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Grange Hermitage 2012

Penfolds , South Australia, Australia

Penfolds
South Australia Australia
  • 98
    Points
  • The 460 best
    of 3 290 954
    wines globally
  • 52 Pros of
    52 recommend
    this wine
887 98
  • Taste
  • Moment
  • Best Red Wine of the World: 4th Place
    BWW-Best Wine of the World -Competition 2017
  • Best Australian Wine
    BWW-Best Wine of the World -Competition 2017
  • Best Syrah Wine of the World
    BWW-Best Wine of the World -Competition 2017

  • Country ranking ?

    23

  • Producer ranking ?

    10

  • Decanting time

    4h

  • When to drink

    from 2020

  • Food Pairing

    Lamb Stew with Root Vegetables

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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The 62nd consecutive vintage release of Grange, from the 2012 South Australian vintage, leads a dynasty of wines in The Penfolds Collection 2016. Unfolding layers of allure, plushness and character, the 2012 Grange is stylistically akin to the 1963 Grange, with a contemporary ‘2012’ personality. The Collection, in its entirety, displays red wines of distinctive refinement and cellaring potential, and white wines which deliver on complexity and...

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The Story

Grange is arguably Australia’s most celebrated wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. Grange boasts an unbroken line of vintages from the experimental 1951 and clearly demonstrates the synergy between Shiraz and the soils and climates of South Australia. Grange utilises fully-ripe, intensely-flavoured and textured Shiraz grapes. The result is a unique Australian style that is now recognised as one of the most cons...

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Wine Information

Penfolds flagship 2012 Grange has received a perfect 100 point score from Australian wine critic Andrew Caillard MW. Marking the 62nd consecutive release of Australia’s most celebrated wine, the 2012 Grange has been heralded as one of the most notable vintages in recent decades. “With unfolding layers of allure, plushness and character, the 2012 vintage is stylistically akin to the 1963 Grange, with a contemporary ‘2012’ personality. Andrew Ca...

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Vintage 2012

Lower-than-average yields in Australia, as across much of Europe. This was blamed on high winds, drought and low fruitfulness resulting from the poor 2011 vintage. Quality, however, was much better than in the exceptionally damp 2011, with South Australia avoiding some of the weather extremes experienced by other states. Strong varietal typicality is a commonly cited feature of the 2012 crop.

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

54 tasting notes

Tasting note

color

Deep and Purple

ending

Long, Flavorful and Spicy

flavors

Pepper, Toasty, Chocolate, Perfumed, Blackberry and Mint

nose

Intense, Complex, Rich and Fresh

taste

Average in Acidity, Perfectly balanced, Well-structured, Concentrated, Youthful, Full-bodied, Focused, Refined, Perfumed and Silky tannins

Verdict

Outstanding and Transparent

Written Notes

2012 Grange will be forever compared with its great sibling, the 2010, much like 1990/1991 and ’02/’04 (pity the poor 2011). 98% Shiraz, dominant Barossa, this is undoubtedly a great Grange. Powerful and intense, black fruits, florals, black olives, axle grease, cloves, chocolate and oolong tea. Heavily packed with tannins, but the overall impression is of a wine that is near perfectly balanced. Supple, seamless and concentrated, but nowhere near as approachable as the 2010 at this early stage. One for the cellar. If you have enjoyed Grange over the last decade, you'll love this.

99.

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  • 99p

An exceptionally deep bouquet for such a young Grange, already presenting itself with so much complexity. Currently, spicy aromas are at the forefront: licorice, black truffles, fine pepper, and bittersweet chocolate, beneath which are juicy notes of wild cherry compote, mulberries, blueberries, sloes, as well as hints of mint, fine balsamic vinegar, and exquisite highland mocha. Masterfully integrated wood with an alluring vanilla note. Incredibly dense, yet already remarkably nuanced on the palate. So seductive in its approach, rich and with an almost baroque fruitfulness, yet without any aggression or overt presence. A poised grandeur. Wonderful cherry and berry aromas with a delicate mint note. Perfectly close-knit tannins and a subtle acidity. The finish reveals an extraordinarily fine fire and delicate cassis fruit with complex tobacco notes in the impressive aftertaste. Very, very harmonious and with a completely non-aggressive demeanor.

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  • 98p

Tasted blind. Exceptionally deep purplish crimson. Intensely spicy nose with hints of menthol cough syrup. Extremely rich and slightly salty – surely this is the Grange? Clean and obviously technically perfect. Very slightly sweet.

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  • 93p
Good looking normal size bottle, in an perfect condition and has by the neck level. Colour is ruby red, deep and youthful . On the nose it is intense, open, refined, fresh and rich. The taste is focused, vigor, perfumed, fragrant, refined, full-bodied, with perfectly balanced and concentrated structure. On the palate it is layered and has pepper, tropical fruits, truffles, vanilla, blackberry, leather, mineral, dried-fruit, tobacco and spice flavours. The finish is long, extensive, pure, spicy and vibrant. This wine is transparent, sexy and outstanding. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 20-30 years and decant at least over 4h before tasting. Good value for money.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
  • 97p

Grange Vintage 2012 - Deep colour. Intense paneforte, dark chocolate, dark blackberry aromas with lifted roasted chestnut, mocha, English-toffee aromas and notes of sweet tobacco, dried roses, shellac and frankincense. Superbly concentrated wine with wonderful presence, structure and density. Plush in scale yet possessing lovely energy and structure...Dense, expansive, rich and voluminous. All in perfect symmetry. A transcendent and powerfully expressive Grange harking back to Max Schuberts original blueprint. Its aromatic complexity, generosity and suppleness is reminiscent of the early 1960s. This has to be in the pantheon of all-time great vintages. Unbelievably good to drink now; a great indication of its lasting quality (but suggest you dont!). Leave it for a minimum of ten years, if you can. 2026-2080.

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  • 100p

Unmistakably, it is what it is. In a word, Grange.
(Almost) all unleashed immediately upon the rst splash into the glass – exuberant, lifted, amboyant.
An aromatic ‘multi-cultural’ chromatogram brazenly unfolds:
First, enticing barrel ferment formics and balsamics, spliced with soy, tomato puree, black olive
and liquorice (Dutch?).
Then, the exotics - wafts of tiramisu/mascarpone/zabaglione (Italy?), replete with freshly roasted hazelnut and ground coffee beans (Kenya?)
30 seconds later...

Fresh and re ned. Nervy.
Red liquorice, gravy reduction avours and black olive tapenade to the fore. And then, just so much more! Where to start?
Compelling depth - weighty/voluminous/ eshy - structurally complete and even throughout.
A radiant inner sheen, yet still assertive – a lm encrusted with dusty, softened tannins that coat tongue. Great length.
A loss of innocence, as sculptured oak (purity/clean) and a boundless array of red fruits, congeal into
a darkened pool of (un)known and (un)savoury delights!
Unashamedly and quite blatantly THE wine of this year’s Penfolds 2016 new releases! Enough said.

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Deep ruby. Dark fruits, rich and intense, spices, layers of blackberries, blueberries, vanilla, exotic notes nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, ripe, rich, fruity, dark berries and spices, detailed, sweet dark fruits, peppery, vanilla, blackberries, blueberries and mulberries, touch of tobacco and chocolate, long. Stunning and hedonistic. 98

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  • 98p

Well I never thought I’d use this word with Grange on release: restraint. “Oh it’s like the o4!” was my first thought. This I think, is the greatest Grange on release. Savoury fruit, mulberry, ripe raspberry, hints of blackcurrant, salted black liquorice, spicy pepper, clove, star anise – it’s moorish. This is desperately moorish. And elegant. Restraint and spice. YES.

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  • 98p
The taste is elegant, full, round, harmonious, rich, focused, fragrant, vivid, refined, with silky tannins, and average in acidity, full-bodied, with perfectly balanced, complex, well-structured, well-integrated, concentrated structure and youthful. On the palate it is layered and has cassis, mint, chocolate, toasty, smoky, floral, pepper, perfumed, violet and charcoal flavours. The finish is long, lingering and flavorful. This wine is sophisticated and outstanding. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 20-30 years and decant at least 2h before tasting.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
  • 96p
Good looking normal size bottle, in an perfect condition and has by the neck level. Colour is ruby red, deep and youthful . On the nose it is intense, fresh, complex and pure. The taste is fresh, vigor, focused, perfumed, fragrant, with silky tannins, full-bodied, with well-structured, balanced and concentrated structure. On the palate it is layered and has dried-fruit, pepper, perfumed, herbs, toasty, tropical fruits, vanilla, blackberry and chocolate flavours. The finish is long, round, flavorful, pure and spicy. This wine is intelligent, transparent and masterpiece. Perfectly stored bottles are still very worthy and will last well for another 20-30 years and decant at least over 4h before tasting. Good value for money.
- (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)
  • 97p
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Information

Origin

Magill, South Australia

Vintage Quality

Extraordinary

Value For Money

Very good

Investment potential

Average

Fake factory

None

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Inside Information

Since 1844, Penfolds has played a pivotal role in the evolution of wine making with a history and heritage that profoundly reflects Australia’s journey from colonial settlement to the modern era. Penfolds collection of benchmark wines were established in a spirit of innovation and the constant and endless pursuit of quality, evidenced from the secret bottling of Grange in 1951 and the unbroken line of vintages of what is now Australia’s most iconic wine. Today, the collection continues to display the distinctive and consistently recognisable Penfolds ‘House Style’; the ultimate expression of Penfolds time-honored tradition of sourcing the best fruit from the best regions. Historic blends, significant milestones and heritage vineyards have been honoured by a lineage of custodians whose courage and imagination, precision and humility have ensured Penfolds remains true to its original values while remaining relevant for current and future generations. The stories and philosophies behind each label bring a timeless quality, making Penfolds wines special and compelling for collectors and drinkers the world over. 

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