PenfoldsGrange 2012

As usual, this Grange contains a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon, just 2%. Very deep purple-black in color, it opens on the nose with complex earthy/meaty/savory notes, soon giving way to baked blackberries, plum preserves, hoisin and Chinese five spice with dabs of sandalwood, licorice, menthol and vanilla. The palate reveals a surprisingly open, rich, full-bodied expression exuding a powerhouse of velvet-lined decadence. Still, it characteristically possesses that rock-solid “Grange” backbone of firm tannins and great freshness expressed in a real lively lift to the finish. And the finish is epically long. There are some stylistic similarities here to the opulent, gregarious 2008 vintage, perhaps just lacking ever so slightly in the same exhilarating abandonment of winemaking protocols for the celebration of the fruit and sites. That said, this is unquestionably a stonking great Grange!

"This vintage was destined to be one of the greatest Granges. In the flesh it is majestically complex, superbly focused and intense, and wondrously balanced. It has every black fruit flavour known to man or woman, and will become more magical with each passing decade."

"One of the best Granges, this offers a complex panoply of richness and flavour. It is a wine of light and shade, dark fruit intensity, a beautifully balanced artwork from a classic even-year Grange vintage. This is 98% shiraz and 2% cabernet sauvignon and a blend of Barossa and McLaren Vale fruit. It spent 18 months in 100% new American hogsheads, which merely added palate interest. Oak certainly does not intrude on the kaleidoscope of flavour. Fleshy and soft with notes from olives to blackcurrants, it is more than the sum of its parts. Outstanding and one for both wine lovers and investors."

Very dark purple. Floral notes and P Gago says ‘formic acid’. Heady and powerful. Such savour and yet breadth too. Very sweet but then cool. Great depth and reminds me of a cool pool in a wood. Spice and sweetness. Will not be disappointing. Very smart. Long and creamy. Really energetic. Luscious fruit. 81% Barossa, 19% McLaren Vale from a dry winter. 98% Shiraz, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. Acidity 6.8 g/l, pH 3.63. 18 months in new American hogsheads. Gago likens this vintage to 1963 and describes it as ‘luxury that treads lightly’.

There’s major interest this year on Grange, not because anyone except the very well-heeled will be rushing out to buy it at $850 a pop, but because the 2012 is an exceptional vintage. What is it about a great Grange as compared with an ‘ordinary’ Grange, such as the 2011? The wine has greater intensity of flavour, marvellous balance (encompassing more seamless oak and more supple tannins than the norm), more power (not exactly a rarity: Grange always has plenty of power), but the most defining feature of a great Grange is the complexity of bouquet and flavour. The multiplicity of flavours is astonishing. For a young wine to be so complex is impressive, and yes, four-and-a-half years is not exactly young for a new-release red wine these days, but it is young for a wine which can have a 50-year lifespan. The wine has great character – and this is what leads me to suspect it will turn out to be one of the great Granges in time. I rated it 98, with a postscript that as it matures and builds even further complexity and charm, it could easily score an extra point. I never score higher than 99..."

"This latest Grange is a typical, deeply saturated ruby in colour with an immensely seductive aromatic quality. Aromas of smoked meats, coconut and roasted coffee oak with a balsamic hint lead into a wonderful full-throttle, tongue-enveloping blackberry richness suffused with mocha, liquorice spiciness and a black olive background. A textured framework of tight but fine-grained tannins contains the fruit. The drinking window will open relatively early in three to four years and stay open for another 30 years plus."

"Grange is Australia’s Grand Cru, First Growth and Prestige Cuvée all in one. Is it worth all the hype and yet another price rise? Too right it is. 2012 represents an iteration that unites brooding presence with an epic core of structure. The signature crushed ant and coal dust complexity that define Grange ride over a deep core of black plum and blackberry fruit heralded by a dark, vibrant purple hue. Dark chocolate American oak (18 months in 100% new oak, as always) declares its presence but quickly tucks in behind the fruit, to form a palate of impeccable polish and remarkable line and persistence, albeit without quite the structural polish of 2010. This year it’s a blend of 98% Barossa and McLaren Vale shiraz with 2% Barossa cabernet sauvignon. The Penfolds ‘Tribal Elders’ reportedly compare the 2012 Grange with the 1963, while Peter Gago says it channels the 2010, and rates both ahead of 2008, though admits it will take 20 years to know for certain."

"Delikat årgång av vinet. Elegant,
tillgänglig och balanserad. Harmonisk. Feminint maskulin kraft vilket innebär ett rödhårigt silkesmotstånd med mörkare, mogna bär med större sötma och koncentrerad kraft. Faten har en viktig roll men låter sig aldrig dominera vinet, liksom de vegetala tonerna som plikttroget håller sig på mattan. Mjukt intensiv och graciös densitet."

Powerful and impressive, this seamless expression offers chai tea, sandalwood, dark chocolate, gingerbread and tobacco notes that complement the juicy black cherry fruit flavors at the core. Gains momentum on the finish. Intense but polished, revealing an air of weightlessness that lingers. Drink now through 2035.