1961 Grange

This is the first Grange to use grapes from the cool climate Coonawarra district, in South Australia's far south-east. This vintage Grange is becoming increasingly rare. Bottles labelled Bin numbers 95 and 395.

Sourced from the Magill Estate (Adelaide), Morphett Vale (Adelaide), Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide), Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) and Coonawarra. Shiraz (88%), Cabernet Sauvignon (12%).

Eighteen months in used American oak hogsheads.

Max Schubert, Penfolds chief winemaker

89/100

A blend of 88% Shiraz and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1961 was the first Grange to incorporate some grapes from Coonawarra.

Nevertheless, the base for this wine continued to be the Magill estate in Adelaide, the Barossa Valley, and the Kalimna sector of the Barossa.

The first bottle was completely maderized, but a second showed plenty of amber in the color, a somewhat monolithic personality with notes of roasted coffee, singed leather, hot rocks, herbs, underbrush, and pruny fruit.

The wine is somewhat out of balance, with the tannin and acidity dominating the fruit with sweetness. It needs to be drunk up.

Robert M. Parker Jr., www.erobertparker.com, February 2002

92/100

Harvey Steiman, www.winespectator.com, 31 January 1997

95/100

Jeremy Oliver, www.jeremyoliver.com