1981 Penfolds Grange

1981 Penfolds Grange

This was probably one of the oldest Grange I’ve ever drank, so I wouldn’t know what to expect, except that I must admit there isn’t many great Australian producers when it comes to Shiraz that can be on par with French Hermitage, but Penfolds was definitely one of the crowded producers that stood out. Surprisingly the aroma was super easy, very pleasant and carried a tinge of smokiness. A sip and I was taken aback by the harshness of the wine, super tight! It’s either a sign of being too young, or it’s the style of this vintage. So I quickly decanted the bottle and bolding declared that we have to wait at least an hour to drink it. An hour later, my notes showed that it was really structured, powerful, exhibiting multi layers, and the dreaded extreme dryness. The dryness did not go away and thereafter dry raisins surfaced, I believed this to be the character of the vintage. However, it was still enjoyable despite the slight imperfection.