new ideas from Bordeaux, and precision winemaking practices developed at Penfolds, Max Schubert made his first experimental wine in 1951. Although it was never released commercially, he called it Grange Hermitage, after the house and vineyard established by Dr Christopher and Mary Penfold in 1844. Schubert’s choice of shiraz, also known as ‘hermitage’ or ‘red hermitage’ in Australia, was based on availability, quality, reliability and continuity of supply. Cabernet sauvignon was not widely planted in South Australia at the time. Although Penfolds had recently acquired the Barossa Valley’s Kalimna Vineyard, including the 1888 Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon plantings, the yields and quality were inconsistent. Over the next five years, Max Schubert quietly and studiously deve loped the Grange style. Using ground-breaking technology developed by Penfolds scientist Dr Ray Beckwith, in which wine could be accurately
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The Vintage Journal – Verticals
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