Five Decades of Penfolds Grange vertical tasting

Described by Hugh Johnson as the “only first growth of the southern hemisphere” and by Robert Parker as “the world’s most exotic and concentrated wine,” Penfolds Grange is definitely the most famous wine coming out of Australia and a fixture in the cellars of serious wine collectors around the world. These considerations, plus our love of the wine, caused Ron to propose a vertical tasting to our group. We agreed immediately and Ron set about making plans for the tasting. The wines would be sourced from his cellar and participants would re-imburse him for the cost. I invited DLynn Proctor, Penfolds US Winemaking Ambassador, and one of the stars of the movie SOMM (and a valued friend), to guide us through the tasting; and he agreed. The tasting was held last Friday night and I recount it in this post

Forgot the link. Here goes

Drank a lot of Penfolds when I lived in Fla too, maybe the good distribution still exists. Think the oldest we ever had was from the late 70s, we mostly uncorked bottles that weren’t even 10 years old. I had a chance to drink the 1964 once but couldn’t make it to NOLA for that tasting.

Looks like a sensational evening, thanks so much for sharing the link and your thoughts with us, Keith.

I had the 1994 about 5 years ago in London—it was still a baby. I also tasted the 2008 last January, it will be a titan someday, but that someday has to be 15 years down the road at least.

Sante and well done,

Mike

Thanks for the notes. We are doing a smaller vertical on Thursday with some of those wines from the 80s thru 00. Too bad the pricing on these has gotten so crazy.

Considering the coin I’d reach for a first growth every time.

When I moved to Orlando, Florida, in 1992, Penfolds was easily one of the most dominant brands, both at retailers and at restaurants. Not so any more.

I cannot recall when I last tasted a Penfolds.

I still find it hard to comprehend that the wine has gone up $400/bottle or whatever in price in the last decade. Obviously, the demand is strong enough coming from somewhere, but I just don’t see it or sense it at all.

I shared a 1997 at a restaurant once like ten years ago, and I own one bottle of 1999. Nobody I drink wine with seems to have Grange or particularly care about it, so that 1999 might be the second and last time I taste the stuff.

I’m so old, I can remember when I could buy that wine.

Ah, thanks for the memories.

Interestingly, my local big chain food supermarket has a 2000 grange for under $300, but it’s one of the few sub-rated years (I guess an 89 RP is sub-par ), so I’ve been trying to get them to let me have it for under $200. Thanks for the write up on the vertical.

First, thanks for the notes. Second, in terms of pricing, my recollection is that Grange really shot up in price when the 1998 was released and got great reviews.

Bruce

The 2000 vintage got absolutely slated by a number of Aussie critics - a number arguing they simply should have not released anything under the label that year in order to protect the brand. Halliday was positive, but as he was employed by Southcorp at the time, there were grumblings that he wasn’t in a position to say anything too challenging.