Grange Hermitage 2012 Penfolds

Latest Pro-tasting notes

54 tasting notes

98p by Hiroshi Ishida
99p by James Halliday / BWW2024 Finalist
95p by Martin Wouters
98p by Toshi Nakamoto
18p by Jancis Robinson MW / BWW2024/Best Wine Critic of the World
96p by Samuel Gates / Wine dealer
97p by Samuel Gates / Wine dealer
96p by Alex Coultas

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.

- Ken Gargett

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.

- Hiroshi Ishida

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.

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

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.

- Jeff Eckhard / Wine dealer (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)

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.

- Andrew Caillard MW / BWW2024 Finalist

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.

- Peter Gago / Penfolds

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

- Christer Byklum/ BWW2024 Finalist

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.

- Erin Larkin / BWW2024 Finalist

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.

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

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.

- Tess Murray / Sommelier (Tasting note created by Tb's AI)

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