Penfold's Grange is Australia's most revered wine, and its creation represents a distillation of Max Schubert's ambition for Australian wine. Schubert joined Penfolds as a messenger boy in 1931 and by 1948, he became Penfolds' first Chief Winemaker. In the latter part of 1950, Schubert was sent to Europe to investigate winemaking practices in Spain and Portugal. On a side trip to Bordeaux, Schubert was inspired and impressed by the French cellared-style wines and dreamed of making 'something different and lasting' of his own. Combining traditional Australian techniques, inspiration from Europe and precision winemaking practices developed at Penfolds, Schubert made his first experimental wine in 1951. In 1957, Schubert was asked to show his efforts in Sydney to top management, invited wine identities and personal friends of the board. To his horror, the Grange experiment was universally disliked and Schubert was ordered to shut down the project. Max continued to craft his Grange vintages in secret, hiding three vintages '57, '58 and '59, in the depths of the cellars. Eventually, the Penfolds board ordered production of Grange to restart, just in time for the 1960 vintage. From then on, international acknowledgment and awards were bestowed on Grange, including the 1990 vintage of Grange, which was named Wine Spectator's Red Wine of the Year in 1995. Today, Grange's reputation as one of the world's most celebrated wines continues to grow. On its 50th birthday in 2001, Grange was listed as a South Australian heritage icon, while the 2008 Grange vintage achieved a perfect score of 100 points by two of the world's most influential wine magazines. With every new generation of Penfolds winemakers, Max Schubert's remarkable vision is nurtured and strengthened.
Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz 2007 is a wine that represents the best of Australian winemaking. Grange is arguably Australia's most celebrated wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. The wine 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. Penfolds 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 consistent of the world's great wines. The Grange style is the original and most powerful expression of Penfolds multi-vineyard, multi-district blending philosophy. The Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz 2007 is a wine that embodies this philosophy. The wine is made from fully-ripe, intensely-flavoured Shiraz grapes sourced from multiple vineyards and districts in South Australia. The result is a wine that is complex, balanced and powerful.
Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz 2007 is a wine that exudes power and complexity. The colour is a dense, vivid red that is almost impenetrable to the rim. The nose is unmistakably Grange, with formic, ripe and pungent aromas that are both confronting and appealing. The core of the nose is darker elements, such as soy, cola, peat, coal-dust and Dutch black liquorice with sesame, sea-weed and quince paste. Beneath these are coffee-grind, mocha and bitter chocolate notes from the oak. Above it all are African spices and a fleeting glacial waft. On the palate, the wine is balanced and accessible, fresh and tight. There is a structural and textural continuum with no beginning or end, no gaps - the wine is complete. The flavours are a mix of dates, persimmon and roasted nuts, with notes of freshly baked pecan-pie and Portuguese custard tart. The oak is omnipresent but not prominent, completely assimilated into the wine. The tannins are neither obstructive nor aggressive, effortlessly conveying flavours. The wine has been matured for 21 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads and three years in the bottle, which has moulded the structural and tactile Grange package. The grapes for this wine were sourced from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Magill Estate vineyards in South Australia. The 2007 vintage was challenging, with low winter temperatures threatening severe frosts and accompanied by low winter rainfall. Dry conditions persisted throughout the growing season, and unusually high summer temperatures followed, which placed pressure on water resources and fruit exposure. Low crops and the resultant fruit ripened relatively quickly and were selectively and successfully harvested earlier, parcel by parcel, pursuing full flavours, structure and balance. This wine is made from 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet and is a perfect match for 80 day dry aged South Devon scotch fillet, wattleseed, pumpkin and chestnut. The Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz 2007 is a wine that is sure to impress any wine enthusiast. It represents the best of Australian winemaking, with its complex flavours, balanced structure and powerful expression of the South Australian terroir.
The 2007 Penfolds Grange is comprised of 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon coming predominately from Barossa vineyards with smaller proportions from Magill Estate and McLaren Vale. It was matured for 21 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. Very deep garnet-purple in color, the nose is intensely scented of vibrant blueberry preserve, mulberry and kirsch aromas over hints of cedar, mocha, vanilla and anise. The full bodied palate is richly fruited with pure black berry and baking spice flavors offset by crisp acidity and a firm level of velvety tannins, finishing long. This is quite an opulent, forward Grange, which is very tempting to drink now, though of course will reward at least 5-10 years of cellaring and should keep to 2030+. 95 Points/Drink 2017-2030+ - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate
