Description
Penfolds has been a pioneer in the world of winemaking since its establishment in 1844 by Dr.
Christopher and Mary Penfold.
The company’s success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers who have pushed the development of the company to extraordinary, bold new heights.
Mary Penfold’s reign at the helm of Penfolds saw years of determination and endeavour, experimenting with new methods in wine production.
In 1948, Max Schubert became the company’s first Chief Winemaker and he propelled Penfolds onto the global stage with his experimentation of long-lasting wines – the creation of Penfolds Grange in the 1950s.
Soon, the medals began flowing, and Grange quickly became one of the most revered wines around the world.
In 2012, Penfolds released its most innovative project to date – 12 handcrafted ampoules of the rare 2004 Kalimna Block Cabernet Sauvignon.
Today, Penfolds continues to hold dear the philosophies and legends that have driven the company’s success since its establishment in 1844.
Schubert joined Penfolds as a messenger boy in 1931 and by 1948, he became Penfolds’ first Chief Winemaker.
In the latter part of 1950, Schubert was sent to Europe to investigate winemaking practices in Spain and Portugal.
On a side trip to Bordeaux, Schubert was inspired and impressed by the French cellared-style wines and dreamed of making ‘something different and lasting’ of his own.
Combining traditional Australian techniques, inspiration from Europe and precision winemaking practices developed at Penfolds, Schubert made his first experimental wine in 1951.
In 1957, Schubert was asked to show his efforts in Sydney to top management, invited wine identities and personal friends of the board.
To his horror, the Grange experiment was universally disliked and Schubert was ordered to shut down the project.
Max continued to craft his Grange vintages in secret, hiding three vintages ’57, ’58 and ’59, in the depths of the cellars.
Eventually, the Penfolds board ordered production of Grange to restart, just in time for the 1960 vintage.
From then on, international acknowledgment and awards were bestowed on Grange, including the 1990 vintage of Grange, which was named Wine Spectator’s Red Wine of the Year in 1995.
Today, Grange’s reputation as one of the world’s most celebrated wines continues to grow.
On its 50th birthday in 2001, Grange was listed as a South Australian heritage icon, while the 2008 Grange vintage achieved a perfect score of 100 points by two of the world’s most influential wine magazines.
With every new generation of Penfolds winemakers, Max Schubert’s remarkable vision is nurtured and strengthened.
The Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz 1997 is a wine that immediately engages the senses with its deep, crimson red color and dense ruby core.
On the nose, this wine offers wafts of nutmeg and ginger, with notes of blueberry and blackcurrant and a background of well-seasoned savory oak.
With aeration, the fruit gains more subtle perfume and chestnut complexities, making it a truly delightful experience.
On the palate, this wine is already showing excellent balance within the frame of a beautifully interwoven mesh of dark plum and blackberry fruits with fig and liquorice.
The complex fruit and spice flavors sit against a finely focused backdrop of firm but rounded tannins.
The Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz 1997 is a wine that showcases the best of Australian winemaking.
Its complex flavors and aromas, combined with its firm yet rounded tannins, make it a perfect pairing for a variety of dishes or a delightful experience on its own.
The 1997 Grange (a blend of 96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon) looks to be a classic Grange, although slightly softer and more forward than the backward 1996.
The saturated purple-colored 1997 offers a gorgeously sweet nose of blackberry liqueur, cherries, camphor, chocolate, plums, and mocha.
The wine is opulently-textured, extremely soft, layered, and seductive, with Grange’s tell-tale personality well-displayed, but in a seamless, seductive style.
This is a superb Grange that can hold its own against the more heralded 1996.
– Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, 94 Points.
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