1978 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Hermitage – South Australia ★★★★★
G 96
Deep crimson. Roasted chestnut, apricot, sesame, dark chocolate, tawny ground coffee aromas with leather spice notes. Lovely richly complex wine with deep-set, roasted chestnut, espresso liquorice, dark fruits, fine plentiful chocolaty tannins, malty vanilla/mocha oak complexity and long mineral acidity. Finishes chalky/slightly drying firm and inky long with espresso/soy demi-glace notes. In really good place right now. Lovely mature Grange. 90% Shiraz 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now–2035, 13.3% alc Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley)/Barossa Valley/Magill Estate (Adelaide)/ McLaren Vale/Clare Valley/Coonawarra. The first vintage-dated ‘Grange Hermitage’ corks are introduced.
1979 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Hermitage – South Australia ★★★
G 94
Not a classic Grange, but still showing fresh dark chocolate cedar, dark fruits and fine-grained lacy tannins. Should last for a while longer. 87% Shiraz 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now–2025, 12.9% alc Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley)/Barossa Valley/Clare Valley/Magill Estate (Adelaide)/McLaren Vale. Magnums first released. Last vintage using bottles with off-white foil capsules.
1980 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Hermitage – South Australia ★★★
G 90
Richly concentrated with dark chocolate, panforte hint mint notes, fine persistent powdery tannins. Still has density and richness but the energy is flagging. Drink up. 96% Shiraz, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now, 12.5% alc Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley)/Barossa Valley/Clare Valley/Magill Estate (Adelaide)/McLaren Vale/Coonawarra.
1981 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Hermitage – South Australia ★★★
G 95
A sturdy Grange with plentiful dark chocolate, dark berry, dried fruits, graphite characters and dense powerful firm tannins. Will continue to hold. 89% Shiraz, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now–2025, 12.7% alc Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley)/Barossa Valley/Magill Estate (Adelaide)/ Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide)/Clare Valley, Coonawarra.
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The Vintage Journal – Verticals
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