2021 Penfolds Grange Bin 95, Barossa Valley

Always the focus of the Collection, especially so when it hails from what has become a legendary vintage. The expectations for the 2021 Grange were simply that this had to be a great Grange. Anything short of that might even be deemed a failure and this is indeed an extraordinary Grange. Quite simply, a wow wine. As always, a variety of regions contributed – the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. As is usual, though not inevitable, there is a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend, 6% for 2021, and the wine spent a year and a half maturing in new American hogsheads. No wonder Peter Gago’s response was a face-splitting smile and to confirm he was “very, very pleased”. Maroon/black in hue, one simply gets lost in the nose, just endlessly sniffing the most glorious cassis notes, along with black fruits, blueberries, coffee beans, aniseed, mulberries, delicatessen meats, tobacco leaves, plums and graphite. The wine is seamless, intense and immaculate with knife-edge balance. It simply dances with joy. The oak is there, undeniably, but it is so well handled that you almost have to think twice. So complex already, and yet so harmonious and decadent. Silky tannins, bright acidity, the intensity never wavers for an instant and there is incredible length – Rutherglen muscat length. This is as close to a perfect Grange as I can imagine. Fifty years, if you think you can last that long (or want very grateful grandkids). A Lord-take-me-now wine, if ever there was one.

100 points Ken Gargett winepilot.com

We've been waiting patiently for the Grange release from the stellar '21 vintage and it certainly lives up to the hype. An impenetrable magenta/crimson in the glass, with the telltale aromatic clout and the light V.A. lift of an embryonic Grange clearly evident as you place your nose in the glass. There's an incredible depth of fruit here. Deep blackberry, blackcurrant and plum compote with hints of graphite, coal dust, violets, wood spice, olive tapenade, oak, blackforest cake, pan juices, panforte, Dutch licorice and earth. The tannins – strong yet powdery – provide ample structure to the wine as it finishes long and deep, resonating perfectly. There is no doubt that this will be considered one of the great Grange releases.

99 points Dave Brookes winecompanion.com.au

Deep, dark dense colour; a classic Grange bouquet of mocha, dark chocolate, black fruits, tar/bitumen, espresso coffee and even a trace of licorice. A very concentrated and very tannic wine: Black Forest cake, rum-and-raisin chocolate. It has it all. Masses of mouth-coating tannins, drying the finish off cleanly. Long carry. A very good Grange indeed, and long term. (Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley. 6% cabernet sauvignon) 17 Jun 2025 Drink 2028–2061

98 points Huon Hooke therealreview.com

Penfolds Grange Bin 95 is not just an iconic Australian wine — it is the benchmark, a global symbol of prestige, innovation and power in Shiraz. Since its experimental beginnings in the 1950s, Penfolds Grange has gone on to become one of the world’s greatest red wines, celebrated for its depth, longevity and unique ability to marry intensity with elegance. No other wine has so thoroughly reshaped the international reputation of Australian wine.

Grange was the brainchild of the visionary Max Schubert, Penfolds’ chief winemaker from 1948 to 1975. After a formative trip to Bordeaux in 1950, Schubert returned determined to create an Australian wine that could rival the longevity and structure of Europe’s best. But instead of following the Bordeaux model of Cabernet Sauvignon aged in new French oak, he boldly chose Shiraz, matured in American oak, and pioneered a style that was uniquely Australian yet built for the long haul. His early experimental vintages were initially rejected by the Penfolds board, but Schubert continued to make them in secret — and today, those early wines are considered treasures of the wine world.

Grange is now recognised as a heritage-listed wine, included in Langton’s Classification of Australian Wine at the highest level (Exceptional) and regularly receives perfect or near-perfect scores from global critics. It has been a recipient of Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year and is collected, cellared and revered globally.

While the exact blend changes each year depending on vintage conditions, Grange is always Shiraz-dominant (usually around 95 to 100 percent) with a small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon added for structural lift. Fruit is sourced from multiple premium vineyards across South Australia, primarily the Barossa Valley, but also McLaren Vale, Clare Valley, Coonawarra and Magill Estate. The strength of Grange lies in Penfolds’ ability to blend across regions and barrel parcels to achieve consistency and power year after year.

The winemaking is uncompromising. Fermentation takes place in open vats, followed by maturation for 18 to 20 months in 100 percent new American oak hogsheads. The resulting wine is deeply concentrated, with layers of dark plum, blackberry compote, licorice, mocha, smoked meats, spice and signature espresso oak. Young Grange is bold and tightly coiled, often needing a decade to fully unwind. Over time, it evolves into something majestic — truffle, leather, charcuterie, earth and cigar box, all wrapped in fine, velvety tannins and a finish that echoes for minutes.

Grange has extraordinary longevity. Well-cellared vintages can thrive for 30, 40, even 50 years. It’s a wine that not only tells the story of its vintage but also honours the legacy of its creator and the evolution of Australian wine itself.

Best served with dishes that match its stature — wagyu beef with truffle jus, slow-roasted venison with blackberry glaze, or aged hard cheeses. Decant for at least 3 to 5 hours when drinking young, though the best Granges are often at their peak 15 to 25 years from release.