This is a spectacular Grange. This will go down as another landmark Grange… I have never tasted a Grange with this individuality and presence. 20+/20 Points.
100 POINTS
Ken Gargett - Winepilot
Always the focus of the Collection, especially so when it hails from what has become a legendary vintage. The expectations for the 2021 Grange were simply that this had to be a great Grange. Anything short of that might even be deemed a failure and this is indeed an extraordinary Grange. Quite simply, a wow wine. As always, a variety of regions contributed – the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. As is usual, though not inevitable, there is a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, 6% for 2021, and the wine spent a year and a half maturing in new American hogsheads. No wonder Peter Gago’s response was a face-splitting smile and to confirm he was “very, very pleased”. Maroon/black in hue, one simply gets lost in the nose, just endlessly sniffing the most glorious cassis notes, along with black fruits, blueberries, coffee beans, aniseed, mulberries, delicatessen meats, tobacco leaves, plums and graphite. The wine is seamless, intense and immaculate with knife-edge balance. It simply dances with joy. The oak is there, undeniably, but it is so well handled that you almost have to think twice. So complex already, and yet so harmonious and decadent. Silky tannins, bright acidity, the intensity never wavers for an instant and there is incredible length – Rutherglen muscat(more...)
100 POINTS
Ken Gargett - Winepilot
Always the focus of the Collection, especially so when it hails from what has become a legendary vintage. The expectations for the 2021 Grange were simply that this had to be a great Grange. Anything short of that might even be deemed a failure and this is indeed an extraordinary Grange. Quite simply, a wow wine. As always, a variety of regions contributed – the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. As is usual, though not inevitable, there is a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, 6% for 2021, and the wine spent a year and a half maturing in new American hogsheads. No wonder Peter Gago’s response was a face-splitting smile and to confirm he was “very, very pleased”. Maroon/black in hue, one simply gets lost in the nose, just endlessly sniffing the most glorious cassis notes, along with black fruits, blueberries, coffee beans, aniseed, mulberries, delicatessen meats, tobacco leaves, plums and graphite. The wine is seamless, intense and immaculate with knife-edge balance. It simply dances with joy. The oak is there, undeniably, but it is so well handled that you almost have to think twice. So complex already, and yet so harmonious and decadent. Silky tannins, bright acidity, the intensity never wavers for an instant and there is incredible length – Rutherglen muscat length. This is as close to a perfect Grange as I can imagine. Fifty years, if you think you can last that long (or want very grateful grandkids). A Lord-take-me-now wine, if ever there was one.
The dream combination of a cool spring, average summer and mild autumn furnished slow and even ripening. The wizardry of Peter Gago and his team have juggled this juxtaposition with masterful skill. A core of black fruits of all kinds reverberates with dramatic power, accented with liquorice straps, sarsaparilla and high cocoa dark chocolate. The signature volatile acidity of Grange has been impeccably judged. The tannin profile is a wonder to behold, a captivating splay of fine-grained fruit and oak structure that envelops the mouth, wonderfully elevated and interlocked with cool season acidity. This is a vintage that demands at least 30 years before approaching and will confidently continue to marvel for half a century and perhaps beyond
From the get-go, you know you are in rarefied air. This is a spectacular statement of this great wine and will have to rank with the very best over more than 70 years. The striking features are the balance and poised integration, with its effortless and seamless long profile that builds relentlessly through to the sustained finish. It’s a blend of Barossa, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley fruit with about 6% cabernet. As is true to style, it is matured in 100% new American oak, in this case for 18 months. On the nose, dark chocolate, cocoa, and a slightly crushed ant character. The palate is sublime, almost elegant, which for a young Grange is hard to imagine. Loaded in there is a little graphite and oyster shell minerality. Quite simply, one of the five greatest.
99 POINTS
Peter Moser - Falstaff
Deep dark ruby colour, opaque core, purple reflections, delicate ochre rim brightening. Nuances of spices and precious wood, notes of dried herb, blackberry fruit, dark cherry, subtle hints of mint and eucalyptus, hints of nougat, delicate floral nuances with more air, very multi-faceted bouquet. Full-bodied, complex, red heart cherry, ripe, supporting tannins, mineral and long-lasting, subtle extract sweetness on the finish, fine saline nuances, has great length and secure development, certain ageing potential.
99 POINTS
Nick Ryan - The Australian
It is unquestionably destined for greatness, and will sit alongside the handful of top-tier Granges
99 POINTS
Lisa Cardelli - Winepilot
When I was about to move to Australia in 2010, my mentor at the time exclaimed: “Wow, you’re going to Australia! The land of Penfolds Grange!”. Grange’s name and global fame preceded it as one of the most iconic multiregional blends the vinous world knows. This stellar 2021 vintage is composed of 94% Shiraz and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, sourced from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Clare Valley. I deliberately waited over an hour before I even got near it with my nose. Yet, when the moment came, it was quiet, whispering gentle whiffs of pure spearmint oil, wild black currant, blackberry, turned earth, new leather, blue violets, bay leaf, red liquorice and that unforgettable smell from inside your best butcher shop. The tannins were dense yet sophisticated and well-built for the long haul. A lot was happening in the centre until the wine decided to regroup, walking quietly, yet with the right amount of confidence, down the long length. It was an engaging wine that evolved slowly, revealing itself gradually rather than all at once. The palate wasn’t getting fatigued; instead, it was refreshed and encouraged to continue. A masterful piece that can dose its power and class with grace. 99 pts
