Penfolds - Grange 2008 (750ml)

Add to Wish List

Price: $910.99

Producer	Penfolds
Country	Australia
Region	South Australia
Varietal	Shiraz/Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage	2008
Sku	130795
Size	750ml
ABV	14.50%

LOGAN

Winemakers Notes

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. Penfolds 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.

COLOUR Impenetrable dark core.

NOSE Somewhat intimidating? Yes. Brazen? Never. An immediate and powerful lift of cola/soy/hoisin/red licorice, propelled by tea-smoke and ferric influences. Less obvious nut-husk/tan-bark notes align with lush aromas of ripe (jamon-wrapped) figs and a panaforte plushness. With air, blueberry fruits and mocha arise, the oak (100% new!) remaining concealed—too much aromatic background chatter to register!

PALATE A muscular push/wave/affront across the entire palate—from start to finish. Never oppressive nor ungainly, yet captivatingly forceful. i.e. a vinous lava flow of dark licorice and malt—‘molten’, with a self-saucing chocolate pudding richness and blackberry, elderberry fruits. Pronounced tannins are unleashed, and the Clare component makes its (9%) presence felt, adding to both flavour pool and extract. Power and density naturally respectful of balance and structure.

GRAPE VARIETY 98% Shiraz, 2% Cabernet.

MATURATION Matured for 19 months in new American oak hogsheads.

WINE ANALYSIS Alc/Vol: 14.5%, Acidity: 7.0g/L, pH: 3.48.

LAST TASTED January 2013.

PEAK DRINKING 2016 – 2056.

FOOD MATCH Plum pudding pork rack, swede, quandong and desert raisin.

Critical Acclaim

100 points Wine Advocate

Very deep garnet-purple in color the 2008 Grange reveals a truly decadent nose with tons of spices, fruit cake and black & blue fruit compote notes along with nuances of chocolate and potpourri. The full and rich, multi-layered palate has a little oak still showing, it is going through a little bit of a structural stand-out stage, but it doesn't detract on the long and complex finish. It still needs a good few years to develop, though this very opulent, expressive Grange shows the very best of this vintage and the vineyards it hails from. (LPB, Review Date: 10/2014)

100 points Wine Spectator

An utterly majestic Shiraz, sleek and seamless, brimming with ripeness on a framework that allows for grace and expressiveness in equal measure. The intensity of fresh blueberry and plum fruit holds attention until the nuances kick in, offering glints of exotic spice, coffee, cocoa, bay leaf and mint. Shows tremendous presence without a lot of weight, the tannins present but not even close to getting in the way. A great wine now, with plenty of room to grow. (HS, Review Date: 06/2013)

98 points James Halliday

Densely coloured, it has an ultra-complex bouquet, with black fruits/anise/licorice, easily dealing with the oak; a remarkable wine in every way. The balance, texture and structure are faultless, so much so that the wine achieves elegance now, many years before you would expect that quality to be commented on. *Gold* (JH, Review Date: 02/2013)

98 points Wine Enthusiast

This has all the size and weight you’ve come to expect from Australia’s most famous wine. Huge fruit and huge oak combine in a full-bodied, richly textured package that delivers waves of toasted coconut, vanilla and intense dark berries yet remains embryonic more than five years after the harvest. *Cellar Selection* (JC, Review Date: 02/2014)