Ratings & Tasting Notes:

99 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

 Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2012 Grange sports an earthy/meaty nose with notes of tree bark, dusty earth, underbrush and chargrill over a core of dried mulberries and Christmas cake, plus hints of pepper and baking spices. Rich, medium to full-bodied and seductive, it has spicy layers and a long meaty/savory finish. (LPB)  (10/2017)

98 points Decanter

 A blend of 98% Shiraz and a leavening of just 2% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. This latest Grange is a typical, deeply saturated ruby in colour with an immensely seductive aromatic quality. Aromas of smoked meats, coconut and roasted coffee oak with a balsamic hint lead into a wonderful full-throttle, tongue-enveloping blackberry richness suffused with mocha, liquorice spiciness and a black olive background. A textured framework of tight but fine-grained tannins contains the fruit. The drinking window will open relatively early in three to four years and stay open for another 30 years plus. (AR)

98 points James Suckling

 A simple split between the Barossa Valley (81%) and McLaren Vale (19%), this has all the hallmarks of a great Grange. Deep and ripe dark-plum and black-cherry aromas lead the nose, and there’s plum cake here too that’s really ripe and deeply spicy. The 100% new American oak has been thoroughly subsumed below tarry and savory brooding notes of black licorice and olive tapenade. The palate’s incredibly poised and has richness with composure driven by tight-knit tannins and plenty of ripe dark-plum and cherry-fruit flavors. It is neatly crafted, powerful yet contained and smoothly rendered into the finish. This is a powerful vintage that has been cleverly polished and tamed in the winery; it will live long. Best from 2025 and for two decades after that.  (1/2017)

98 points Wine & Spirits

 This vintage of Grange is 98 percent shiraz, the balance cabernet sauvignon, the sources limited to Barossa and McLaren Vale, where the mild 2012 season and its cool nights sustained even ripening in the grapes, with smaller-than-usual berries and bunch sizes. It’s a succulent vintage of Grange, fresh in its intensity, luscious in its elegance, cool in its lasting sense of incipient complexities. There’s nothing aggressive about the wine as it presents a range of flavors, from anise to blueberry skins and tart, fresh-picked blackberries, held in tension by the structure, which feels more fruit-driven than oak-derived (though if you consider it carefully, you can sense the oak in underlying notes of coffee and the crisp direction of the flavor). The tannins have a silky abrasion that sets this wine apart. Among the best releases of Grange in the modern era—under chief winemaker Peter Gago and his predecessor, John Duval—this is a wine to hold for decades.  (2/2017)

97 points Wine Spectator

 Powerful and impressive, this seamless expression offers chai tea, sandalwood, dark chocolate, gingerbread and tobacco notes that complement the juicy black cherry fruit flavors at the core. Gains momentum on the finish. Intense but polished, revealing an air of weightlessness that lingers. Drink now through 2035. *Collectibles* (MW)  (2/2017)

Cult Wines International Notes:

Penfolds Grange is an Australian wine icon with a rich history, a benchmark for fine wine in the Southern Hemisphere. It was first created in 1951 by winemaker Max Schubert, who aimed to produce a world-class wine that could rival the great Bordeaux vintages. At the time, his style of winemaking was highly unconventional, but it ultimately proved to be revolutionary.

The story of the first vintage is one of defiance and vision. In the early 1950s, after a trip to Bordeaux, Penfolds winemaker Max Schubert returned to Australia with a new goal: to create an Australian red wine that could age for at least 20 years, just like the great wines of France. His first attempt was the 1951 Grange, an experimental Shiraz that he produced with new American oak barrels. When he presented the wine to the Penfolds board and other wine experts in 1957, the reception was universally negative. Critics believed the wine was too intense and not suited to Australian tastes at the time, which favored lighter-bodied wines. The board was so disappointed that they ordered him to immediately stop production.

However, Schubert was undeterred. Convinced that his wine would prove its value with age, he continued to make the next three vintages—1957, 1958, and 1959—in secret, hiding them in the depths of the Magill Estate cellars.

It wasn’t until 1960 that the board, now with a greater appreciation for the aging potential of the early Grange vintages, gave him the green light to officially resume production. Unbeknownst to them, Schubert had never stopped. This bold act of rebellion ensured that the Grange legacy remained unbroken, cementing its status as a wine of international repute.

Grange is considered a “multi-vineyard” and “multi-district” blend, which is a hallmark of its style. It is primarily made from Shiraz grapes, but a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon is sometimes included. The grapes are sourced from a variety of vineyards across South Australia to ensure that the blend consistently expresses the Penfolds house style, regardless of vintage conditions in a single area.

The wine is renowned for its immense power, concentration, and incredible aging potential. On the nose, it is famously complex, with notes of dark plum, blackberry, licorice, and often, hints of warm spices and dark chocolate. On the palate, it is full-bodied and intense, with layers of rich fruit and firm, yet integrated, tannins. Despite its power, it maintains a remarkable elegance and balance. Penfolds Grange has achieved international acclaim and is one of the most collectible and highly sought-after wines in the world.

Bottle Size:

1.5L Magnum

Storage History:

Always stored in a climate controlled cellar.

Condition:

Excellent condition as shown.