Penfolds Grange

"A wine that flirts with perfection, and should rival the 1986 as one of the legendary Granges produced" ~ Robert Parker on the 1998 Penfolds Grange Shiraz

Founded in 1844, Penfolds is one of the earliest wineries established in Australia, helping shape the country’s nascent wine industry and ultimately defining quality wine at its highest tier. While the historic winery achieved resounding success by the early 20th century, it was the pioneering influence of winemaker Max Schubert that transformed the company into an icon.

Upon joining Penfolds in 1948, Schubert traveled to Bordeaux and, inspired by the region’s top châteaux, set out to concoct a Grand Vin if his own, releasing “Grange Hermitage” (shortened to simply “Grange” in 1990) to the masses with the 1952 vintage. Surprisingly, the wine was received with mixed reviews as the style was fashioned for ageability and not for youthful consumption, baffling the public and even causing the company to halt production (though Schubert continued on in secret). Only years later would critics rethink their stance on the flagship bottling as time allowed the aromatics to evolve and show their full potential.

Typically a Shiraz-based blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, “Grange” is a powerful style with persistent layers of spice and bold dark berries that reflects the warmth of Australia as well as the guiding hand of the winemaker. It sits apart from other top wines in the world as it emphatically upholds the virtues of blending, not only in varietal selection, but also in the choice of vineyard sites. Grapes are sourced from throughout South Australia, including from Magill Estate, the spiritual home of “Grange” where Schubert ran his initial experiments. This philosophy allows Penfolds to showcase the winemaker’s craft, featuring only the finest grapes of the vintage in service of a consistent luxury product. This guarantee of high quality, even in more challenging years, has won Penfolds devotees amongst wine collectors and critics alike.

Penfolds Grange represents the upper echelon of Australian wine, timeless and steady, always a shining example of the heights Australian wine can achieve. Schubert’s legacy lives on in these enduring styles with the seemingly endless ageability he was striving for in the 1950s. Upon his death in 1994, New York Times emphasized Schubert’s lasting contribution, stating “Grange Hermitage has won more prizes than any other Australian red wine and is regarded as the flagship of the country's wine industry.”