The 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. This release in 2021 commemorates the 70th anniversary since Grange was first made.
GRAPE VARIETY
Shiraz
VINEYARD REGION
Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale
WINE ANALYSIS
Alc/Vol: 14.5%, Acidity: 7.0 g/L, pH: 3.61
MATURATION
18 months in American oak hogsheads (100% new)
VINTAGE CONDITIONS
South Australia’s wine regions experienced a cool and relatively wet winter and spring. Growers rejoiced as rainfall records were broken across parts of the state, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale were well above winter long-term averages (122mm and 81mm respectively). This set the vines up with plentiful soil moisture profiles for the growing season and mitigated the need for irrigation. October was breezy, which challenged fruit-set, however the wind held off any potential frost events in the Barossa Valley vineyards. Cool conditions extended the growing season with flowering and veraison both later than expected. No heatwaves were recorded during summer and only a handful of days surpassed 40°C. Summer rainfall was above the long-term average, which helped to delay harvest. Drier and warmer weather prevailed in March, optimal conditions for grapes to finish ripening, develop deep colour and present strong varietal character. Harvest for shiraz grapes commence mid-March, a month later than the previous year.
COLOUR
Dense and deep, bright and lively crimson-red
NOSE
Rampant scents derived from kitchen (winery) and garden (vineyard) … A wine-loving forensic sniff or two, rather than an imagined spectrophotometric analysis reveals:
• Venison carpaccio with a sweet balsamic reduction and freshly-pressed olive oil. Or, uncured pastrami?
• A salsa verde type-emulsion with an emphasis on the parsley and extra virgin olive oil. Add tomato, omit lemon.
• Enough of the savoury – wafts of sticky rice pudding, apricot pip, vanillin pod and coconut husk.
• Subtle sweet and spiced sandalwood, ground cumin and wintergreen notes remind of an eighteen-month sabbatical in oak.
PALATE
Where to start?! An advancing wave of flavours, understated power and charm. The swell builds and a more persuasive wave follows … and then more, with each sip. In an attempt to unravel and articulate this ‘ingestion’ …
The flavours:
Laden with shiraz fruits from the Barossa to the North and McLaren to the South – ‘maritime’ and ‘continental’ climatic/varietal diversity. Red and black liquorice, soy and malt, burnt vanilla marshmallow … Dark chocolate, wrapped in a satiny copha/beeswax candle-like coating. Supple oak nuances – dexterously integrated, no doubt compliments of barrel ferment (and our valued long-time Barossa cooper).
The texture:
Mouthfeel is creamy/velvety, rather than blocky/chunky at this youthful stage in bottle. Tannins are tight, creating a dense coating, with a ‘rusty’ edge. Ebullient acidity, whilst lively and racy, is well-managed and protective. To borrow a recently read descriptor – “cherry stone minerality” …
The impression:
Swamped by a Barossa ferrous dustiness … regionally captured so persuasively with this 2017 vintage.
Demands air.
PEAK DRINKING
2027 – 2060
LAST TASTED
March 2021
