Product Information:
Penfold chief winemaker, Peter Gago comments, "Two decades into the new millennium. Penfolds 180th Anniversary year. Following stellar Grange vintages of 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2016, 2018. No pressure. And, no Magill Estate Shiraz inclusion in this 2020 blend." Structurally this release has all the usual suspects with its plush, velvety tannins and vanillin, supportive oak, but the palate goes deeper revealing gorgeous fruits and spice, textures, layers of complexity. The 2020 Grange is a classic in the making. This Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz 2020 comes gift boxed.
Grange is arguably Australia’s most celebrated wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. A powerful expression of Penfolds multi-vineyard, multi-district blending philosophy. It's crafted utilising fully ripe, intensely flavoured and structured 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. With an unbroken line of vintages from the experimental 1951, Grange clearly demonstrates the synergy between shiraz and the soils and climates of South Australia.
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.
Maker:
Penfolds has been a pioneer in the world of winemaking since its establishment in 1844 by Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold. The company's success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers who have pushed the development of the company to extraordinary, bold new heights. Mary Penfold's reign at the helm of Penfolds saw years of determination and endeavour, experimenting with new methods in wine production. In 1948, Max Schubert became the company's first Chief Winemaker and he propelled Penfolds onto the global stage with his experimentation of long-lasting wines - the creation of Penfolds Grange in the 1950s. Soon, the medals began flowing, and Grange quickly became one of the most revered wines around the world. In 2012, Penfolds released its most innovative project to date - 12 handcrafted ampoules of the rare 2004 Kalimna Block Cabernet Sauvignon. Today, Penfolds continues to hold dear the philosophies and legends that have driven the company's success since its establishment in 1844.
Vineyards:
South Australia experienced its second successive winter marked by drought, with the Barossa Valley recording its driest year on record and the Clare Valley experiencing its driest winter in over a century. These arid conditions persisted into spring, leading to delayed flowering and fruit set, underscoring irrigation's crucial role due to below-average root zone moisture levels. Both the Clare Valley and Barossa Valley regions were touched by September frosts, though losses were alleviated through frost fans. Summer commenced with an intense heatwave across the state, resulting in 26 days above 35°C in the Barossa Valley alone. However, a reprieve came with cooler weather in January and February. McLaren Vale was more fortunate, benefiting from higher-than-average rainfall in February which bolstered vine health for the rest of the growing season. Lower bunch weights and berry counts were recorded across all regions leading to significantly reduced yields. However, these testing conditions often culminate in exceptional quality fruit. Indeed, 2020 saw some remarkable Shiraz crops that have contributed to an opulent expression of Grange.
Nose - Dark Berry Fruits, Plum Cake, Woodsmoke
Deep aromas of ripe dark, blue berries with plum cake, spice, dark chocolate, sweet oak spice, dried orange peel.
Palate - Saturated Plums, Nori, Cedar
Massive concentration of plum and dark berry fruits, oak maturation characters and well-integrated chocolaty tannins.
Finish - Chocolaty Tannins, Sweet Oak Spice, Developing Complexity
Melt in your mouth tannins, lifted star anise, sage, bay leaf and savoury oak finish.
The classical and beautiful 2020 Grange, with its abundant dark berry fruits, massive concentration, oak maturation characters and well-integrated chocolaty tannins. possesses the detail and hallmarks of a First Growth Australian red. It has all the cadence and balance for long term aging. In years to come, it may be seen as one of the great vintages. - Andrew Caillard MW, 98 Points.
An interesting wine given the fact that there was no Bin 707 or Bin 169 – both cabernets - made in 2020. Clearly, shiraz figured better across South Australia in that heat wave year in which the Barossa recorded its driest year on record. The Barossa Valley joins McLaren Vale and the Clare Valley in the 2020 Grange, which is 97% shiraz with a 3% smidge of cabernet. It saw 20 months in new American hogsheads. A warm-hearted Grange to be sure, rich and full of drive as might be expected, but with the warmth of 2020 comes some lovely, gentle aromatics which brings that touch of finesse. You could say 2020 is more opulent and slightly less muscular for Grange. Deep aromas of ripe dark, blue berries with plum cake, spice, dark chocolate, sweet oak spice, dried orange peel and mahogany with attractive, lifted star anise, sage, bay leaf. Combines the basic mechanics of plush, velvety tannins and vanillin, warm oak support, but the palate explores further the depth of some gorgeous fruits and spice, textures, layers and budding complexity. It’s all ready to go and will keep building over the years ahead. Maybe not a classic Grange, but one not to be under-estimated. - Jeni Port, Wine Pilot, 98 Points.
Mint and crushed ants up front. Saturated plums, meat, woodsmoke, more ants, more crushed woodsy spices, a rusty seaweed character in among the vanilla and cedar. The tannin is a broad, powerful, commanding brush, full throttle, fully integrated. It’s not a heralded vintage necessarily but it turns out to have been a good thing; it’s not a show pony, it’s not a wall of sound, it’s Grange being Grange, authoritative, settled, the ants served crushed, the fruit deep. This release of Penfolds Grange feels true to itself; and as a result it’s seriously good. - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, 97 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - 97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet
Country - Australia
Region - Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale
Vintage - 2020
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.5%
