Winemaker Notes
Dark, deep red (at 5 years of age). Enticingly fragrant, yet at once 'Grange' - elements of cola, bay-leaf, malt, Indian spices and nougat. An ethereal oriental lift of glazed Peking Duck is interspersed with fermented black Chinese tea. Oak at one with the wine, other aromatics unite to create a continuum of spice and fruit. Impressive. Palate is seamless and redefined. Classic Grange structure - tight, defined & balanced, with 'slatey' / sandy tannins. Saturated fruits - blackberry and concentrated Satsuma plum skin. A darkened flavor theme of chocolate, licorice and fermented black Chinese tea mask any overt presence of new oak, courting a long, effortless finish. Intense, powerful vs. composed, polished - an enviable counter-balance.
Blend: 96% Shiraz, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2004 vintage was outstanding in Barossa, McLaren Vale, and Magill, the regions where the grapes were sourced for the marvelous 2004 Grange. It contains 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and was aged for 16 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. A glass-coating opaque purple color, it displays a superb nose of wood smoke, Asian spices, incense, game, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. Medium to full-bodied, satin textured, with deeply layered, succulent blackberry, plum, and chocolate flavors, it has the structure and complexity to merit extended cellaring of a decade and more. The winery estimates a drinking curve of 2016 to 2050; I'd be a bit more conservative on the long end of the range. It will ultimately be seen as one of the great vintages of Grange.
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Wine Spectator
Smooth and seductive, this delivers a full-throated chorus of currant, plum, blackberry and spice flavors, hinting at coffee and cardamom as the finish floats and sails easily over a bed of polished, refined tannins. A touch of black olive balances nicely against it all. Beautifully structured, expressive and very long.
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Decanter
It may only have 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, but the bouquet is defined by the heady waft of its fresh, leafy exuberance. The palate still shows a lively riot of blackberry and mulberry wrestling with liquorice and wild sage, but it glides on a carpet of silk, despite the sustained concentrated power of the fruit. Poise and purpose unite to ensure an impossibly long sustained final note.
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James Suckling
A solid wine, with blueberries, spice and blackberries. Some new leather. Full, dense and muscular. This is very well-toned and compacted. Very, very long. Gorgeous finesse and powerful. It's not about raw power here. Needs another five or six years of bottle age. Fabulous young Grange.
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Wine Enthusiast
A throwback to the monster Shiraz style of old, with loads of toasty, vanilla-laden oak, meaty nuances and driving, intense boysenberry fruit, the 2004 Grange should prove tremendously long-lived. Its massive concentrations and firm tannins suggest cellaring through 2020, after which it should drink well for at least another decade or two.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2004 Penfolds Grange is concentrated yet stylish, with an outstanding balance on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers aromas of black fruit, oak, and a hint of licorice. Pair it with roast game birds. (Tasted: April 24, 2013, San Francisco, CA)
Since 1844, Penfolds has been grounded in experimentation, curiosity and uncompromising quality. Their success has been driven by a lineage of visionary winemakers. It began with Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold, the pioneers who dreamed big, inventing tonics, brandies, and fortified wines made from grapes and Australian sunshine. It continued with celebrated winemaking legends including Max Schubert, who pushed the development to extraordinary, bold new heights. It is this pioneering spirit and curiosity that still rings true after nearly two centuries, it is what has helped Penfolds become one of the most celebrated winemakers in the world today.
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