Penfolds - Grange - 2005

Wild, ripe, meaty and briary, this densely packed and very slightly baked Grange is indeed a wine of its vintage. Its floral, earthy perfume of deep blackberry, blueberry and dark plum aromas reveals suggestions of roasting pan scrapings, cinnamon-like spices, sweet chocolatey oak and evolving tanned leather. Wrapped with firm, astringent tannins, its long, smoky palate of dark, brooding fruit finishes quite savoury, with a lingering core of fruit. A little angular at present, it should settle down with time.(18.6/95, drink 2025-2035) Jeremy Oliver For reasons of protocol I was not able to do an up-to-date tasting for the 2011 Wine Companion, relying instead on the September 2007 Rewards of Patience tasting. In fact, not too much has changed. The æ05 is a more classic and compact wine than the 04. The fruit line of the 05 is glossy and smooth, the tannins and acidity acting as a break, and giving tightness. It has a long future ahead. 96 points, drink to 2045 James Halliday Wine Companion Penfolds Grange 2005 - it doesn't come with the hype of the 2004, but it is no slouch. In fact it's beautiful. Showy vanillin, coffeed, toasty oak is the first impression as you'd expect of a Grange - though it's neither syrupy nor malty. The big surprise with this release though is that it doesn't have the bigness of tannin that some (or most) Grange releases boast. Is this a bad thing? In this case, no - because the balance of this 2005 is brilliant. So too is the dark fruit power motoring through the finish. Grange is renowned for its formula, but this vintage changes the tune according to the wants of the season - less muscle, more finesse. A vote for the craft of the winemakers involved. It's persistent and seductive and awash with flavours of sweet, dense, meaty, smoky, leathery blackberry and blackcurrant. It does the Grange name proud. Rated : 95 Points, Drink : 2017 - 2035 Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front