1999 penfolds, grange, south australia
Why We're Buying
The Penfolds Grange wine is not just the flagship wine of Penfolds; it’s the flagship wine of Australia. Grange represents one of the greatest red wines in the world, a marvelous blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. While Australia doesn't have a classification system like France, critics and producers widely consider it a first-growth caliber wine. The iconic blend, which has received six 100-point ratings over the years, retails for more than $600 per bottle.
Critics Scores
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Only the third Grange to be produced from 100 Shiraz, the 1999 Grange is superb... A wine of great intensity, sweet tannin, voluptuous texture, and a spectacularly long finish, it will be at its finest between 2007-2025.
Wine Spectator
Not quite as broad and generous as riper vintages, but tremendously classy, offering smoky, earthy blackberry, plum and currant fruit that compete effectively against cedary oak on the long finish. The flavors gain with each sip, fanning out impressively. It's tight now, but it could age beautifully. Best after 2009. 8,000 cases made.
Wine Enthusiast
An excellent wine as it always is, but this vintage of Grange is one that isn’t just built for aging, it requires it. Its flavors and aromas require a good 20 minutes in the glass to show themselves, but with time, pretty eucalyptus/mint and anise aromas come through. In the mouth, this vintage feels more feminine than other recent vintages. It’s very tightly wound, with tea, biscuit and plum notes peeking through; its tannins are powdery and pretty, and its finish long and juicy. Drink 2012+.