Grange
⏳ Drinking Window
2030 - 2068
🍷 Vintage Profile
The 2018 growing season across South Australia proved exemplary, characterized by optimal winter rainfall followed by warm, dry spring and summer conditions that minimized disease pressure and ensured uniform flowering. Controlled diurnal temperature swings throughout veraison allowed Shiraz and complementary Cabernet parcels across the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Clare Valley to achieve complete physiological ripeness without compromising natural acidity. Widely praised as an exceptional, classic vintage on the international market, the resulting wine displays extraordinary concentration, deeply layered dark fruit, and firm, integrated tannins that are only beginning to resolve by 2026, pointing to an optimal drinking window spanning from 2028 through 2060.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Slow-roasted lamb shoulder, prime ribeye steak, mature hard cheeses
✨ Technical Specifications
The 2018 vintage of Grange represents a monumental expression of South Australia's premier vineyards, primarily sourced from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Clare Valley. This vintage benefited from a warm and dry growing season, yielding grapes of extraordinary concentration and structural integrity. Composed of 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine was matured for 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads, a signature of the Grange style. The resulting wine is a masterclass in power and poise, carrying the legacy of Max Schubert's original vision of a long-lived Australian red that could rival the finest of Bordeaux. It reveals deep layers of dark plum, anise, soy, and complex oak integration, backed by a formidable tannin profile built for decades of cellaring.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1844 by Dr. Christopher and Mary Penfold at Magill Estate in the Mount Lofty foothills, Penfolds represents one of the foundational cornerstones of Australian fine wine. Over nearly two centuries, the house evolved from crafting fortified tonics to pioneering modern multi-regional and multi-vineyard blending across South Australia's premier terroirs, including the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Coonawarra. Soils span from rich terra rossa over limestone to weathered ironstone and alluvial clays under warm Mediterranean climates tempered by maritime breezes. Under the long-term stewardship of Chief Winemaker Peter Gago, the house adheres to Sustainable Winegrowing Australia standards while preserving an unmistakable house style defined by meticulous fruit classification, submerged-cap fermentation, and structured maturation in American and French oak hogsheads. Benchmark bottlings such as Grange (Bin 95), Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, and Yattarna Chardonnay define the apex of collectible New World viticulture.
🍇 Grapes
Shiraz (min 96%), Cabernet Sauvignon
🍷 ABV
14.5%