The Auswine Forum

Hi all

I have a magnum of 86 Grange that I will be drinking at a lunch in a few weeks and was wondering if anyone has experience with this wine and could pass on their comments about decanting / air time etc.

many thanks

Good bottles will almost still be youthful in a good way. Great vintage in SA so good fruit.

I've had a bit of variation, even with bottles from the same cool cellar, so perhaps cork is an issue with old Granges. Hopefully yours will be good and magnum gives it a better chance again. I'd open it a few hours before and try it. If still relatively fruity, decant there and then (or double decant back into the bottle if taking it away from home).

I would taste it in the am
Look at it through the day
I wouldnt be keen on a decant
Let it blossom
When you drink it you will swirl it around
A recent 86 in 750ml bottle looked pretty good

My experience with older Granges is that they all need to be decanted to get them off their sediment. As Chris says, the 1986 is a big year and so is likely to still on the youthful side. I would decant into a decanter for several hours and put back into the bottle prior to serving. Serving a magnum of Grange a very special occasion and the bottle needs to be present I reckon!

Brodie

thanks for the advice

I forgot to ask a question and hoping you wouldn't mind sharing your views as well.

I'm also taking a 1997 HOG (750ml) to the same lunch, so any views on the order of the wines served ?
HOG then Grange is my thought.

many thanks

Gianna wrote:thanks for the advice

I forgot to ask a question and hoping you wouldn't mind sharing your views as well.

I'm also taking a 1997 HOG (750ml) to the same lunch, so any views on the order of the wines served ?
HOG then Grange is my thought.

many thanks

Definitely the HOG before Grange. I associate that HOG is of a feminine flavour profile while Grange is more masculine.
Now this may sound old fasioned, and to try and not offend as many as usual, the softer and more approachable and food friendly is the HOG, while Grange is generally a firmer granular wine that can handle a BBQ or a Cigar.
In my experience with older wines Ch. Latour is masculine and Ch. Lafite is feminine.
Happy to be old fashioned.

Cheers
Phill

Probably way too late with this but i had 86s of the following wines about five years ago: Grange, John Riddoch, Hill of Grace, Seppelt Sparkling Burgundy and a few others. Most of them were singing and the JR was the wine of the night. The Grange was young. Very very young. Almost closed. My thoughts on it were to come back in ten years. Given we're now five years later, I'd decant it very early in the day and check it out. It's a big eine built for the long haul. A 1990 I had more recently was a lot more approachable. In magnum, if well cellared, it probably still has years ahead.

I was going to chime in and agree that:

- the HOG should be served before the Grange,
- a magnum of Grange from a big vintage would likely be youthful and need plenty of airing,
- it should be decanted to get it off the sediment, and
- finally, that it should be poured back into the bottle for the spectacle.

However, I then noticed that the original post was on September 10th for an event a few weeks ahead, so clearly the event must have already taken place.

Where is the follow up? 
What did you decide with the Grange?
How was the '97 HOG?
How the '86 Grange from magnum?
Were the guests impressed?

Cheers ...................... Mahmoud.

Mahmoud Ali wrote:
How was the '97 HOG?
How the '86 Grange from magnum?
Were the guests impressed?

Cheers ...................... Mahmoud.

that is what I was wondering ......

I note Gianna hasn't logged on since around the original post, so have to enjoy the flyby visit for what it was and hope it was a good night!

TiggerK wrote:I note Gianna hasn't logged on since around the original post, so have to enjoy the flyby visit for what it was and hope it was a good night!

We are but temporary friends!

TiggerK wrote:I note Gianna hasn't logged on since around the original post, so have to enjoy the flyby visit for what it was and hope it was a good night!

Unusual for someone to have 145 posts and then fall off the face of the earth. Perhaps the Grange experience was too overwhelming to contemplate any wine related activities.

rens wrote:

TiggerK wrote:I note Gianna hasn't logged on since around the original post, so have to enjoy the flyby visit for what it was and hope it was a good night!

Unusual for someone to have 145 posts and then fall off the face of the earth. Perhaps the Grange experience was too overwhelming to contemplate any wine related activities.