Penfolds Grange 1998 is widely regarded as one of the greatest vintages in the wine’s unbroken line from 1951 — a wine that Robert Parker declared would be legendary, awarding it 99 points in The Wine Advocate. A blend of Shiraz (97%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (3%), matured for 18 months in new American oak, the 1998 Grange was born of a classic vintage: cool spring weather followed by a warm summer and very low rainfall delivered fruit of outstanding quality, with incredible intensity of flavour, fine tannins, and exceptional structure. Australia’s most famous wine and an officially listed Heritage Icon of South Australia, Grange is the most consistent of the world’s great wines — and the 1998 vintage may rank amongst the very finest ever released. Peak drinking now through to 2045.
Appearance
Bright, almost impenetrable dark red — youthful in its intensity and remarkable for its age.
Aroma
Youthful and intense, with dark ripened Satsuma plum fruits rising above a base of liqueur dark chocolate and liquorice. Overtones of malt, toasty barrel ferment, and nutty oak meld effortlessly into an exquisitely aromatic offering. As the wine opens in the glass, aromas of blueberry, crème de cassis, floral notes, meat, plums, and cola also emerge — seamless and endlessly complex.
Palate
Intense layering of fruit — raspberry, blackcurrant, and blackberry — laced with liquorice and oak. The power of the fruit at the fore is balanced by ripe, velvety tannins, offering an alluring, even-textured palate of remarkable length. Sweet tannin, well-integrated acidity, and sensational extract combine with layer upon layer of blackberry and cassis fruit that stain the palate and fill the mouth. The finish lasts nearly a minute — a wine of extraordinary harmony and freshness.
Pairs With
Aged prime beef, slow-roasted lamb, game, and the finest hard cheeses. Decant generously and allow this wine the time and space it deserves.
Reviews
“The 1998 Grange will be legendary. A blend of 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon… a seamless effort with sweet tannin, well-integrated acidity, sensational extract, and layer upon layer of blackberry and cassis fruit that stain the palate and fill the mouth. Its harmony, freshness, and remarkable length suggest an all-time classic.”
— Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate — 99 Points
