TASTING NOTES These tasting notes are drawn from my collection of Grange notes taken while working on the Penfolds: The Rewards of Patience books and collection releases. I have seen all of these vintages on more than one occasion at various events, dinners and clinics over the years. Although the Grange style has never really changed, it has gone through an evolution where sourcing, technology and experience have all allowed an overall improvement in style. Were, for instance, a winemaker to edge the quality forward by 1% per year, the overall result after 70 years would be substantial! But in the case of Grange, the development of style is greatly nuanced by vintage conditions, vineyard sourcing and generational succession. When referencing these tastings notes, it’s also worthwhile to understand that perspectives change through the years. When looking back at older vintages, it is always through the looking glass of the present. Scoring is always fraught, because wine is always a moving target. The aromas and flavours change with its exposure to air, and noise can also alter perceptions. Under cork seal, bottles invariably age at a different pace. Nonetheless, through the experience of the Penfolds recorking clinics, I have always been impressed at the resilience of Grange, (stored in warmer conditions in Queensland or Western Australia, or in cooler climes like Tasmania). But there are differences. Recorked bottles with a dash of newer vintage Grange are often refreshed by this process and take a few years to settle back down. When reading these notes, it is worth understanding the concept of reputation versus individual scores. The former is usually a very good barometer and the latter a more detailed review of the vintage. As you will see below, they don’t always align. The notes in grey scale are lifted from The Rewards of Patience , but these are my notes and based on experience. Wines that are now considered as past their prime are not given scores, because there is no point. But, remember, there are always bottles that could be better. Except for experimental in-house bottlings, Penfolds Grange has always been sealed with cork. Although Grange was profoundly different, some of the vinification techniques were traditional and based on the discoveries and advances during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But they also represent major advances in fruit sourcing, wine making technology, oak maturation and
Penfolds Grange
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