Penfolds Grange Bin 95 Shiraz 2019 750ml

Deep, dark and bright appearance. Benchmark aromas. Automatically recognizable - formic and glacial higher notes – not quite as audacious as a fleeting perception of heady spirit (á la Cognac), and yet not just simple V.A. Beneath, a more familial oaked nuttiness (hazelnut?) recedes to reveal aromas of black licorice/anise/black olive. A shroud of condensed glazed fruits surrenders to reveal a fresher disposition... a coulis of berries and stone fruits; boiled beetroot. Unsurprisingly wafts of coffee-grind, pan-scrapings/jus also ascend, hovering over a persistent base of cold lamb fat and marrow. Upon sitting, a sprinkle of lavender and exotic spices almost completes the aromatic package – well, at least for another minute or two. Cohesion, vigour, sheen, poise on the palate – four borders of a frame that structurally binds the lofty palate ambitions of this South Australian blend. Fresh and balanced. Neither exaggerated nor over-ripe – lively blueberry and other youthful blue/black fruits bely the maturation timeline of this alluring blend. Certainly befitting this style, unmistakable barrel-ferment characters are undoubtedly more pronounced on palate than nose. If the mid-palate is somewhat formidable (ably supporting a thick/dense core), by contrast the back-palate is creamy and caressingly endearing. Indeed, expansive and full – washing away all ahead of it. Certainly persistent. Texturally, chewy/grainy tannins and just-right acidity abet succulence and mouthfeel.

98 Points - Wine Spectator

This is an epic wine that doesn’t quit, opening up with ripe, fleshy flavors of black cherry, maraschino cherry and framboise. But the fruit notes are only the beginning, giving way to date-nut bread, salted bittersweet chocolate, marzipan, dried olive, green peppercorn, French-press coffee and cardamom. The tannins are filling in the mouth, but never get in the way of all the complexity, while the finish just goes on and on. Drink now through 2047.

97 Points - Wine Enthusiast

Arguably Australia’s most famous wine, the 2019 vintage of Grange, a multi-regional blend from top vineyards around South Australia, is a dense yet aromatic bottling that unpeels over time in a glass or decanter. Raspberry and blackberry compote, cedar, licorice and winter warming spice are on deck, with seaweed-like umami nuances and a good lick of mocha-like oak. The palate is plush and plump like a favorite armchair, but framed in powerful, beautifully integrated tannins, with enough stuffing to last the ages. It should cellar beautifully until 2050, at least. Treasury Wine Estates