Grange night (best vintages?)

[Scotty vino]

Hi Guys
I'm doing a Grange night with some of the lads.
Got a 71 and a 2010.
What other vintages would be good in between? I was thinking 1983 and 1990.
Thoughts?
Over to the auswine brains trust.

[GraemeG]

I have reasonable experience with Grange, but largely 20th century stuff.
The most interesting/best vintages in between based on my experience would be 76, 80, 83, 86, 90, 94, 96; anything beyond that - 98, 04, 08 - I would regard as too young (along with 2010!).
But here's a thing. 1989 is a truly great wine, even if it's not very typical Grange. And if the level is good then almost anything in there is likely to be pretty decent, even if 79, 81, 84, 87, 92, 93 aren't especially great in comparison.

[Mike Hawkins]

Both good choices, as would the 86 now.

[mychurch]

81, 91 and 01 would make for a nice vertical.

[Bytown Rick]

Has anyone tried the 1978 or 1982 recently? I assume that they should be drunk soon?

[JamieAdelaide]

I bought an 82 a few years back for a Grange vertical back to the 71 vintage. COVID killed the event. It is rescheduled for Jan in Hong Kong. The 82 seems to have jumped up a bit on the secondary market and gets some great social media reviews.

Drank magnums of 89 and 94 Grange last month which I enjoyed sharing more for the shock and awe effect they had with friends than the questionable $1000 a bottle value.

[Bytown Rick]

I bought an 82 a few years back for a Grange vertical back to the 71 vintage. COVID killed the event. It is rescheduled for Jan in Hong Kong. The 82 seems to have jumped up a bit on the secondary market and gets some great social media reviews.

Thank you Jamie.

[felixp21]

I have reasonable experience with Grange, but largely 20th century stuff.
The most interesting/best vintages in between based on my experience would be 76, 80, 83, 86, 90, 94, 96; anything beyond that - 98, 04, 08 - I would regard as too young (along with 2010!).
But here's a thing. 1989 is a truly great wine, even if it's not very typical Grange. And if the level is good then almost anything in there is likely to be pretty decent, even if 79, 81, 84, 87, 92, 93 aren't especially great in comparison.

100% agree. I'm not a Grange fan, but the 1989 is as good as that wine gets (mainly cause it doesn't taste like Grange )

[Ian S]

A radical/lateral thought...

Would it be more interesting when doing a vertical, to choose vintages that (should) show a clear point of difference, rather than specifically 'best' or even 'currently drinking well' vintages. Perhaps Grange the wrong subject for me to suggest this for, given it's a multi-region blend, but nonetheless I find wines that are rather similar, can become a little of a blur as we search for subtle differences and perhaps end up seeing more bottle variation than vintage variation.

It possibly makes an opportunity for a 2000 vintage (criticised on release IIRC), to get an airing.

I suppose even the new multi-vintage version might fit that mindset as being a point of difference / talking point, but IIRC it was very ambitiously priced, even by Pennies standards.

[JamieAdelaide]

In my blind Grange vertical I’ll have a couple of spoofers. It’s important in my experience considering a few traits of some within the international wine community. Was going to put in a Chave but way better to put in a La La.

[Scotty vino]

Great input from all as usual. Thanks guys.
Has me thinking I may look toward less heralded vintages to fill the gaps.
What's the general thoughts on the 92?

[phillisc]

Scotty V, have at look at the what are you drinking tonight thread. Apparently there was November 6th post

Cheers Craig

[Scotty vino]

Good one Craig!. Thanks for that. I think we're still gonna stick with the 2010 and 1971 and go for an 80's and 90's.
Was talk of a 2004 instead of the 2010 but we'll see what the group thinks!

[phillisc]

Good one Craig!. Thanks for that. I think we're still gonna stick with the 2010 and 1971 and go for an 80's and 90's.
Was talk of a 2004 instead of the 2010 but we'll see what the group thinks!

Bung in a 92 mate...I would really like to see if there was actually two good bottles from a supposedly shit vintage.

Cheers Craig

[Rossco]

I'm going out on a limb here. 1995 hasn't been mentioned mainly because it was seen as a lesser vintage.
But one forum member put it on back in 2020 and my notes are:

1995 Penfolds Grange
Totally unlike most granges and seemed either one of the last 'old style' Grange's before huge oak was added or was a vintage type thing?
Very floral, very pretty and feminine. Has this delicacy and subtleness about it. I guessed it as an old bordeaux, as i can see cabernet in there.... and man I couldn't be more wrong
(well it had 6% cab.... I was more 60%)
Lovely perfume spice of white pepper, some licorice, olives and mint. Fruit seemed more blueberry type and medium body... did not pick this as Shiraz OR Australian. Tannin were nicely integrated and had this saline minerality about it as well. Cedar oak, old leather, brown earth, oak was high quality and not intrusive and then those purple florals came rushing back.
Lovely stuff and completely unexpected.

So bit of left field one, but maybe shows vintage variance nicely

[Pat]

Just echoing the 1989 Grange thoughts. The bottle I had was the best single bottle of wine I’ve tasted. I had it around 2006.

I’ve had a number of grange tastings since then but that single bottle was wonderful.