Penfolds Grange ‘has every box ticked’ with latest release

Last week marked the official release of the 2021 vintage of world-famous Australian wine Penfolds Grange – and it’s one of the greatest expressions ever, according to head winemaker Peter Gago.

In an exclusive interview with db ahead of the vintage launch (which can be listened to in full here and below), Gago expressed his confidence in the 2021 Grange – a wine that is always at the very top of Australia’s wine quality pyramid, and in some years, like this one, “has every box ticked”.

Speaking about the wine to db on 25 June, just one day after a UK press preview of the Penfolds ‘Collection’ in London, Gago started with Grange when asked to pick out his standouts from the range of high-end collectible labels from the producer’s extensive portfolio.

“The ’21 Grange is in the league of the 2018,” he began, comparing this latest expression to one of the greatest recent vintages of the high-end wine, before adding that the 2021 also shows similar levels of greatness to 2010 and 1990.

Continuing with his comparison with these three great Granges – 2018, 2010 and 1990 – he said, “I would say that ’21 is in that class.”

However, he also told db that it was too early to draw a rock-solid conclusion on the 2021 vintage, because of its current youthful state.

“Ask me the same question in 20 or 30 years’ time and I’ll be more definitive on where exactly it stands, but we’ve had great feedback on the ’21 Grange,” he said, referring to preview tastings with the Australian wine press, adding, “people have been really captivated.”

Bearing in mind that Grange is always a great wine, db asked Gago what it was in certain years makes Grange that little bit greater?

“It’s an exciting thing: they creep up on you, they come in sideways, the great ones,” he began.

He continued, “And it’s not just about length on the palate, the duration of that sensation in the mouth or the texture of the mouthfeel or whatever – it’s every box being ticked.”

This sense that the wine is exceptional comes to Gago “reasonably early”, because he finds that the “descriptors keep coming” when he goes to write the tasting notes, commenting, “every time you smell it, you smell something different, and every time you taste it, you experience different sensations; that’s when you know you’ve got it.”

It’s also a special year because ’21 Grange marks the 70th vintage since the first official vintage of the wine, which hailed from the 1951 harvest.

Looking back at Grange over those 70 years, has it become a better wine due to technological advancements?

“I’d like to think so, but I don’t believe my own press,” said Gago.

“For all of us in the Penfolds’ winemaking team, it’s about all the one percenters now, the refinements, and that sounds a bit glib, but it really is,” he continued.

By way of example, he said, “You know, back in the day, I knew it was new oak, but now you’ve got a lot to choose from, quite proudly with Quercus alba [American oak], and these oak made barrels are out of the AP John Cooperage [in the Barossa Valley].”

He continued, “But the finessing now and the sourcing of that Quercus alba is all important… and the picking day we’ve always been obsessive about, but nowadays it’s a much greater focus.”

Then there’s the use of technology to make “huge refinements” in the vineyard – “because that’s where it all happens,” he added.

“So once you start adding up all these variables and what we’re doing over time, the wine should look better – and let’s not forget to what happens on the bottling line: the technology of that is just so much more enhanced now,” he recorded.

“So the wines should look better than they did in the 50s and 60s,” he summed up.

However, because those wines are so good, and were made without the benefit of today’s tech, Gago admitted that “there is a lot of pressure to make today’s wines look significantly better,” before stressing, “but that’s not because we’re changing the style or the nature of the template.”

Finally on this topic, Gago reminded db, “You know our winemaking methods and techniques are pretty much time proven, even if there are lots of refinements year by year by year, but Mother Nature controls everything, and that’s what we have to deal with.”

Notably, due to the multi-regional sourcing for Grange, even in difficult vintages it’s possible to make the flagship expression.

In some years, such as 1990 or 2010, “you just have so much to choose from,” while in others, “you might have fewer colours to paint with, but you can still draw something beautiful.”

Penfolds 2021 is made with 94% Shiraz and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon using grapes from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Clare Valley. It has spent 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads.

In markets within EMEA, 2021 Grange, along with the 2023 vintages of Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, Yattarna Chardonnay and Bin 798 RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz – along with the 2022 St Henri Shiraz – will be distributed via La Place de Bordeaux, launching on 8 September this year.