In this week’s SMH Huon Hooke comments on the new release of the great Australian icon shiraz, Penfolds Grange. Huon Hooke notes:
‘This is a great Grange, one of the greatest ever. It’s probably the best since the ’96. Stunning balance and harmony; soft tannins, moderate oak, fragrant violets, cedar, walnuts, dark chocolate, dark berries, masses of fruit, great power with elegance. Now to 50 years. 98/100.’
I have not yet tasted this wine, however it is becoming obvious that reviews of this wine, such as the above by the most respected Huon Hooke, will increase and multiply in glowing praise of this remarkable wine. It does begin to appear that we may have here one of the greatest wines produced in this country; I will not be surprised to see a 99/100 sometime this year. So should we buy some to put away in our cellar? Well yes of course we should if we can afford it; if the $550 is a touch frightening why not arrange 3 or 4 of your friends to combine to buy one or two bottles, this is one time we may be suitably astounded.
By the way, I have just tasted the 2006 Penfolds Bin 389; I won’t burden you with tasting notes here but suffice to say it is an astonishingly beautiful wine and in 2 to 10 years will be among the best ever of the 389 marque. Chief winemaker at Penfolds, Peter Gago, is going to gain some exposure and notoriety over the above two wines, not to mention the rest of the range as it is released. This guy might yet be one of the best they have had.
