WTN: 1983 Penfolds Shiraz Grange

• 1983 Penfolds Shiraz Grange - Australia, South Australia (9/26/2006)
  Still a very dark red: little signs of age. The nose is lovely and open and seems to have entered early maturity finally! There is much sweet red berries and a touch of earth, but still quite a bit of oak showing through though it is getting integrated. There is lovely depth to the nose, and there is also a slight note of forest floor. It seems to be losing the youthful tarriness that I find in younger Grange (and found even just 2 years ago with the 1983) and young Aussie Shiraz in general. The palate has mouthfilling fruit, still quite a bit of tannins, but fine supporting acidity. No way can this be called an elegant wine, but it is balanced and there is a touch of freshness to it which brings a much needed lighter touch to the otherwise massive wine. Very long aftertaste. From what I have tasted of Grange, this seems to be as good an example of the ideal as one can get. A pity then that I don't really appreciate this style other than intellectually. This was a memorable glass even for me, but would surely have been a life changing one if I did like the style.

Posted from CellarTracker

Great note, thank you Otto.

On a side note, does anybody know if the year 1968 saw the making of a Grange?

Alejandro
The good news is yes, the bad news is it might be on the decline (Australian critic Jeremy Oliver reckons so).

However it's also worth looking at Penfolds site (and specifically "the rewards of patience") to see what the makers think.

Also worth seeing what Langtons in Australia have to say.

Langtons are also the best place to go to get a feel for likely price of a bottle.

Hope this helps

Ian

Here is a link to the Grange notes.

http://www.penfolds.com.au/collection/super/default.asp

There is a '68 Grange but the Rewards of Patience says it's drying out and should be drunk now.

the bad news is it might be on the decline (Australian critic Jeremy Oliver reckons so).

Ian,

Do you have a link to JO's opinion on this wine? I have one bottle and would like to know if I should open it. Oliver's 2006 Annual gives a drinking window of 2023 to 2033. Rewards of Patience gives a drinking window up to 2030 which is probably a bit of a stretch.

Thanks,

Jay

Jay
No, just my copies of Onwine (drinking window was marked as ending in 1998). I presume he'll have notes on it in the online version, but I don't subscribe.

In balance, IMO wines don't necessarily fall off a cliff just because they've reached the end of a critics drinking window. If there's a well cellared bottle out there, then it sounds like it could give plenty of enjoyment. FWIW I quite like highly aged wines.

regards

Ian

Otto, you rascal. You DO drink a lot of great wines, don't you?

I know what you mean about appreciating a wine intellectually, but not finding it to your liking style-wise.

After all the hype (100 points in 02 and 03 from Parker) for Quilceda Creek Cabs, I finally got to try one (the 2000). I'm glad I had the chance to taste it, and I can see the attraction, but it is not my style either. It is a brooding monster, mouth-filling fruit, but I missed any elegance. Now I don't have to fret any longer about not having any. [It's great to have friends who DO buy these wines, though, since at least I get a chance to try great stuff all the time...and decide for myself before scaring my credit card again.]