Grange is arguably Australia’s most celebrated wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. Grange boasts an unbroken line of vintages from the experimental 1951 and clearly demonstrates the synergy between Shiraz and the soils and climates of South Australia. Grange utilises fully-ripe, intensely-flavoured and textured 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. The Grange style is the original and most powerful expression of Penfolds multi-vineyard, multi-district, blending philosophy.

The 1998 vintage is predominantly Shiraz (97%) with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (3%). Regional Source: Sourced primarily from the Penfolds Kalimna Vineyard and other Barossa Vineyards, with proportions from Padthaway and Magill Estate. Vintage Conditions: Cool spring weather followed by a warm summer and very low rainfall created one of the classic vintages of the last two decades. Fruit quality was outstanding with incredible intensity of flavour, fine tannins and structure. The 1998 vintage of Penfolds Grange may rank amongst the very finest released. Grape Variety: Shiraz (Syrah), Cabernet Sauvignon. Maturation: 18 months in new American oak. 

A wine that flirts with perfection, and should rival the 1986 as one of the legendary Granges produced, the 1998 has one of the highest alcohol contents (nearly 15%) as well as one of the highest percentages of Shiraz in the blend (97%). Its stunning purple color is accompanied by exceptionally sweet aromas of blackberry liqueur intermixed with barbecue spices, an endearing, smoky earthiness, pepper, roasted meats, and coffee. Huge, massive, unctuously textured, and extraordinarily youthful, this impressive wine is a candidate for perfection. It should continue to evolve over the next three decades. Date Tasted: June 2009; Rating: 98+ Points; Robert Parker; Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

Image for illustrative purposes only.