Description
1979 Penfolds Grange Bin 95 shiraz, the 1979 vintage was the first release of Grange Magnums and the last vintage to use the off-white foil capsules. Bottles of the 1979 Penfolds Grange that are in excellent condition or have passed through the Penfolds Red Wine Clinic are still drinking well and have some life left in them, drinking up until 2018+
During the Rewards of Patience – sixth edition – the 1979 Penfolds Grange was described as deep brick red in colour. Fresh blackberry/toffee/chocolate/prune aromas with vanilla and menthol notes. A solid wine with rich black fruit/chocolate/panforte/menthol/earthy flavours and fine grained tannins. Finishes hard with some smoky bitumen notes. The 1979 Penfolds grange is a blend of shiraz (87%) and cabernet sauvignon (13%) Fruit for the 1979 Penfolds grange was sourced from the Kalimna Vineyard and other vineyards in the Barossa Valley, Magill Estate, Clare Valley and McLaren Vale. It was an unusually wet (but hot) growing season.
Some interesting comments from Penfolds Winemakers about the 1979 Penfolds Grange, in 1993 Max Schubert said the 1979 Penfolds Grange was “Not quite up to the mark”. John Duval said “the odd, hot but wet season resulted in a wine which lacks typical Grange structure and has developed relatively quickly”.
