Penfolds Grange 2018
Penfolds
Grange is Australia's most celebrated blend, and the 2018 vintage reminds us why. Max Schubert's original vision — multi-vineyard, multi-region Shiraz with a small percentage of Cabernet — lives on in a wine where blending is not just technique but philosophy. Each parcel contributes something the others lack, and the result is greater than any single vineyard could deliver.
Nose
Layers of blackcurrant and dark cherry meld with cedar, toasted oak, and a touch of mint. Underneath, there is a savory gamey quality and a subtle violet perfume that signals both power and restraint.
Palate
Dense and concentrated, with a core of blackcurrant, dark berry compote, and marzipan. The tannins are firm but polished, and a woody spice weaves through the mid-palate alongside a flash of mint.
Finish
Exceptionally long, resolving to cedar, dark fruit, and a persistent toasted note that fades slowly over minutes.
- Varietal
- Shiraz
- Blend
- 98% Shiraz, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Vineyards
- Multi-vineyard sourcing across Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Magill Estate
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
Food Pairing
Dry-aged ribeye with bone marrow butter and roasted root vegetables
First created by winemaker Max Schubert in 1951, Penfolds Grange is sourced from select Shiraz vineyards across South Australia and blended at Magill Estate, where the wine's multi-regional identity has been its defining principle for over seven decades.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso San Lorenzo 2021
Tenuta delle Terre Nere
Marc de Grazia's Terre Nere estate produces some of Etna's most expressive contrada wines, and San Lorenzo is a standout: old Nerello Mascalese vines rooted in ancient lava flows deliver a wine of rare transparency. This is not fruit-driven in the obvious sense — it is terroir speaking through fruit. Think Burgundy by way of a volcano.
Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Sola Tierra 2021
Domaine de la Côte
Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman's Sola Tierra block sits on diatomaceous earth soils that produce some of the most transparent Pinot Noir in California. This is a wine of direction rather than power — it knows exactly where it's going and arrives with grace. If you're still looking for California Pinot that can stand alongside Burgundy Premier Cru, start here.
Château Pibran Pauillac 2019
Château Pibran
Château Pibran punches well above its price in the 2019 vintage. Owned by AXA Millésimes (who also own Pichon Baron), it benefits from the same meticulous attention and top-tier terroir. The tension between ripe fruit generosity and classic Pauillac austerity makes it both immediately enjoyable and cellaring-worthy.
Luciano Sandrone Barbera d'Alba 2021
Luciano Sandrone
Sandrone's Barbera is always a masterclass in restraint and fruit purity. The 2021 vintage delivered ideal conditions in Piedmont, and this wine captures the variety's defining bright acidity alongside ripe, generous fruit. It over-performs for Barbera d'Alba — the kind of bottle that reminds you why this grape deserves a permanent place at the table, not just as Barolo's understudy.