2012 Penfolds Grange (1.5L)

Syrah from South Australia, Australia

B-21 Top Recommendation
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Counted among a handful of iconic wines instantly recognizable by a single word, pioneering Penfolds winemaker Max Schubert began his secretive experiment in the 1950’s to craft a highly distinctive Shiraz blending grapes from across South Australia’s best vineyards with techniques considered unconventional at the time, initially calling it Grange Hermitage and eventually changing it simply to “Grange." Described as “unquestionably Australia’s benchmark wine” by Vinous critic Josh Raynolds, this selection of highly rated Penfolds Grange vintages available in a range of formats is being offered at special, one-time pricing that Aussie Shiraz fans and collectors of the world’s best wines will want to secure without hesitation.

Among the first to establish vineyards in South Australia’s Adelaide, Dr. Christopher Penfold and his wife Mary established Penfolds in 1844, naming their stone cottage situated among the vines The Grange and eventually growing to become one of the country’s largest wine producers. Now celebrating the 70th anniversary of its first release, continuity has played a big part in the overwhelming success of Penfolds Grange, with only three other winemakers after Schubert crafting its signature style. As Chief Winemaker for Penfolds since 1989, Peter Gago has carried on the Grange tradition of blending mainly Shiraz and usually (although not always as in 2017) a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon from multiple vineyards across multiple regions, a practice which minimizes the impact of vintage variations, and ages Grange in large casks of 100% new American oak with nearly four more years in the bottle, yielding elegant spiced dark fruit balanced with precise acidity and velvety, forceful tannins ensuring decades of evolution. Described as “a massive wine” by the Wine Spectator’s Harvey Steiman, the 97 pt. 1995 Penfolds Grange has enjoyed over two decades of impeccable aging and is ready to enjoy, “majestic in its proportions, combining power and grace in equal measure” with a finish that “echoes all day and night.” Available in magnums, the 99 pt. 2012 Penfolds Grange is “unquestionably a stonking great Grange!” according to the Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown with a finish that’s “epically long.” Declaring the 100 pt. 2014 Grange “doesn’t disappoint,” Jeb Dunnuck describes it as “unquestionably the reference point wine for Australia,” while calling the 100 pt. 2015 Grange “a monster of wine and one of those rare wines that blends power and elegance perfectly.” Described by the Wine Spectator’s MaryAnn Worobiec as “memorable, complex, aromatic and explosively deep,” the 98 pt. 2017 Penfolds Grange is both elegant and muscular boasting “a stature and presence possessed only by Grange” according to Aussie expert Tyson Stelzer of the Halliday Wine Companion, only the seventh Grange ever made with 100% Shiraz.

Described as “Shiraz at its finest” by Inside Bordeaux’s Jane Anson, the mythical and highly collectible Penfolds Grange sets the standard for Australian Shiraz, these selections all top-rated vintages guaranteeing enjoyment for decades and certain to be a focal point in any collector’s cellar.

99WA

99AWC

98W&S

98JS

97WS

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.

99 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (Issue # 233 - Oct 2017)

Bottle no. AV697. This vintage was destined to be one of the greatest Granges. In the flesh it is majestically complex, superbly focused and intense, and wondrously balanced. It has every black fruit flavour known to man or woman, and will become more magical with each passing decade. Oh for a screwcap.

99 points, James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion (Aug 2017)

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.

98 points, Wine & Spirits (Feb 2017)

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.

98 points, James Suckling (Jan 2017)

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. 357 cases imported.

97 points, MaryAnn Worobiec, Wine Spectator (Feb 2017)

Alcohol By Volume: 14.5%

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