dark chocolate/ mocha/ liquorice aromas. A silky smooth wine with rich dark chocolate/ espresso coffee/ tobacco/ cedar flavours, underlying vanillin nuances and fine lacy satin tannins. Finishes sinuous, long and bitter sweet. 87% Shiraz 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now-2016 |
95 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Clare Valley, Coonawarra Blend. “If you had to point to a wine which fulfilled the ambitions of Grange it would have to be the 1971.” – Max Schubert, 1993. Topped the Gault-Millau Wine Olympiad in Paris in 1979 – beating some of the best Rhone wines and creating a sensation. A great South Australian vintage; ideal, generally warm conditions throughout the growing season and vintage. * alcohol originally stated 11.5% but records and analysis reveal 12.3% “A Grange that doesn’t seem to tolerate poor storage or travel.”- Peter Gago |
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1972 |
Medium deep brick red. Lovely cedar/ sweet fruit/ hazelnut/ polished leather aromas. The palate is well concentrated with plenty of fruit sweetness/ mocha/ polished leather/ hazelnut/ walnut flavours and fine lacy cedary tannins. A controversial vintage, but often brilliant. 90% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2015 |
92 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide), Coonawarra Blend. A very good Grange vintage – but a batch was unintentionally oxidized during bottling – resulting in significant bottle variation. A mild dry growing season and vintage. |
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1973 |
Deep brick red. Evolved meaty/ prune/ molasses aromas with some mint/ menthol notes. Richly flavoured but quite rustic with prune/ meaty flavours and leafy/ brambly tannins. Still has plenty of flavour length. 98% Shiraz 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now-past |
87 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide)Blend. A dry growing season followed by a cool vintage. Last vintage made in open wax-lined concrete fermenters (completed in barrel) - at Magill Estate |
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1974 |
Medium deep brick red. Intense seaweed/ iodine/ prune aromas with some herb garden/ orange peel notes. Sweet prune/ herb garden/ marmalade flavours and slinky dry tannins. Finishes surprisingly long but the fruit is overdeveloped. 93% Shiraz 7% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-past |
80 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Blend. Winemaking transferred to Nuriootpa. Vinification in stainless steel tanks – completed in barrel. A very wet growing season made more difficult by the outbreak of downy mildew just prior to harvest. |
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1975 |
Deep brick red. Intense aniseed/ liquorice/ dark fruit/ mocha aromas. Lovely concentrated wine with dark fruit/ mocha flavours, underlying miso-soup/ savoury oak and dry chalky touch muscular tannins. Finishes very firm and hard but it has plenty of flavour length. A “dark horse” vintage. 90% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now - 2025 |
88 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Coonawarra Blend. A cool summer was followed by a mild dry vintage. |
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1976 |
Deep brick red. Intense dark chocolate/ mocha/ liquorice aromas with some roasted/ earthy/ meaty notes. The palate is concentrated and sweet fruited with deep set dark chocolate/ mocha/ prune/ liquorice flavours and fine sinewy firm tannins. Regarded as a great Grange vintage, but bottles are increasingly variable. The best bottles have levels at base or into the neck or have passed successfully through Penfolds Wine Clinics. 89% Shiraz 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now-2030 |
93 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide). The 25th Anniversary of Grange. Max Schubert considered it “More in the old style: a good vintage”. The first Australian wine to cross the $20 barrier. An ideal warm dry growing season. |
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1977 |
Deep brick red. Fresh blackberry/ camphor/ cedar/ herb garden aromas. Complex cedar/ blackberry/ apricot flavours, slinky fine tannins and underlying savoury oak. Finishes powdery dry. Drink soon. 91% Shiraz 9% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now |
87 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Clare Valley Blend. Cool mild condition prevailed during the growing season. |
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1978 |
Deep brick red. Mocha/ blackberry aromas with some demi-glace/ vellum/ menthol nuances. Lovely concentrated wine with plenty of sweet fruit/ mocha/ blackberry/ camomile/ graphite flavours and chocolaty fine tannins. Builds up dense and chalky but possesses lovely minerality and flavour length. This is a very good Grange year. Probably drinking at its very best now. 90% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now-2020 |
94 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Coonawarra Blend. A warm dry growing season followed by mild vintage conditions. |
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1979 |
Deep brick red. Fresh blackberry/ redcurrant/ chocolate/ prune aromas with some vanilla notes. A solid wine with redcurrant/ back fruit/ dark chocolate/ pane forte flavours and powerful chocolaty tannins. Finishes hard with some smoky/ bitumen notes. 87% Shiraz 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now-2018 |
86 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), McLaren Vale Blend. An unusual wet – but hot - growing season. Magnums first released. Last vintage bottles using off-white foil capsules |
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1980 |
Deep brick red. Fresh minty/ bitumen/ menthol/ earthy aromas. The palate is elegant with sweet mocha/ cedar/ mint flavours and slinky / leafy tannins. It finishes sinewy and dry but long and flavourful. 96% Shiraz 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now-2020 |
83 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), McLaren Vale, Coonawarra Blend. A fine warm growing season followed by cool but late vintage. |
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1981 |
Deep brick red. Earthy/ meaty/ cedar/ demi-glace aromas with some farmyard/ silage characters. Sweet liquorice/ meaty/ cedar/ graphite flavours and fine loose knit chalky tannins. Finishes firm and tight. 89% Shiraz 11% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2020 |
85 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide), Clare Valley, Coonawarra Blend. A warm hot – drought affected – summer followed by a warm dry vintage. |
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1982 |
Deep brick red. Perfumed red cherry/ red currant/ tea leaf/ aromas with some raisin notes. Rich red cherry/ damson plum/ tea leafy flavours with fine slinky/ chocolaty tannins and underlying savoury notes. An idiosyncratic Grange at its peak of development. 94% Shiraz 6% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2010 |
88 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide), Clare Valley Blend. A mild growing season followed by a hot vintage. |
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1983 |
Deep crimson. An intense herb garden/ mocha/ cedar aromas with smoky/ graphite nuances. Ripe dark chocolate/ mocha fruit, underlying savoury oak and ripe fine slinky tannins. Finishes firm with plenty of flavour length. 94% Shiraz 6% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2025 |
93 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), Modbury Vineyard Blend. A bizarre growing season marked by drought, the Ash Wednesday bushfires and March flooding. A very low yielding vintage resulting in wine of immense concentration. |
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1984 |
Deep crimson. Evolved mocha/ dark berry aromas with cedar/ menthol notes. Ripe concentrated wine with deep set mocha/ dark berry fruit, underlying malt oak characters and chocolaty firm tannins. Very dense plush wine with plenty of fruit sweetness and flavour length. Drinking beautifully now. 95% Shiraz 5% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2015 |
92 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Coonawarra Blend. A cool growing season followed by a cool dry late vintage. |
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1985 |
Deep crimson. Intense espresso/ herb garden/ cedar aromas with some developed walnut notes. The palate is richly concentrated with dark chocolate/ herb/ cedar/ malt flavours and sinewy/ savoury dry tannins. Finishes firm and tight. 99% Shiraz 1% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2015 |
86 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide) Blend. Cool to mild growing season and vintage – punctuated by intermittent rains. Late rains delayed picking. |
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1986 |
Deep crimson. Intense dark liquorice/ mocha/ cedar/ sweet fruit aromas with malty/ smoky oak notes. A richly extravagant palate with complex liquorice/ deep set mocha-berry flavours and dense ripe fruit. Finishes chalky firm but superbly long and flavourful. A great Grange still on the ascendancy. 87% Shiraz 13% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2030+ |
98 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale, Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide) Blend. A mild relatively dry growing season and vintage. An important and very successful vintage. |
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1987 |
Medium crimson. Intense menthol/ dark chocolate/ mocha/ herb aromas. Sweet dark chocolate/ minty/ herb garden flavours, underlying malty new oak and sinewy/ sappy tannins. Finishes very firm and dry. 90% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2020 |
81 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale Blend. A cool vintage – marked but October hailstorms – and variable yields. |
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1988 |
Medium crimson. Lovely mocha/ redcurrant/ brambly/ roasted aromas with underlying vanilla/ menthol notes. Well concentrated wine with mocha/ demi-glace/ vanilla/ menthol flavours and savoury dry soupy tannins. Finishes chalky firm. 94% Shiraz 6% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2025 |
86 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Padthaway, McLaren Vale. Ideal growing season followed by a warm dry vintage. |
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1989 |
Medium crimson. Fresh aromatic redcurrant/ musky/ tea leaf aromas with some liquorice. Sweet redcurrant confit/ blackcurrant pastille flavours, plenty of fruit sweetness, underlying vanillin oak and chocolaty dense dry tannins. 91% Shiraz 9% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2015 |
89 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale Blend. Extreme heat and heavy March rains followed an ideal warm growing season. |
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1990 |
Deep crimson. An ethereal wine with blackberry/ plum/ chocolate/ liquorice aromas and plenty of mocha/ malt oak notes. A rich ripe immensely concentrated wine with generous sweet blackberry/ plum/ dark chocolate flavours, mocha oak, some earthy flavours and velvety smooth tannins. Finishes long and chocolaty. A superb Grange 95% Shiraz 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. |
Now-2035 |
97 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Coonawarra Blend. Voted Red Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator magazine in December 1995. A very great Australian vintage with a perfect warm dry growing season and harvest. |
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1991 |
Deep crimson. A lovely wine with intense liquorice/ vanilla/ dark chocolate/ dark berry with some cedar notes. A dense, multi-layered palate with plenty of sweet dark chocolate/ malt flavours, cedary tannins and underlying new oak. Finishes chalky firm. Lies in the shadow of 1990 but a great Grange vintage. |
Now-2035 |
96 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale Blend. A warm dry year with even ripening conditions. Vintage started early. |
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1992 |
Deep crimson. Ripe blackcurrant pastille/ dark chocolate/ Provençal herb aromas. The palate is well concentrated with pure blackcurrant/ dark cherry flavours, savoury/ malty oak and long fine grainy/ cedary tannins. Finishes long and bitter sweet. An elegantly structured Grange with a good future. 90% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2018 |
90 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, McLaren Vale Blend. A cool to mild growing season marked by intermittent rains. |
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1993 |
Deep crimson. Redcurrant/ silage aromas with some graphite/ smoky/ gamy notes. An early drinking Grange with redcurrant/earthy flavours, dense soupy – slightly sappy tannins and malt new oak. Finishes chalky/ grippy firm. A sweet and savoury wine. 86% Shiraz 14% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2015 |
84 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Coonawarra Blend. A very wet growing season was followed by warm drier conditions resulting in a very late but sound quality vintage fruit. An Indian Summer in Coonawarra delivered fully ripened fruit. |
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1994 |
Medium deep crimson. Lovely roasted coffee/ black cherry/ mocha aromas with hint of fresh mint/ herb. A beautifully balanced wine with deep set blackberry/ mocha/ espresso coffee/ sweet fruit flavours and fine dense tannins. Finishes oaky dry but long and sweet. 89% Shiraz 11% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2030 |
93 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Mclaren Vale, Coonawarra Blend. A dry mild even-ripening vintage in the Barossa; intermittent rains – but mild conditions - in McLaren Vale and a warm dry autumn in Coonawarra delivered a very high quality vintage. A vintage which has gained considerable notice recent years. |
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1995 |
Deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant/ liquorice/ herb garden aromas with underlying savoury oak, A substantial wine with prune/ cassis flavours, plentiful firm dry tannins and strong malty new oak. Finishes leafy/grippy but long and sweet. Powerful rather than polished. 94% Shiraz 6% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2020 |
83 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Blend. A period of drought and September frosts reduced potential yields. Warm dry conditions prevailed until late March/early April when a cooler weather pattern marked by drizzle set in. |
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|
1996 |
Deep crimson. Lovely fresh beautiful wine with crimson plum/ black currant aromas with some liquorice/ mocha notes. The palate is generous and supple with fresh plum/ blackcurrant flavours, ripe fine grained tannins and savoury/ grilled nut oak. Finishes chalky firm but long and sweet. Superbly balanced wine. A great vintage. Best to hold. 94% Shiraz 6% Cabernet Sauvignon |
2010-2040 |
96 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Magill Estate (Adelaide)Blend. After superb winter rainfall soil moistures improved. This was followed by mild weather dry weather conditions – resulting in a vintage of exceptional quality. |
|
|
1997 |
Deep crimson. Liquorice/ blueberry/ dark chocolate/ herb garden aromas with some smoky notes. The palate is fruit sweet and concentrated with dark chocolate/ liquorice flavours and fine slinky/ chalky dry tannins. Malty oak characters pervade at the finish. 96% Shiraz 4% Cabernet Sauvignon |
Now-2025 |
84 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Bordertown Blend. Late spring rains followed a generally wet winter. Generally dry cool conditions prevailed during October and November. A hot burst of weather arrived during summer but cooler temperatures and a week of rain during February slowed down ripening. A warm dry period followed over vintage. |
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|
1998 |
Deep crimson. A really beautiful wine with deep set blackberry/ dark chocolate/ mocha/ apricot aromas and underlying cedar complexity. An immensely concentrated and powerful wine with plush blackberry/ dark chocolate/ apricot flavours, fine dense ripe velvety tannins and beautifully season toasty/ malt oak. Finishes long and sweet. A great vintage. 97% Shiraz 3% Cabernet Sauvignon |
2010-2045 |
99 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) Padthaway Blend. A mild early growing season was followed by very hot dry weather with virtually all damwater reserves exhausted. An exceptional vintage. |
|
|
1999 |
Deep purple crimson. Dark juicy blackberry/ mulberry/ herb garden aromas with malty/ savoury oak. Lovely concentrated palate with deep set blackberry/ mulberry/ apricot/ herb garden/ graphite fruit mocha oak and chalky firm tannins. Finishes long, sweet and savoury. A beautifully balanced wine. 100% shiraz |
2010-2040 |
98 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide) McLaren Vale, Padthaway Blend. Dry winter conditions were followed by intermittent rains. Rain fell during November and December but just enough to maintain healthy vines. The Barossa and McLaren Vale experienced heavy rains in March and ripening slowed. Despite this vineyards with good drainage produced fruit of exceptional quality. Padthaway escaped the burden of March rain and experienced a great vintage. |
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|
2000 |
Deep crimson. Intense brambly/ ginger/ redcurrant/ raspberry/ blueberry aromas with hint of demi-glace/ malt. A very fruit driven fleshy wine with redcurrant/ raspberry/ brambly flavours and fine grainy tannins. Finishes minerally and long. A very moderate vintage. 100% Barossa Valley Shiraz |
Now-2018 |
84 |
|
Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley Blend. After a dry cool spring and a warm – sometimes hot summer – rains fell in late February/March resulting in a difficult year. A stop-start vintage. |
|
|
2001 |
Deep crimson. Intense liquorice/ redcurrant/ cedar aromas with some blackcurrant pastille notes. The palate is richly concentrated, fresh and fruit sweet with redcurrant/ liquorice flavours and chalky firm leafy tannins. It’s a touch soupy but it has good depth of fruit and flavour length. 100% Barossa Valley Shiraz |
2012-2035 |
89 |
|
50% Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), 50% Barossa Valley. Winter rains replenished soil moistures which sustained vineyards during a very hot dry summer – marked sometimes by extreme heat. By late February/March cool dry temperatures prevailed stabilising baume levels. |
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2002 |
Deep crimson purple. Inky/ blackberry essence/ liquorice/ aniseed aromas with plenty of malt/cedar oak. An immensely concentrated silky textured wine with saturated and juicy blackberry/ meaty/ cedar/ mocha flavours and fine supple tannins. Finishes long and sinuous. A great Grange. 98.5% Shiraz 1.5% Cabernet Sauvignon |
2012 - 2045 |
97 |
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50% Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), 50% Barossa Valley. A long, cool summer with intermittent rains was followed by a cool dry summer and a warm, dry autumn. A great vintage. |
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2003 |
Deep purple crimson. Intense rhubarb/ elderberry/ vanillin aniseed aromas with hint of tobacco leaf. The palate is sweet and fleshy with generous elderberry/ black cherry/ liquorice flavours, underlying malty oak and fine slinky dry tannins. Finishes grippy firm. 96.5% Shiraz 3.5% Cabernet Sauvignon |
2012 -2030 |
85 |
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Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek, Coonawarra and Magill fruit. A season of extremes. Drought conditions prevailed over spring and summer. The hot dry weather was interrupted by heavy rainfall in February. A difficult vintage relying strongly on multi-district fruit selection. |
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2004 |
Deep purple crimson. Fresh buoyant blackberry/ elderberry/ blueberry/ spice aromas with some vanilla oak nuances. A very concentrated and powerful wine with deepset blackberry/ elderberry fruit, well-balanced vanilla/ malt oak and chocolaty fine tannins. Finishes chalky firm with superb flavour length. A superb Grange Vintage. Released in 2009. 96% Shiraz 4% Cabernet Sauvignon |
2016 -2050 |
96 |
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Barossa Valley (including substantial proportion of Kalimna Shiraz), McLaren Vale and Magill fruit. An excellent year. Beneficial winter and spring rains were followed by cool to mild conditions over summer. Ripening accelerated through a warm Indian summer resulting in near perfect fruit. A great Grange Vintage. |
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2005 |
Deep purple crimson. Cranberry/ rhubarb/ herb garden aromas with plenty of nut meg/ malty seasoned new American oak. A very elemental wine with ripe cranberry/ blackberry pastille/ fruit sweet flavours, dense touch grippy tannins and plenty of malty new oak characters. Finishes long and sweet. Released in 2010. Will need time to unfold. 95.9% Shiraz 4.1% Cabernet Sauvignon |
2014- 2045 |
90 |
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Barossa Valley (including substantial proportion of Kalimna Shiraz), McLaren Vale and Coonawarra. A good even vintage. Regular rainfall fell through winter into early Spring establishing good soil moistures and dam levels. Mild conditions followed by a dry late summer and autumn lead to optimum fruit ripeness. |
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2006 |
Deep inky purple crimson. Intense brooding blackberry/ dark chocolate/ spice/ ‘roasted’ aromas with mocha/ toasted malt oak. A very youthful, powerful and balanced wine with concentrated generous blackberry/ dark mocha flavours, dense supple/ chocolaty tannins and plenty of new malty/ cedar oak. Finishes chalky firm with remarkable flavour length. Released in 2011. 98% Shiraz 2% Cabernet Sauvignon |
2016 - 2050 |
95-98 |
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98% Barossa Valley Shiraz (including significant contributions from Kalimna and Koonunga Hill Vineyard) 2% Magill Estate Shiraz. A fine Grange vintage, but a short, difficult season. Good winter and spring rainfalls were followed by mild warm conditions over summer. 50 mm of rain at the end of February and a warm burst of weather accelerated ripening. While it rained during vintage, the overall quality of the fruit was excellent. |
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Penfolds Grange is totally unique. It is a beautifully seductive, richly concentrated wine which evokes the spirit of the Australian landscape; its natural affinity with Shiraz and Penfolds’ remarkable winemaking philosophy. Each vintage of Penfolds Grange – with its own vintage character - continually evolves in bottle and surprises. Today the style remains distinctive and individual. It is a wine of immense power, plush concentration and balance. The overall philosophy of style relies on a combination of ripe concentrated fruit and fine grained and specially selected American oak woven together by barrel fermentation and careful maturation. Great vintages will last longer than fifty years. Ordinary vintages will last for at least twenty. This is achieved through vintage triaging and classification – a system that ensures that only the best components find their way into the final Grange blend.
A complete review of Penfolds Grange over six decades is a rare event. In many respects each progressive vintage reflects the advancement of the modern Australian Wine industry. While there were other important pioneering winemakers including Maurice O’Shea, Colin Preece and Roger Warren, it is Max Schubert’s legacy that is perhaps the most enduring and inspiring. His work was a collaborative effort. Like Sir Donald Bradman – Australia’s legendary cricketer – Schubert was the star batsman in a team of outstanding players. His brilliance was conviction of his own ideas, inventiveness and leadership. When it was time to go – he passed on the baton allowing his beloved Grange to become entrenched in Australian wine lore with an identity of its own.
While many of the techniques employed in the research and development of Penfolds red wines were kept under strict wraps – for commercial advantage – Schubert’s wine-making philosophies and innovations eventually percolated throughout the industry. Many of these methods are now standard wine making practice. The fame of Grange has reached far and wide. Asides from the marvellous tastings, the extraordinary auction values and the controversies, it is really Grange’s aesthetic quality that makes it such an extraordinary wine. It is one of the few wines of the world which is treated like a treasured piece of art work.
Max Schubert (1915-1994) was a pivotal figure in the modern Australian wine industry. Born at Moculta, near Angaston his family moved to Nuriootpa at the age of 5. It was here that he attended high school working part-time at the local butcher to afford his books and pay his way through school. Having completed his intermediate certificate, he joined Penfolds just shy of his 16th birthday. His first job was feeding the horses and cleaning out the stables. Shortly after, he was assigned to the laboratory. Schubert said “I was a fetch and carry boy, but I used to tell people I was a trainee laboratory assistant.” Penfolds was run like a military organisation in the early 1930s and working conditions were tough. Fortified wine production was the main focus although Sherry was an emerging seller.
Working under the notoriously difficult Austrian wine chemist John Farsch, Schubert learned how to propagate and prepare winemaking yeasts, culture and seed flor yeasts into barrel and identify problems including acetic acid, bacterial spoilage and metal contamination. Leslie Penfold Hyland – the Penfold family’s entrepreneurial State Manager - noticed Schubert and relocated him to Magill where he worked with Alfred Vesey – one of the great blenders of his time – helping him prepare samples for wine shows. Don Ditter – who would replace Schubert as national production manager in 1973 said “Alf Vesey was one of the early Penfolds pioneers who attended to the style and quality of Penfolds brands commencing from the early days of operation in South Australia. Max would have learned a thing or two under Alf’s wing.” Vesey also encouraged Schubert to smoke. His penchant for strong French unfiltered cigarettes – called “palate-cleansers” by Vesey – would be the cause of his emphysema in later life.
Schubert studied part time at the Adelaide School of Mines to learn applied chemistry. At the time Penfolds was losing about 25% of its production to spoilage. Ray Beckwith – Penfolds Research chemist at Nuriootpa – made his ground breaking discovery of pH control – around this time. It solved Penfolds spoilage problems and paved the way forward for the production of table wines (notwithstanding its high strength Italian Dry Red – especially made for Italian immigrants working the sugar cane fields of Queensland).
Schubert’s responsibilities steadily progressed to assistant winemaker at Magill. In 1940 he left Penfolds to join the Australian Imperial Forces; “I volunteered for service because I wanted to prove that I was one hundred percent Australian.” He served in the sixth division of the second AIF in the Middle East and was then redeployed to New Guinea in 1942 until 1945. He married Thelma Humphrys – who worked in Penfolds accounts department at Magill – in 1944 while on leave. Schubert rejoined Penfolds in 1946 at the more junior level of laboratory assistant. Within 12 months he was promoted to the role of chief winemaker at Magill. In 1950 Max Schubert was sent to Europe to investigate advances in sherry and port production.
Schubert first arrived in London where he was shocked to observe wine merchants bolstering up Spanish Sherry and cheap French and Italian reds with imported Australian wine. In Jerez he discovered barrel fermentation; an idea that gathered momentum when visiting Bordeaux. He discovered this unusual practice in the cellars of negociant firm Cruse Freres er Fils, Chateau Rausan Segla and Chateau Pontet Canet where towards the end of vinification the wine was racked into new oak barrels to complete fermentation. He also noticed the practice of tannin fining – a technique widely used in France to modify palate texture. Max Schubert was fortunate to have been in Bordeaux 12 months after the great 1949 vintage. He would ever forget what great young Claret tasted like.
The septuagenarian principal Christian Cruse took Schubert around many of the great Bordeaux wine estates including Chateau Margaux, Chateau Haut Brion and Chateau Ausone. Such hospitality to a young Australian would have been rare in those days. However Schubert’s charm, inquisitiveness and credentials as an ex soldier may have held him in good stead. The visit to Europe included Germany and first-hand observations the latest advances in white winemaking. While the purpose of the entire trip was to learn about advances in fortified technology – especially sherry – Schubert’s chance visit to Bordeaux altered the course of Australian wine.
On his return to Australia Max Schubert employed newly acquired ideas and made an experimental wine from the 1951 vintage. Sandie Coff – his daughter recalls “Dad told me he designed Grange in his head in the plane on his way back from Europe. It would be a truly Australian wine but able to rival the wonderful French wines he had seen.” Using Shiraz fruit from Magill and Morphett Vale, he produced the first Grange Hermitage – named after the original Grange cottage built by Dr Penfold at Magill in 1844. Max Schubert called the wine Hermitage rather than Shiraz to “pander to the snobs in New South Wales” an important market for Penfolds. Indeed a visitor to Sydney – so impressed by the number of Penfolds wine bars and advertising hoardings – once said that the city might as well be called Penfolds.
Ray Beckwith – Penfolds Research Chemist said “submerged cap fermentation (with the help of heading down boards) was, and still is, in some quarters, the classical method of winemaking particularly the reds. Max Schubert used this method with great success at Magill in the 1950’s in producing his classical Grange Hermitage and other memorable wines. He did not use a centre pump, but he pumped or drained the fermenting juice from the fermenter completely and returned it via cooling equipment, thereby getting very good extraction of colour and tannin which is such a feature of those special wines, plus good temperature control.”
Schubert favoured the use of drainings to bolster the colour and extract of his wines. At the tail end of vinification, the wines were racked into five 300 litre new American oak hogshead barrels to complete fermentation. The wine was then matured in new oak for a further 18 months prior to bottling. These revolutionary techniques of the time have become practices central to Penfolds wine making philosophy of today. “The story of Grange” (pages ----) written over thirty years ago by its creator Max Schubert makes compelling reading.
In Huon Hooke’s Biography “Max Schubert - Winemaker” (1994), Schubert lists his trademarks as a “penchant for oak in every wine” and “a little shiraz in every thing I make”. The techniques employed in the research and development of Grange, however, are astonishing. Max Schubert and his team – particularly Ray Beckwith - pioneered major advances in yeast technology and paper chromatography; the understanding and application of pH in controlling bacterial spoilage; the use of headed down/submerged cap fermentation and the technique of rack and return; cold fermentation practices; the use of American oak as a maturation vessel and perhaps most critically – from the point of view of style; the use of partial barrel fermentation.
One of the great strengths of the Penfolds Grange style is that it does not rely on the performance of a single vineyard. Max Schubert recognised that Grange should be based on a riper spectrum of fruit. He knew – intuitively - that fruit power, concentration and ripe tannins were key components of optimum fruit quality. He was well ahead of his time. His experimental work in the 1950s confirmed his view that Cabernet was unreliable. He observed; “the imbalance of the fruit invariably manifested itself on the palate with a noticeable break in the middle and a thinnish astringent finish.”
The 1951 is an historical curio and Australia’s most expensive wine. It is now well past its best. In 2001 it achieved a record price of AUD$52,211 at auction. Don Ditter said “when Max started to put together Grange he only imagined the wine would last at least twenty years. Instead they have aged for fifty years. I am amazed how they have stood up. Some have faded – especially the hidden Granges - but as a group these early 1950s wines are very impressive.”
The criticism fired at Max Schubert’s early Granges – reflected a conservatism prevalent throughout winemaking circles. Australian red wines – at that time – were relatively elegant wines with medium concentration and matured in old oak. Max Schubert remembered the jibes; “A concoction of wild fruits and sundry berries with crushed ants predominating” or perhaps more famously “Schubert, I congratulate you. A very good dry port, which no-one in their right mind will buy – let alone drink.” With the benefit of hindsight it is perhaps unsurprising that Grange attracted so much criticism.
Grange was a radical departure from the norm. Everything about the wine was substantial. The fruit was ripe and concentrated and the new American oak featured strongly. The barrel ferment characters and level of volatile acidity – features of the style – were also greatly misunderstood. To add insult to injury the Grange project was also utilizing a substantial amount of working capital – in the form of unreleased and maturing wine. The infamous tasting of Grange by Penfolds board members (led by Gladys Hyland-Penfold), Sydney wine identities, friends and top management which resulted in the 1957 decision to cease Grange production was a fait-a-compli and a disaster for Max Schubert.
Jeffrey Hyland Penfold who was South Australia Manager of Penfolds, and not one to buckle to authority (he had many run-ins with his father Leslie) – was complicit in the making of the secret Granges. Schubert’s biographer Huon Hooke says “The hidden Granges (1957, 1958 and 1959) were made, matured and bottled in strict secrecy and word never leaked out to the powers-that-be.” Without a budget, Max Schubert had to make do with abandoned bottles found lying in the cellars at Auldana and used American oak hogsheads – although the winemaking technique – comprising partial barrel fermentation was continued. The maturation time in oak however was halved to just nine months. The “hidden” Granges were stored away in the Magill drives built by Alfred Scholz. This whole affair could not have been carried off without the support of Murray Marchant and Gordon Colquist, Schubert’s senior winemakers who helped care for the wines during uncertain times. These early experimental wines – when eventually released – were affixed with Penfolds famous postage stamp labels – especially typed up by Max Schubert’s secretary. Some of the old type labels are actually carbon copies; such was the rudimentary approach to packaging in those days.
A second tasting with the same board members was organised in 1960 by Doug Lamb – a consultant wine merchant, Penfolds director and supporter of Schubert. This time the 1951 and 1955 vintages – both with bottle age development – were greeted with enthusiasm (the 1955 went on to have a very successful wine show career). Grange was reinstated and gradually won acceptance among the cognescenti. Len Evans – in his last published book “How to taste wine” remembered “Great Granges were often quite volatile and the 1955 caused a show incident. I was on a panel of three, two of whom, including me gave the wine a gold (medal). We recognized the acetic acid but also gloried in the flavour, depth and balance of the wine. The other judge gave it 13, a very low score and wouldn’t budge. The chairman, the late great George Fairbrother, a man of infinite patience and great charm, took one sniff of it and said to the dissenter “ Well if you won’t budge, I’m afraid I’ll have to overrule you and give it a Chairman’s gold.” In the 25 to 30 shows I judged under his guidance he only did this with one other wine, the famous Stonyfell 1945 Vintage Port.” George Fairbrother – a doyen of Australian Wine Show judges – was clearly instrumental in garnering support for the style.
In 1960 Schubert was promoted to National Production Manager – the equivalent position to Penfolds Chief Winemaker; he was responsible for all the company’s wineries and vineyards. This was a period of strategic expansion and consolidation in both New South Wales and South Australia. While the purchase of New Dalwood in the Hunter Valley would be short lived, the acquisition of significant vineyard holdings on prime terra rossa soils in Coonawarra was an important step forward for Penfolds during the 1960s. The urbanisation of Adelaide would shortly engulf several longstanding vineyards including Modbury, Morphett Vale, Auldana and Magill.
The expansion of Kalimna and the purchase of Coonawarra vineyards was all about protecting valuable grape supply and maintaining house style. Several of the old vineyard holdings – used for port or sherry production - were replanted to table wine varieties. This was an exciting period at Penfolds where new ideas and practices were implemented at every level. John Bird recollects “Max Schubert adored his senior cellar staff. They had gone through thick and thin with him. As a new staff member, I was completely awestruck by the scale of table winemaking and the great working atmosphere.”
Max Schubert inaugurated the annual vintage Classification Tasting; a convocation of Penfolds winemakers that continues to this day. At this forum all wines of the vintage could be tasted and classified according to style and Penfolds wine type. New technology was also introduced including temperature control, winery hygiene, inert pipes, stainless steel, Willmes air bag presses and general quality control. During the 1960s Penfolds Grange firmed up its position as Australia’s most distinguished wine. Previously it had been a small-scale wine of “only four or five barrels.” Vigneron and wine author Max Lake observed “there has been quite an amount of experimentation with various wines and blends till today it is obvious the style is consolidated into a consistently outstanding wine.” The 1960 and 1962 Granges were highly successful wines; “they have superb, magnificent bouquet and balance running right through the start to finish.”
While Kalimna has been a longstanding source for Grange (since 1953), Coonawarra has occasionally contributed fruit to Grange since 1961. Schubert oversaw the commercialisation of several new Penfolds red wines including the now-famous Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz, Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz and Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon. Several experimental wines were made during this period including special one off wines including 1962 Bin 60A, 1966 Bin 620 and 1967 Bin 7 (see Special Bin Reds). However it is the story of Grange that largely defines Max Schubert’s career at Penfolds.
The 1960 to 1977 Penfolds Grange vintages were regularly entered into Australian Wine Shows with considerable success. Both the 1965 and 1967 vintages won the prestigious Jimmy Watson Trophy at the Melbourne Wine Show. It earned a considerable swag of Gold /Silver and Bronze medals in Australian Capital City wine shows. The 1962 won over 50 Gold medals in its show career! Len Evans – a hugely influential wine show judge and legendary Australian industry leader – said in his publication The Wine Buyer in 1972 “ Most people who have been lucky enough to see the wines of the early 1950s and others like the ’62 would agree that we have been treated to something quite extraordinary. And whatever comparisons made to the wines of Bordeaux I believe that the real Granges represent a new, great wine style of the world.”
Max Schubert retired as Chief Winemaker in 1975 but remained involved as a consultant “winemaker emeritus” for another twenty vintages. He was recognized in his own lifetime with membership of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1984 and the inaugural McWilliam’s-sponsored Maurice O’Shea Award in 1990. Decanter Magazine conferred him Man of the Year in 1988. Max Schubert – who died in 1994 - was a self-taught – but practical - winemaker with a natural inquisitiveness for winemaking theory. He had a whimsical and romantic view of winemaking too. He once said; “I’d like to think that the wines with which I have been associated are descended form one ancestor vineyard established many years ago, marrying with another, and another, and even another if you like, thus creating and establishing a dynasty of wines. These may differ in character year by year, but all bear an unmistakable resemblance and relationship to each other……This whole approach and concept has been of great assistance to me, not only in the technical sphere, but as a means of stimulating my imaginative powers as far as winemaking is concerned…All winemakers should possess a good fertile imagination if they are to be successful in their craft.”
In 2000, the South Australian Parliament created a new State electoral boundary – the Barossa Valley at its centre - called “Schubert” in memory of Max Schubert and his extraordinary contribution to the prestige of South Australia and its wine industry.
Don Ditter, an early graduate of Roseworthy Agricultural College - and who joined Penfolds as a laboratory assistant in 1942 - was appointed by Max Schubert as his successor in 1975. Ditter – who grew up in the Barossa - was interviewed and recommended by Ray Beckwith. He started at Magill and worked for John Farsch who “had a reputation of not being able to keep staff. He was so relieved to have help during vintage that he kept me on.” On turning 18, Ditter joined the Royal Australian Air Force but did not see active service; “The war was ending and they didn’t know what to do with us.”
In 1946 Ditter undertook wine studies at Roseworthy Agricultural College. Les Eckert and Bill Jamieson were class mates. Ray Kidd, Doug Collett and Ray Ward – also important wine industry identities during the 50s, 60s and 70s – were also students at the same time. During his last year at Roseworthy, Ditter was asked to join Penfolds and was paid a retainer. He graduated in 1950 with first class honours and returned to Penfolds, this time to Nuriootpa in the Barossa Valley working with Ray Beckwith. Ditter said “Ray not only trained me about all applied technical aspects of wine, but he also taught me about diplomacy. Whenever I got worked up about an issue I used to sleep on it.” Alfred Scholz – who was manager of Nuriootpa – was an ex miner (he built the wine maturation tunnel at Kalimna and the drives at Magill) with a notoriously fierce temper. He ran his winery with an iron rod. However Don Ditter survived his internship at Nuriootpa.
In the early 1950s John Ditter worked for John Davoren – the creator of St Henri, but also a highly skilled sparkling winemaker. In 1953 he was transferred to Sydney to take on responsibility of winemaker of the two cellars in Sydney – located at Alexandria and the Queen Victoria Building in the central business district. At the time Penfolds had several depots around Sydney. Ditter said “a lot of the wine was unsound.” Ditter’s diplomatic skills were essential. “The cellars were full of old timers adamant that nothing was going to change.” Bottling was postponed for instance if a thunderstorm was predicted. Within a few years Ditter had successfully put in place a modern winemaking regime paving the way for a golden period of fine table wine production.
In 1958 a new state-of-the-art winemaking facility was built at Tempe near Sydney’s international airport. In 1963 Don was promoted to New South Wales Production Manager. In this position he was responsible for wine making operations in Sydney, the soon-to-close-down Minchinbury, Griffith and the Hunter Valley. Schubert quickly identified Ditter as a kindred winemaking spirit with an eye for detail. They would travel extensively around New South Wales. Max Schubert would comment that Ditter was “a natural talent at blending.” Ditter was an exceptional winemaker whose main ambitions were “to maintain the style, improve the quality and prestige of Penfolds.” In 1973 he was appointed National Production Manager, in control of all winemaking operations. In 1975 the title of Chief winemaker was added following the retirement of Max Schubert.
Don Ditter took the Grange style into the modern era. This included a major overhaul of vineyard management and tracking of fruit. With the advice of his red winemaking team – particularly John Bird and Chris Hancock - he refined a number of techniques including the controversial method of encouraging volatile acidity. “I insisted we keep the VA within legal limits to avoid being challenged by authorities. Further, it wouldn’t have been good if our opposition had pointed it out!” A more flexible approach to maturation and bottling was also implemented. “Maturation has always been an important aspect of Penfolds winemaking. Timing however is everything when it comes to getting the right balance of freshness, fruit and maturation characters. If the wine was a little worn – it can never be reclaimed.” Ditter also paid particular attention to the seasoning of American oak. Under Ditter’s leadership, the Grange style was improved with fresher aromas, more richness and ripeness of fruit and better oak selection. 1976, 1978, 1983 and 1986 are probably his most admired vintages.
The 1986 vintage – Ditter’s last - is regarded by the secondary wine market as one of the greatest Grange vintages of all time. John Bird said “Don Ditter will be best remembered for adding extra polish and finesse to Grange. While not always deeply involved in the nitty-gritty of the vintage cellar he had a wonderful palate and really understood how to make the best of each vintage.” Further Don Ditter steered Penfolds winemaking through the unchartered waters of further consolidation and company takeover. While the Penfold-Hyland family lost control of Penfolds in 1976, the quality of the wines – especially Grange remained on track. In 2008 Don Ditter, in recognition of his longstanding and important contribution to wine, was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for “his services to the Australian wine industry, particularly as chief winemaker at Penfolds Wines.”
By the early 1980s – Penfolds stopped entering Grange into wine shows – largely because it is such a distinctive style – that most wine judges could spot it easily in a blind tasting; there was nothing further to be gained. This was perhaps illustrated by the poor wine show results of the 1976 Grange – a wine which Max Schubert regarded as a classic Grange vintage.(Nonetheless, Penfolds has periodically entered Grange into various international wine competitions with considerable success; the 1971 – for instance - created a sensation when it beat the best Rhone Valley wines at the Gault-Millau Wine Olympiad in Paris in 1979). Further, in Robert Parker – the highly infuential American wine critic also known as the “Emperor of Wine”- awarded 1976 Grange 100 points.
The winemaking talents of John Duval were spotted early by Don Ditter and Max Schubert. His family; Morphett Vale grape growers were early suppliers to Penfolds. Indeed many of the Shiraz vines at Magill Estate are derived from cuttings from John Duval’s family vineyard. John Duval, however, represented a new generation of winemaker; with a very strong pure science and applied winemaking background. He joined the team at Nuriootpa and worked for John Davoren. For several years he played an understudy role with Kevin Schroeter, Don Ditter and Max Schubert.
Duval was appointed Penfolds Chief winemaker at a remarkably young age. His contribution to the evolution of Grange has been critical. His stewardship saw some of the greatest developments and innovations in viticulture and winemaking. The 1990, 1991, 1996 and 1998 Granges are regarded by many as extraordinary wines with incredible power and finesse. 1999 Grange is fast establishing revisionist critical thought. Many believe that it will equal or eclipse 1998.
Peter Gago – was promoted to the role of Penfolds Chief winemaker in 2002 – only the fourth in 55 years. A graduate in mathematics and science from the University of Melbourne, Peter completed another degree, graduating as Dux, in oenology from Roseworthy College – now a part of the University of Adelaide in 1989. Peter’s outstanding winemaking and communication skills – he was teacher for eight years – were quickly recognized by Penfolds. Soon after joining the team he became Penfolds Red Wine Oenologist – a hands-on role maintaining the quality and consistency of the existing Penfolds portfolio and developing new wines for an increasingly global market.
Gago’s stewardship of Penfolds Grange is timely. He has been described as a “perpertual-motion brilliant speaker, wine educator and winemaker.” In the old days winemakers travelled to learn about new equipment and practices rather than attending speaking and dinner engagements. Peter Gago’s commitments are especially demanding. One commentator remarked once that the job of Penfolds Chief Winemaker is an honour only surpassed by being Captain of the Australian Cricket Team or The Prime Minister of Australia! Under Gago’s leadership, Penfolds Grange has continued to attract worldwide interest and enormous respect. Indeed Grange seems to have established a renewed and vigorous momentum. The accolades continue across a myriad of influential publications in almost every market.
Peter Gago is the first to acknowledge and credit his red winemaking team - Steve Leinert, Andrew Baldwin and consultant and longstanding Penfolds winemaker John Bird; “The production of Penfolds Grange has always been a collaborative effort. While it is a singular and distinctive style there are many contributors including independent Grange growers, our own vineyard team, red winemakers and support staff.”
The Grange winemaking Philosophy hasn’t really changed that much over 50 years. The style has been refined over the years reflecting progress in both vineyard and winemaking practices. Max Schubert originally aimed to make a wine of between 11.5 to 12 per cent alcohol. This has risen to around 13.0 to 13.5 per cent; tannin ripeness has become as crucial as fruit ripeness. The level of volatile acidity has been dropped and the quality of oak has improved. However many of the original winemaking practices are still central to the style. Penfolds red winemaking team continues to identify the best and most exquisite fruit available; apply submerged cap/ headed down vinification and complete fermentation in new American hogsheads. These techniques have become standard practice across Australia.
Since the early 1970s Penfolds Grange has created a strong international image for Australian wine. Every time a person opens a bottle of fine mature Grange it strengthens the wine’s reputation. Positive critical reviews have also helped. Hugh Johnson – the notable UK wine critic once called it “one of the only true First Growths of the Southern Hemisphere. Robert Parker – the highly influential US wine critic - called Grange “a leading candidate for the richest most concentrated dry red table wine on planet Earth.” Wine Spectator Magazine has conferred two important honours; the 1955 Grange was named one of the top12 wines of the 20th Century in 2000 and the 1990 vintage was named “Wine of the Year’ in 1995. In 2002 grapes destined for Grange were once again crushed and fermented at Magill. A significant proportion of the blend is also matured in hogsheads in the Magill underground drives.
In 2007 Grange was ranked 15th most tradable wine in the world by Liv-Ex – the London Wine Exchange; “with relatively high production and price, and continued support from Robert Parker, and a series of great wines since 2000, its rise up the charts is understandable.” The Wall Street Journal even published a Dow Jones Grange Index. The accompanying text said “Wine lovers remember their first Grange the way they remember their first kiss!” Grange is the only wine to be heritage listed by the South Australian National Trust. It also heads up the highly influential and internationally recognized Langton’s Classification of Australian wine – in recognition of Grange’s cornerstone presence of the secondary wine market. It continues to generate considerable collector interest and millions of dollars of auction revenue per year.
Stewart Langton – specialist wine auctioneer and founder of Langton’s said “ Penfolds - especially Grange - has always performed reliably well through the thick and thin of the secondary market. Collectors and wine enthusiasts have a strong affection for the wines. Through a long track record of performance, recorded histories of tastings, and plenty of anecdotal stories and experiences, they know exactly what to expect. Even with changes in ownership, Penfolds has maintained a strong production focused image where quality, consistency and heritage are seen as vitally important. It’s a great reputation to have – especially in times of uncertainty.”
Until recently Access Economics – an Australian economic think-tank – used the 1971 Grange as an indicator of wine investment performance. Certainly Grange prices ebb and flow according to economic conditions and reputation of vintage. Its sustained strong track record however illustrates Grange’s solid reputation for longevity amongst collectors and wine enthusiasts. Indeed Grange has weathered several economic cycles and trends within the ultra-fine secondary wine market
Penfolds Grange – originally called Penfolds Grange Hermitage - is a very perfumed, concentrated wine which combines the intensely rich fruit and ripe tannins of Shiraz with the fragrance and complementary nuances of American oak. Partial barrel fermentation – which takes place at the tail-end of primary fermentation (at 2-3 baume) weaves the two elements together – giving a “meaty” complexity and roundness of flavours on the palate. This process has been described as “Barrel fermentation gets the oak into the wine and the wine into the oak” A portion of cabernet is used in some years to further enhance aromatics and palate structure. The 1999 and 2000 vintages, however, are both 100% Shiraz.
Penfolds Grange is released five years after bottling – to allow the wine to further develop. The time-lag is also an historical one; a legacy of its rejection in 1957 by Penfolds management in Sydney, where Max Schubert was accused of “accumulating stocks of wine which to all intent and purposes were unsaleable!” The early Granges were labelled under different but non-sequential Bin numbers. While the line started as 1951 Bin 1, the bin numbers are seemingly ad-hoc. In 1970 Grange was standardised to Bin 95.
Penfolds Grange is considered by many as the ultimate Australian wine experience. At the Penfolds Red Wine Clinics – now held throughout the world – collectors, wine enthusiasts and Grange owners bring their bottles – or even a single bottle - to be assessed by Penfolds winemakers. It has become something of annual ceremony where stories and anecdotes are swapped – while bottles are checked, topped up, recorked and re-capsuled. It is an eclectic crowd comprising millionaire wine collectors, doctors and labourers to taxi drivers and priests. Australians – from all walks of life – are immensely proud of the success of Grange.
In the late 1940s post war Australia was embarking on a journey to modern nationhood. Max Schubert – himself a returned soldier – dreamed of making something different and unique in the world of wine. The development of Penfolds Grange reflects a national mood; a sense of purpose and an enthusiasm for progress. Australia is a young country and does not have the highly evolved traditions of the old world. The future is its only reference point. The stature of Grange has been achieved - not through the hindsight of centuries of heritage and accumulated wealth – but through trial, error and persistence. Max Schubert described Penfolds Grange as “buoyant – almost ethereal”; evocative of companionship, happiness and wonder – the essence of the Grange experience.
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