Overview
The original and most powerful expression of Penfolds multi-vineyard, multi-district blending philosophy, Grange is arguably Australia’s most celebrated wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia.
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.
Vintage Conditions
The Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale regions were impacted with lower than average rainfall across the winter period. This resulted in early budbreak in spring. Healthy and welcome spring rain ensued, merging with a mild summer with just a few short periods of heat.
Mild daytime temperatures and cool evenings were observed across the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, allowing impressive flavour development without inflated baumés. Balanced canopies and crops provided even development throughout veraison across both regions.
Bursts of warmth and dry conditions continued throughout harvest allowing the fruit to be picked in optimal condition.
Smaller berry and bunch sizes along with favourable weather conditions induced great results for traditional quality markers-colour, tannin profile, fruit concentration and flavour depth.
Tasting Notes
The 2012 vintage of Penfolds Grange was sourced from outstanding vineyard across South Australia. The fruit was fermented in the cellars at Nuriootpa, completing fermentation and 18 months maturation in new American oak hogsheads.
Colour: Dense and imposing. Dark… RED
Nose: Unmistakably, it is what it is. In a word, Grange. (Almost) all unleashed immediately upon the first splash into the glass – exuberant, lifted, flamboyant. 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?)
Palate: Fresh and refined. Nervy. Red liquorice, gravy reduction flavours and black olive tapenade to the fore. And then, just so much more! Where to start? Compelling depth – weighty/voluminous/fleshy – structurally complete and even throughout. A radiant inner sheen, yet still assertive – a film 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.
