Product Information:
An impressive and complete offering. This 2006 Grange is compared to the legendary 2002 and 2004 Grange vintages respectively. Dark berry core, spice-laden, vanilla, dark chocolate and a solid overlay of oak. A vintage that maintains the legend of Grange.
Shiraz (98%) Cabernet (2%) from Barossa Valley, Coonawarra and Magill vineyards. Matured for 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads.
Combining traditional Australian techniques, inspiration from Europe and precision winemaking practices developed at Penfolds, Max 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.
Maker:
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.
Vineyards:
2006 was a relatively early vintage, with low rainfall and warm weather contributing to an early budburst and flowering. Mild to warm weather throughout summer helped the fruit to mature well and assisting rains prior to harvest allowed fruit to ripen with good varietal character.
Nose - Panaforte Fig, Quince Paste, Nutmeg
Very Penfolds, very Barossa, very Grange! Scents, now five years in the making, weave their charm - this aromatic quilt's first-noted brightest colours are panaforte fig and quince paste alongside cured/smoked meats. Its fabric is meshed with spice - cinnamon, vanillin pod, nutmeg and black pepper - tempered by teppanyaki sauces, amaretto/almond.
Palate - Deep Maraschino Core, Dark Chocolate, Black Licorice
A dark thread connects - black liquorice, olive and fresh Arabica coffee-bean and soy. Background nutty oak (Brazil nut) beneath.
Finish - Roast Lamb Jus, Cola, Rosemary
Its reverent tannins and oak convey & propel flavours of slow-roasted lamb (avec jus), dark chocolate, cola, maraschino, with a menthol/rosemary lift to finish. Alluringly, a plush satin/cashmere mouthfeel compounds the initial confusion - accessible, yet poised to evolve and complex over many decades.
Dense and quite closed wine that is a little hard to read at this stage. Big and powerful red with great power and intensity. Obviously the best years lie ahead but this is clearly an impressive red now. Dark berry, spice, vanilla, dark chocolate and a solid overlay of oak. Hard to say whether it's a classic Grange but it's certainly very, very good. - Bob Campbell, The Real Review 98 Points.
2006 Grange is a focused, oak sopper of formidable physique that shows its hallmark ability to impressively mesh raw, layered fruit power, architectural tannins and a swathe of pristine, heady oak. It bugs me to see the wine in this state – as a glass-to-glasser in its infancy it is adamantine in this incarnation. Here, we as wine writers, are given the job of soothsayers; will it live for decades, undoubtably, will it further weave and show the kind of intellectual edifice for which this acolyte of wines is renowned, I reckon. It’s as impressive as I have ever seen new release Grange and a treatise to the work and machinations of winemaking. However, it also manages to toe a line that represents a manifestation of the old school sense of brooding, pent up muscle-and-brawn, while showing the lattice-work of modern ripeness and tannin flex. A fountain of youth forged from vineyard and fruit selection. There is a quiet awe at hand, but here is the consumer advocate in sotto voce, as this is a wine that strays from where current pleasures lie for me. Regardless, credit is due… - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front, 96 Points.
98% Shiraz, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. TA 6.8 g/l, pH 3.49. 96% Barossa – but labelled simply as Australia. Leathery and liquorice. Reminds me a bit of port – no surprise, perhaps. Dramatic, symphonic black fruit. Really packs it in. Maintains the legend. - Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18.5/20.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Shiraz 98%, Cabernet Sauvignon 2%
Country - Australia
Region - Barossa Valley, South Australia
Vintage - 2006
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14.5%
