Download PDF - Spink

JANUARY 13, 2013 - HONG KONGTasting Note: Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1.5LMAGNUM 1986This was the final vintage release crafted by Max Schubert’ssuccessor Don Ditter, an early graduate of RoseworthyAgricultural College who joined Penfolds as a laboratoryassistant in 1946. This was a time of considerable technicaladvances in winemaking. The 1976, and the very great 1986Grange, Don Ditter’s last vintage, epitomize this remarkableperiod. A mild and relatively dry growing season lead to animportant and very successful vintage. 87% Shiraz, 13%Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Kalimna and otherBarossa vineyards, Clare Valley, the McLaren Vale andModbury in the Adelaide Hills. Matured in new American oakhogsheads for twenty months. Alcohol 13.90% Acidity7.10g/L pH 3.41Winemaker Comments John Duval: “Intensely concentratedand focused coffee and vanilla aromas from oak maturation,perfectly ripened berry fruit. Slightly smoky from barrelfermentation. Richly textured with smoky, dark berry, chocolateand liquorice flavours. A harmonious whole, combines power,structure and concentration.”Tasting Note: Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1.5LMAGNUM 1987No other Australian wine can rival the quality anddevelopment pattern of Grange. Always exciting and opulent,the pinnacle of Australian reds, 1987 Grange is an elegantedition, beginning juicy and plummy, culminating in a veryfirm, dry finish. The growing season and vintage were markedby cool weather, crops in most South Australian regions werereduced by hailstorms in OctoberThe winemaking process involves great attention to detail, thebest possible grapes from low-yielding, old Shiraz vinesthrough to fermentation and fastidious oak maturation. Fromthe Kalimna Vineyard in the Barossa Valley, and othervineyards in the McLaren Vale, a light, elegant style of Grangemade with a blend of 90% Shiraz and 10% CabernetSauvignon, matured in new American oak hogsheads foreighteen months. Alcohol 13.8%Medium crimson. Appealing red berry/ mint-chocolatearomas and subtle oak nuances. Hints of smoke, herbs andsoy, plummy and sweet, elements of cocoa. A wellconcentrated wine with redcurrant/ blackberry/ chocolate/mint flavours and fine, leafy, chewy tannins. Strong rich, berryfruit and minty characters with smoky oak overtones.Tasting Note: Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1.5LMAGNUM 1988Though retired, Grange creator Max Schubert was proclaimedMan of the Year by UK Decanter Magazine in 1988. Thehallmark of Grange 1988 is it’s powerful fruit intensity,dominant length and profound complexity, persistent fruitand oak, reflecting the exceptional quality of the 1988vintage.A classic Grange, from an outstanding year, the 1988 isexpected to develop superbly for twenty years past release.94% Shiraz, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Kalimna andother vineyards in the Barossa, as well as Padthaway and theMcLaren Vale. An ideal growing season was followed by awarm dry vintage. As they say at Penfolds, it’s the fastidiousbarrel fermentation that gets the oak into the wine, and thewine into the oak. Lavish maturation for the 1988 vintageunder prime, selected new American oak hogsheads foreighteen months. Alcohol 13.50% Acidity 7.6g/L pH 3.36A vintage of powerful fruit intensity, superb length and fullonGrange complexity.Comments by John Duval: “Deep plum-red in colour withyouthful purple hues. A complex bouquet featuring opulent, ripeShiraz berry fruit characters, ranging from soft, earthy nuancesthrough to spice, cherry and plum fragrances, combined withtraditional new barrel fermentation characters and vanillinAmerican oak complexity. This is a full bodied, richly flavouredand complex wine, exemplifying the uniqueness of GrangeHermitage. Concentrated, ripe plum and spicy berry fruitShiraz flavours are complemented by soft fruit and oak tannins,firm astringency and balanced acidity, integrated withdistinctive oak - a feature of the style.”Tasting Note: Penfolds Grange Hermitage 1.5LMAGNUM 1989A very hedonistic, almost decadent style of Grange,gorgeously opulent, almost Pomerol-like Grange with anover-ripe characteristic to the fruit. Cherry liqueur intermixedwith cranberry and cassis presented in a seductive, full-bodied,very soft, forward style is truly not the classic Grange in thesense of having huge structure and massive concentration, butthis wine is loaded, very corpulent, and fleshy. The wine isgoing to last for up to two decades, but it will beuncommonly succulent and delicious to drink young.The 1989 is already beginning to show some attractivematuration characters and is developing a little sooner bycomparison to it’s more robust 1988 and 1990 counterparts.91% Shiraz and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Kalimna andother Barossa vineyards, and the McLaren Vale. It has thetypical solid structure and strength of character to agegracefully over the next decade or so, with correct cellaring, toproduce another classic Grange. Extreme heat and heavyMarch rains followed an ideal, warm growing season. Maturedin new American oak hogsheads for eighteen months. Alcohol13.5%Winemaker Comments by John Duval: “Deep plum-red incolour with youthful crimson hues. Features an array of rich, ripeShiraz characters with masses of ripe blackberry, raspberry, plumand spicy fruit aromas and softer mushroom and earthy hints,complemented by lifted, but integrated, vanillin American oak.A full-bodied, richly flavoured and supremely complex wine withluscious fruit and supple balanced tannins. The palate is fruitsweet, with concentrated blackberry and dark plum flavouredShiraz fruit and a touch of spice, interwoven with rich vanillinoak flavours.”39