Penfolds Grange

Max Schubert (1915 to 1994), who joined Penfolds as a messenger boy in 1931 and became the company's first Chief Winemaker in 1948 at age 33, was dispatched to Europe in late 1950 to study sherry and port production in Spain and Portugal. A side trip to Bordeaux proved transformative: Schubert tasted aged wines at Château Lafite, Latour, Margaux, and Cheval Blanc, and resolved to create an Australian red 'capable of staying alive for a minimum of twenty years.' Returning to Adelaide for the 1951 vintage, he chose Shiraz as his raw material rather than Cabernet (Cabernet supplies in Australia were scarce in the early 1950s), combined traditional Australian techniques with the Bordelais lesson of extended new oak maturation, and incorporated the pH and cool-fermentation research of Penfolds scientist Ray Beckwith. The first experimental Grange was bottled from the 1951 vintage and labelled 'Grange Hermitage', after the original stone cottage at Magill Estate that Christopher and Mary Penfold had named 'The Grange' (with 'Hermitage' the Australian synonym for Shiraz at the time). When the early vintages were shown to Penfolds management and invited wine identities in Sydney circa 1956 to 1957, the wines were universally disliked, described variously as 'a concoction of berries and ironbark,' 'dry port,' and 'undrinkable.' The Penfolds board ordered Schubert to stop production. He continued in secret with the 1957, 1958, and 1959 vintages, hiding bottles in the cellar depths and producing the wines without management knowledge. As the earlier vintages aged and their quality became apparent in tastings around 1960, the board reversed course and officially reinstated Grange production. The 1955 Grange went on to win 12 trophies and 52 gold medals at Australian wine shows, and was later named one of Wine Spectator's 'Top 12 Wines of the 20th Century'. The 1962 Grange won the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show, the first of dozens of show successes that would define the wine's reputation.

• Max Schubert (Chief Winemaker 1948 to 1975) inspired by 1950 Bordeaux visit to Lafite, Latour, Margaux, and Cheval Blanc; first experimental Grange from 1951 vintage
• Initial vintages 1951 to 1956 were experimental; 1953 Bin 9 and 1953 Bin 0 are among the first commercially released; the board ordered production stopped circa 1957
• Schubert continued in secret with 1957, 1958, and 1959 vintages; aged tastings circa 1960 vindicated him and the board reinstated production from the 1960 vintage onward
• 1955 Grange named Wine Spectator 'Top 12 Wines of the 20th Century', won 12 trophies and 52 gold medals; 1962 Grange won Jimmy Watson Trophy 1962

Grange is built on multi-region South Australian Shiraz sourcing, an approach that defies Old World single-vineyard convention and instead emphasizes winemaker artistry and blending judgement. Fruit is drawn from up to 20 vineyard sites across South Australia in any given vintage, with Barossa Valley (Kalimna Vineyard purchased by Penfolds in 1945 and other Barossa estate sites) providing the structural core. McLaren Vale contributes weight and dark fruit; Coonawarra adds elegance and structure (in vintages where Coonawarra fruit is used); Adelaide Hills brings altitude-driven acid; Eden Valley and Padthaway have featured in selected vintages. The blend is typically 95 to 99 percent Shiraz with a small Cabernet Sauvignon addition; the proportion varies by vintage, and some vintages, including the original 1951, have been 100 percent Shiraz. The defining technical signature is maturation: approximately 18 to 20 months in 100 percent new American oak hogsheads, an innovation Schubert pioneered after the 1950 Bordeaux trip. American oak (contributing vanilla, coconut, dill, and sweet spice) became the Grange signature in contrast to the French oak that defines Bordeaux peers. Partial barrel fermentation, a Schubert innovation rare in 1950s Australian winemaking, contributes structural integration. The wine's style in youth shows blackberry, dark plum, bitumen, dark chocolate, leather, mocha, and the trademark American oak coconut and vanilla; with two to three decades of bottle age it evolves to leather, dried fig, tobacco, forest floor, and tertiary spice while retaining the structural framework and the recognizable oak signature. Alcohol typically sits in the 14.5 to 15 percent range. From the 2004 vintage Grange is sealed under cork sourced from premium Portuguese suppliers (with extensive quality control); Penfolds' Recorking Clinics, initiated by Peter Gago, allow collectors to have bottles 15 years and older inspected, topped up, and re-corked free of charge at events in major cities globally.

• Multi-region South Australian Shiraz cuvée drawing fruit from up to 20 vineyard sites; Barossa Valley (Kalimna and other estate sites) is the core, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Adelaide Hills, Padthaway, and Eden Valley contribute by vintage
• Composition 95 to 99 percent Shiraz with a small Cabernet Sauvignon addition; some vintages (including the original 1951) have been 100 percent Shiraz; alcohol typically 14.5 to 15 percent
• Maturation 18 to 20 months in 100 percent new American oak hogsheads, a Schubert innovation establishing American oak as the Grange signature in contrast to French oak Bordeaux peers
• Sealed under premium cork; Penfolds Recorking Clinics (initiated by Peter Gago) inspect and re-cork bottles 15+ years old free of charge at events in major cities globally

Grange's reputation is built on a remarkable series of acclaimed vintages spanning seven decades. The 1953 Bin 9 and 1953 Bin 0 are among the original commercially released vintages and remain highly sought at auction. The 1955 Grange, 90 percent Shiraz and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, won 12 trophies and 52 gold medals at Australian wine shows and was named one of Wine Spectator's 'Top 12 Wines of the 20th Century'; many critics consider it the wine that established Grange's identity. The 1971 vintage is widely regarded as one of the great Granges, with multiple critics awarding perfect scores; it remains one of the most collected and most expensive vintages at auction. The 1976 Grange received 100 points from Robert Parker. The 1986 received 100 points from Wine Spectator and was named Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in the issue covering Australian wines. The 1990 Grange was named Wine Spectator's 'Wine of the Year 1995', the first Australian wine to receive this honor and the moment many observers cite as the global breakthrough for Australian fine wine; the 1990 vintage now stands as the archetypal modern Grange. The 1996 Grange received 100 points from Robert Parker, the 1998 averaged near-perfect scores across multiple critics, and the 2002, made from a cool South Australian vintage, is admired for elegance and structural definition. The 2008 Grange, from a heatwave-influenced vintage, became the first New World wine to receive 100 points from both Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate for the same vintage, an unprecedented dual achievement. The 2010 was named Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year in 2015 (the second 'Wine of the Year' for Grange). The 2018 Grange received eight separate perfect 100-point scores from critics worldwide. The wine has now received over 30 perfect 100-point scores across its history.

• 1955 Grange: Wine Spectator 'Top 12 Wines of the 20th Century', 12 trophies and 52 gold medals at Australian wine shows; 1962 Grange: Jimmy Watson Trophy 1962
• 1971 Grange: legendary status, multiple perfect scores, one of the most expensive Grange vintages at auction; 1976 Grange: 100 points Robert Parker
• 1990 Grange: Wine Spectator Wine of the Year 1995 (first Australian wine), archetypal modern Grange; 2008 Grange: first New World wine to receive 100 points from both Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate for the same vintage
• 2010 Grange: Wine Spectator Wine of the Year 2015 (second 'Wine of the Year' for Grange); 2018 Grange: eight separate perfect 100-point scores from critics worldwide

Grange has been classified 'Exceptional' in Langton's Classification of Australian Wine since the inception of the classification by Stewart Langton in 1990, and has retained that top-tier status in every iteration since. The 'Exceptional' tier is the highest grade in Australia's most authoritative fine wine classification and contains a small group of icons including Penfolds Grange, Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, and Henschke Hill of Grace, with a handful of other regional flagships joining the tier in subsequent editions. In 2001, the South Australian National Trust listed Grange as a 'South Australian Heritage Icon' on the State Heritage Register, the only wine in Australia to receive this distinction. Grange is routinely included in international comparative tastings against Bordeaux first growths, with results consistently placing Grange at or near the top of New World classifications. The dual centrality of Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace as the most-discussed Australian icons drives a deliberate comparison: Grange represents multi-region blending power and American oak signature; Hill of Grace represents single-vineyard cool-climate purity and French oak restraint. Together they define the two great stylistic poles of Australian fine red wine.

• Langton's Classification of Australian Wine 'Exceptional' tier from 1990 inception; retains top-tier status in every classification iteration since
• South Australian Heritage Icon (National Trust, 2001): the only wine in Australia to receive this state heritage distinction
• Regularly compared to Bordeaux first growths in international tastings; consistently placed at or near top of New World classifications
• Grange and Henschke Hill of Grace together define the two stylistic poles of Australian fine red wine: multi-region American oak power versus single-vineyard French oak restraint

Grange occupies a unique position in the global fine wine market, blending blue-chip collectibility with annual release availability. Current release pricing sits around AUD $950 to $1,000 per bottle and has remained relatively stable across recent vintages. Mature vintages from the 1990s and earlier command substantial premiums, with the 1971 and 1976 routinely selling above AUD $2,000 per bottle in good condition. The 1951, the original experimental vintage, is the most expensive Grange ever sold: only about 18 bottles are known to exist, and individual bottles have sold for over AUD $50,000 at auction, including a 2017 Langton's sale at AUD $51,750 and other private treaty sales exceeding AUD $100,000 for the most provenanced bottles. A complete vertical of Grange (every vintage from 1951 through 1990) sold at Christie's auction circa 2004 for over AUD $135,000. Penfolds Recorking Clinics, initiated by Peter Gago, have inspected and re-corked tens of thousands of Grange bottles globally since the program launched in 1991; the program is offered free of charge to collectors with bottles 15 years and older, both reinforcing collectibility and ensuring quality assurance over decades. Christie's, Sotheby's, Langton's, and Bonhams all regularly include Grange in major wine auctions worldwide. Mailing list allocations through Penfolds direct channels are competitive but not as scarce as some Burgundy or Bordeaux equivalents; the wine remains accessible to collectors building cellars.

• Current release pricing AUD $950 to $1,000 per bottle; mature vintages 1971 and 1976 command AUD $2,000+ per bottle in good condition
• 1951 Grange: only about 18 bottles known to exist; individual bottles have sold for over AUD $50,000 at auction; most-provenanced bottles have exceeded AUD $100,000
• Penfolds Recorking Clinics initiated 1991 by Peter Gago: free inspection and re-corking of bottles 15+ years old at events in major cities globally
• Christie's, Sotheby's, Langton's, and Bonhams regularly include Grange in major wine auctions worldwide; allocations via Penfolds mailing list remain competitive

Grange has become an Australian wine icon with cultural reach extending well beyond fine wine markets. The wine is referenced in Australian political memoir (former Prime Minister Bob Hawke famously presented bottles as state gifts), in literature, and in popular culture as shorthand for Australian achievement and quality. The 'Centennial Grange' tradition, which began with the 1955 vintage set aside for future commemorative tastings, has continued with subsequent landmark vintages reserved for institutional cellars and milestone events. The Magill Estate cellar door experience at the original 1844 Penfold site near Adelaide centres on Grange education, with vintage tastings, tour programs, and the Magill Estate Restaurant building visitor engagement around the wine's history. Wine education programs treat Grange as the benchmark Australian Shiraz: the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 and Diploma syllabi reference Grange as the canonical example of Australian multi-region Shiraz, and the Court of Master Sommeliers includes Grange among the key Australian wines for advanced and Master Sommelier candidates. The wine appears in nearly every major Australian wine textbook, from James Halliday's Wine Companion through to Jancis Robinson's Oxford Companion to Wine. Grange is now widely considered, alongside Penfolds Bin 707 and Henschke Hill of Grace, as the foundation reference for understanding Australian fine wine.

• Referenced in Australian political memoir (Bob Hawke famously gifted bottles as state gifts), literature, and popular culture as shorthand for Australian quality
• Centennial Grange tradition: 1955 vintage and subsequent landmark vintages set aside for commemorative tastings and institutional cellars
• Magill Estate cellar door experience at original 1844 Penfold site centres on Grange education, vintage tastings, tour programs, Magill Estate Restaurant
• Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and Court of Master Sommeliers syllabi reference Grange as the canonical example of Australian multi-region Shiraz