Penfolds Grange 2014

The original and most powerful expression of Penfolds multi-vineyard, multi-district blending philosophy, Grange is arguably Australia’s most celebrated wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. Crafted utilising fully-ripe, intensely-flavoured and structured shiraz grapes, the result is a unique Australian style that is now recognised as one of the most consistent of the world’s great wines. With an unbroken line of vintages from the experimental 1951, Grange clearly demonstrates the synergy between shiraz and the soils and climates of South Australia.

"This release of Penfolds Grange was sourced from a number of South Australian regions and saw, of course, 100% new American oak. This 2014 Grange includes 2% cabernet sauvignon. My daughter loves baking cakes and as a result I love crushing ants. One sniff and I was in my kitchen with my daughter. There you go. It’s archetypal Grange, smooth, svelte, aristocractic, bright and dense at once, the pride of South Australia and the entire Penfolds red wine line-up all rolled and synergised into one. I see soy and I see spice, I see vanilla and various things nice, but mostly I just see quality nipped and tucked, gathered and applied in such a way that it’s perfect. I didn’t spit it out and I don’t regret it. For a second I was a better man. 2014 Grange will not let anyone down." - Campbell Mattinson, Wine Front

"Rich, concentrated and intense, the 2014 Grange delivers exactly what we've come to expect from this Penfolds icon wine. It's full-bodied, velvety in feel and loaded with plummy fruit, framed in vanilla and cedar. Dense, powerful and tannic, it should prove to be long lived, even by Grange standards. Gago doesn't rate the vintage overall that highly, but he says the selection this year for Grange was a bit more stringent and that production levels were just average. Drink 2025-2050. 98 points Joe Czerwinski – Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate"

"Hill of Grace's rival for Shiraz supremacy is surely the fabled Grange from Penfold's, which, in complete contrast, is and has always been, a multiregional blend. It's opaque in colour, with dense aromas of plums and fruitcake, cloves, raw meat, and mint cake - truly complex if rather overbearing. The palate is similarly bold and full-bodied, with immense tannins though not overblown. Robust and structured, of course, showing great energy and texture, but essentially monolithic. Very long. (SB)  (8/2019)100 points -Decanter"

"Deep, dense youthful red/purple colour. The bouquet is a riot of preserved plums, mocha, smoky toasty oak - less obvious than the Granges of yore - with hints of tar and graphite. The wine is full-bodied but it's not a blockbuster. It's dense and concentrated, but not overpowering. Indeed, the wine is superbly balanced and has even a touch of elegance. The tannins are certainly abundant, with a touch of traditional Grange firmness, but it's a very easy Grange to understand and enjoy. Less likely to intimidate! (HH) (8/2018) 98 points Bob Campbell"