Penfolds Grange 2010 is a perfect 100-point wine — awarded by James Suckling — and one that Chief Winemaker Peter Gago heralds with characteristic authority: “A kaleidoscopic sensorial unfolding!” A blend of Shiraz (96%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (4%) sourced from Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, and Magill Estate (Adelaide), matured for 17 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. Classical, powerful, and expressive, the 2010 Grange is a wine of superb density, richness, and balance that strenuously asserts Grange's positioning in the new millennium. Still needs time to fully unfold. Peak drinking 2030 to 2060.
Tasting Notes
Appearance
Black to the core with a purple rim — deep crimson of extraordinary concentration and intensity.
Aroma
Intense. An immediate barrel-ferment propulsion — sweet and candied, with a peaty, iodine, green olive base. Beneath this, a barely concealed swirl of Vegemite, yeast extract, and concentrated salt paste laced with paprika, oregano flower, and thyme. A slurry of cocoa powder, a scented waft of black pudding, and a splash of nori roll and sea spray temporarily balance the aromatic equation — before, a minute or two later, all changes. Intense pure elderberry, blackberry, and liquorice aromas emerge with roasted chestnut, vanilla, and camomile notes of remarkable clarity.
Palate
Dense, paste-like texture and weight. A balsamic liveliness, lift, and energy is unleashed. Tannins focus on the roof of the mouth, laden with an additional film of 85% cacao dark chocolate and mocha. A mix of quince and sesame paste laden with basted meats and saturated stewed plum, boysenberry, and blueberry. Plush and densely packed with elderberry, blackberry, and liquorice flavours, plentiful fine chalky tannins, and underlying mocha, vanilla, and roasted chestnut oak notes. The finish is chocolaty firm with abundant sweet fruits. Tightly bound — wait for decompression. Complete. Confident. Convincing.
Pairs With
Aged prime beef, slow-roasted lamb, game, and the finest hard cheeses. A wine that demands patience before the glass and at the table. Decant for a minimum of two hours, or cellar for another decade for the full expression of one of Australia's greatest ever Granges.
Wine Sellers Direct Verdict
The 2010 Grange is not simply a great wine — it is a perfect one. James Suckling's 100-point score places it among the most celebrated Granges ever produced, alongside the 1986, 1990, and 1998. The tasting notes alone — a kaleidoscopic sensorial unfolding, as Gago puts it — tell you this is a wine operating at a level beyond ordinary critical language. It is tightly bound now and will reward patience above all else; those who cellar to 2030 and beyond will be rewarded with one of the great Australian wine experiences of the century. Compared to the 1986 Grange, the 2010 is more concentrated and structured, with a longer cellaring horizon. Compared to the 2012 or 2014, it is more powerful and less immediately approachable. For a collector, this is a defining acquisition. For a gift, there is no more significant bottle in the current Australian wine market.
Best for: Serious collectors seeking a perfect-score Grange with decades of cellaring ahead.
Style: Powerful, dense, multi-district South Australian Shiraz of extraordinary concentration and longevity.
Occasion: Milestone gift, vertical collection, long-term cellar investment.
Who Should Drink This?
This is for the collector who understands what they are acquiring — a 100-point Grange from one of the greatest vintages of the modern era, still tightly bound and with peak drinking 15 to 35 years away. It is the natural choice for anyone building a Penfolds vertical, for a milestone gift of the highest significance, or for a cellar investment that will outlast almost anything else in the Australian wine canon. Not a wine for immediate drinking without significant decanting — but an extraordinary experience for anyone prepared to wait.
Reviews
100 Points — James Suckling
“Watch this wine closely because it's a very special and important Grange!”
— Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker
Winemaking Notes
96% Shiraz, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Sourced from Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, and Magill Estate (Adelaide). Matured for 17 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. Alcohol: 14.5% | Acidity: 6.9 g/L | pH: 3.57.
Vintage Conditions
Healthy winter rains in the Barossa Valley were followed by a dry and mild-to-warm spring that aided budburst. Consistent, slower growth continued through flowering and fruit set, with a notably cooler December offering ideal growing conditions leading to veräison in early January. Summer rainfall arrived early before giving way to dry, warm weather that alleviated any disease concerns. Mild conditions followed during harvest, with yields in some vineyards below average due to the overall dry season. Excellent colour, concentrated flavour development, and integrated tannins — the hallmarks of a stand-out 2010 vintage.
Producer History
Grange was first produced by Max Schubert in 1951 — an experimental wine initially rejected by Penfolds management and continued in secret before being reinstated for the 1960 vintage. From that moment, international acclaim followed without interruption. No other red wine in Australia can rival the reputation, consistent quality, or proven development pattern of Penfolds Grange. It is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia and the pinnacle of the Penfolds red wine range.
What's Similar?
Within the Penfolds Grange range, the 1986, 1990, and 1998 vintages are the most frequently cited alongside the 2010 as perfect or near-perfect releases — choose the 1986 for historical significance, or the 1998 for a more immediately approachable style. For collectors seeking a current-vintage Grange with comparable ambition, the most recent releases offer the same winemaking philosophy with a shorter cellaring horizon. Nothing, however, replicates the specific density and structure of the 2010 — a vintage that Peter Gago himself singled out as very special and important.
