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Tasting notes
Bottles sourced from within the UK. Bottle 1 : Buttery, heady nose. Such a big mouthful! But already composed and at such a different stage in its evolution than the much more youthful 2008. Such concentration! So rich!! Yes, tasty and so long. Glorious. Bottle 2 : If anything, a bit drier than the first bottle! On second tasting, just slightly more voluptuous, but it’s a close-run thing. (JR)
Critic scores
Average Score
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Vibrant and concentrated black cherry and damson flavours, still young, edges of cigar box and sandalwood. There would have been a difference in the way the team worked with the tannins from a decade earlier, with a little barrel ferment and softer extraction methods (components were made at Magill still in the old basket press for the part of Grange that comes from this site). Peter Gago chief winemaker.
Dark, blackish crimson. Savoury, leathery notes on the nose and then very appealing sweetness (much more so than the 1999) on the palate. Long and liquorice. Real energy. Plus sweet charm. Count me in for this one! Though perhaps it won’t last as long as some? A charmer rather than a bodybuilder. (JR)
Tasted blind. Youthful crimson. Extremely spearminty! Sweet start. I assume this is Australian. Muscular. Fairly dry tannins on the end but masses of clean dry fruit on the way there. Big and bold on the finish. Glossy and exuberant. (JR)
About the producer
Penfolds is Australia’s most famous wine producer, known best for their iconic top wine, Grange. First produced commercially in 1952, Grange has since gone on to become one of the world’s most famous fine wines. In 2001, the wine was listed as an Australian heritage icon.