Penfolds unveils 2012 Grange

Penfolds has unveiled its 2016 collection, led by the 62nd consecutive release of its flagship Grange – the 2012 vintage.

Chief winemaker Peter Gago said that stylistically the 2012 vintage had returned to the 60s, describing it as “akin to the 1963 Grange, with a contemporary ‘2012’ personality.”

“Media and trade reaction to the 2012 Grange at preview tastings across the world has certainly exceeded all expectations”, said Gago, speaking to the drinks business. 

“In essence, it has the character and style of some of the older Grange classics (1963, 1978) yet bears a contemporary, textural and polished demeanour (of the 2004, 2010 vintages).”

Priced at £460, the 2012 Grange follows the challenging 2011 vintage in Australia, which was notoriously wet and cool.

Grange has been released every year since 1951, and is typically a Shiraz with a small percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2011 vintage, for the sixth time in its history, for example, was 100% Shiraz.

The 2012 Grange leads a 2016 collection of 19 Penfolds red and white wines that will be officially released on Thursday, 20 October.

Made across five different vintages, the collection includes multi-region, multi-vineyard blends, single-region and a single-vineyard wine – its 2014 Magill Estate Shiraz, made from a 5.2 hectares vineyard.

This year Penfolds’ top white, its Yattarna Chardonnay, marks its 20th vintage, with Gago describing the 2014 as “one of the great” Yattarna vintages.

Australian wine storage provider Wine Ark meanwhile recently recognised Penfolds’ Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, often referred to as ‘baby Grange’, as Australia’s most collected wine.

The Penfolds Collection 2016 includes:

• 2012 Grange                                                                                                    £460.00
• 2014 Yattarna Chardonnay                                                                                 £105.00
• 2014 Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon                                                                      £300.00
• 2014 RWT Barossa Valley Shiraz                                                                       £110.00
• 2014 Magill Estate Shiraz                                                                                   £110.00
• 2013 St Henri Shiraz                                                                                         £75.00
• 2015 Reserve Bin A Adelaide Hills Chardonnay                                                  £76.00
• 2014 Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz                                                                            £52.00
• 2014 Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon                                                                      £52.00
• 2014 Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz                                                                         £52.00
• 2014 Kalimna® Bin 28 Shiraz                                                                             £26.00
• 2014 Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz                                                                        £26.00
• 2014 Bin 138 Shiraz Grenache Mataro                                                                £26.00
• 2015 Bin 311 Tumbarumba Chardonnay                                                            £26.00
• 2016 Bin 51 Eden Valley Riesling                                                                       £26.00
• 2014 Bin 2 Shiraz Mataro                                                                                   £20.00
• 2014 Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz                                                                                £20.00