PENFOLDS BIN 95 GRANGE 2013

Remember that old Heinz Ketchup “anticipation” ad from the 1970s? The palate of this 2013 Grange does just that. It makes you wait with so much delicious promise being drip fed into the mouth at first—and then it bursts forth and delivers!This vintage is a blend of 96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, coming from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Magill Estate. Very deep inky purple-black colored, the 2013 Grange has a profoundly scented nose of crème de cassis, preserved black plums, blueberry pie and licorice over nuances of baker’s chocolate, smoky bacon and fragrant earth, plus exotic spice wafts of cumin seed, cardamom, fenugreek and star anise. Unfurling and slowly building in the medium to full-bodied mouth with wonderful grace and depth, it reveals an incredible array of ripe black fruit, spice, meat and earth-inspired flavors, with a rock-solid frame to support this beauty (it should easily cellar for 40+ years!), while previously latent flavors emerge fully on the epically long finish, culminating in that ultimate Grange experience. Oh, yes.

98, Decanter

A blend of 96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet, this is a stunning Grange which easily compares in quality to 2010 and 2012. It is big, flamboyant and hedonistic on the nose and palate – the former is full of kirsch, mulberry, balsam and a generous dollop of purposeful VA to lift the massive aroma from the glass. The latter is equally sweet, rich and dense as it brims with saturated flavours encompassing damson, blackberry, liquorice, espresso, tarmac and cola. And so it’s little or no surprise that this is also full to bursting with tannic heft and dry extract mouthfeel, all of which is expertly assuaged by refreshing acidity to keep it lithe and supple. It’s still too young to say where this will sit in the Grange pantheon, but it’s almost certainly going to be one to watch and enjoy for the next 30 to 40 years.

This is bold, with plenty of power and grace. Dense and lush up front, featuring aromatic notes of espresso and milk chocolate, with a core of fresh, juicy raspberry coulis, wild blackberry and maraschino cherry flavors. Perfumed gingerbread, licorice, sandalwood and Kalamata olive details emerge on the epic finish, showing tremendous harmony. Drink now through 2037.

A good Grange, approachable yet impressive, it is reminiscent of the 2009. Smells of deep ripe dark plum and redder fruits, the oak jumps in and out of the nose, quite rich blackberry compote, dark spices, tar and earth. There’s density and depth in the palate, this embraces the full bodied and fully ripe capacity of the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra and Magill Estate fruit. The fruit is persistent, commanding and dense, it delivers power in a more traditional shape. Best from 2022 and two or more decades hence.

Penfold’s latest Grange release delivers all of the power, rich fruit and toasty oak Australia’s most famous wine is noted for. It is incredibly beguiling though, even in its infancy. Autumnal notes of dried leaves, flowers, sap and dark berries abound, with a raw meat and miso savoriness. The power on the palate is balanced by ultrafine tannins and a finesse that makes this drinkable now with plenty of time in decanter and paired alongside roast lamb, beef, or something equally hearty. Still, it’d be a shame not to cellar for at least the next five years. Revisit in 7, 15, or 30 years.