1981 Penfolds Grange Bin 95

Few wines command the reverence, recognition and international acclaim of Penfolds Grange. Quite simply an Australian icon and one of the great wines of the world, Grange has spent decades establishing an extraordinary reputation for uncompromising quality, remarkable consistency and almost unparalleled longevity. Originally conceived by the legendary Max Schubert, its distinctive style combines power, concentration and extraordinary complexity with an unmistakable sense of refinement. Collectible, age-worthy and consistently celebrated by the world's leading critics, Grange stands proudly alongside the greatest names in Bordeaux, Burgundy and beyond. A true benchmark of Australian winemaking and an essential addition to any serious collector's cellar.

Robert Parker - "The 1981 stood out as slightly superior. Winemaker John Duval always felt this was a tannic style of Grange, but the wine has shed its tannins, and this is one of the few vintages where the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon was above 10%. Sweet notes of creme de cassis, cedarwood, charcoal, and barbecue spices are followed by a full-bodied, opulent wine displaying heady amounts of alcohol, glycerin, and density in its full-bodied, skyscraper-like texture. I was drinking this wine with great pleasure in the mid-nineties, yet here it is nearly 15 years later, and the wine does not appear to have budged much from its evolutionary state. This is a testament to how remarkably well these wines hold up, and age at such a glacial pace. Grange, Penfolds' flagship wine, is, by many accounts, the most renowned and world-famous wine produced in Australia, and these six vintages from my cellar all acquitted themselves well. These wines are almost always Shiraz, but many vintages include less than 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and there are cross-appellations blends from vineyards in the Barossa and McLaren Vale."