PENFOLD'S Shiraz Grange 'Bin 95' 2014 Bottle

Description

IN BRIEF
The 2014 Grange from Penfolds is an iconic Australian wine that exemplifies richness and concentration, earning praise across major wine critics. The Wine Advocate awarded it an impressive 98 points, highlighting its full-bodied, velvety character filled with plummy fruit, framed by vanilla and cedar, with a promising aging potential from 2025 to 2050. Decanter scored it 97 points, noting the blend of 98% Shiraz and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from renowned regions. It boasts aromas of liquorice, blackberry, and dark chocolate, along with a silky texture and complex palate. Vinous also rated it 97 points, celebrating its intense perfume and vibrant flavors, with long-lasting mineral and floral notes. This superb wine is ideal for savoring now or cellaring for future enjoyment.

ABOUT THE WINE
The 2014 Penfolds Grange (Bin 95) is a masterful embodiment of Australian winemaking, earning accolades from critics and enthusiasts alike. This vintage boasts a deep, inky purple color, hinting at the richness and intensity that awaits. The nose is immediately captivating, bursting with layers of ripe black fruits, notably blackberry and plum, complemented by alluring notes of dark chocolate, espresso, and a hint of spice from its maturation in new American oak. The expressive aromas of liquorice and cedar reveal the complexity characteristic of this iconic label.

On the palate, the wine is full-bodied and velvety, displaying an impressive depth of flavor. Concentrated fruit notes dominate, with luscious blackberry and plum echoing the nose, while undertones of mocha, vanilla, and a hint of earthiness emerge. The tannins are robust yet refined, providing a structured backbone, while a refreshing acidity enhances the wine’s balance and promotes its impressive length. The finish is long and sophisticated, with lingering notes of mineral and floral elements that invite continued exploration.

Critics have unanimously praised the 2014 Grange, with The Wine Advocate awarding it an impressive 98 points, declaring it rich, concentrated, and long-lived. Decanter followed closely, offering a score of 97 points and highlighting its exquisite complexity and approachable tannins. Vinous also rated it 97 points, celebrating its vibrant flavors and profound aromatic profile. James Suckling awarded 96 points, noting the wine's elegant construction and depth of flavor. Even Jancis Robinson acknowledged its ambition with a score of 18++, recognizing its structure and richness.

With a drinking window extending from 2025 to 2050, the 2014 Penfolds Grange is an exquisite choice for pairing with rich dishes such as slow-cooked lamb or gourmet steaks. Truly, this vintage encapsulates the essence of Penfolds' legacy, destined to be a treasured addition to any fine wine collection.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 98 points
Drink: 2025 - 2050
Rich, concentrated and intense, the 2014 Grange delivers exactly what we've come to expect from this Penfolds icon wine. It's full-bodied, velvety in feel and loaded with plummy fruit, framed in vanilla and cedar. Dense, powerful and tannic, it should prove to be long lived, even by Grange standards. Gago doesn't rate the vintage overall that highly, but he says the selection this year for Grange was a bit more stringent and that production levels were just average. There are still over 1,000 cases for the United States.

DECANTER 97 points
Tasted by: Anthony Rose (at Penfolds Collection Launch Tasting, London, 28 Sep 2018) Part of Top scoring wines of 2019: 100 points
Drinking Window: 2020 - 2040
The 2014 Grange is a blend of 98% Shiraz and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Barossa Vale, McLaren Vale, Wrattonbully, Coonawarra, Clare Valley and Magill Estate. Harvest was variable between the regions, with heat spikes and St Valentine’s Day rain contributing to a long, slow ripening, or, in arcane Peter Gago-speak: ‘a timely pre-harvest vintage mnemonic’. It's matured for 20 months in new American oak hogsheads, and the perfumes are quite lovely, already pronounced and distinctly Grange, with subtle but intense liquorice, the vanilla spice of American oak, blackberry and damson fruits, and underlying gamey notes. There’s a silky quality to the texture on the palate, showing depth, balance and complexity with concentrated blackberry and a hint of dark chocolate. As the tannins appear to be softer, juicier and more approachable than previous, more ‘classic’ Granges at this stage, the voluptuousness presages well for excellent medium-to-long-term drinking, starting in the next couple of years. It will star with slow-cooked pork belly or boeuf en daube.

VINOUS 97 points
Brilliant purple. A heady, intensely perfumed bouquet evokes dark berry preserves, incense, candied flowers, vanilla and cola, with a smoky, incisive mineral nuance building with air. Juicy, penetrating and alluringly sweet, offering deeply concentrated blueberry, cherry-cola, mocha and violet pastille flavors and a strong suggestion of fruitcake. Shockingly vibrant for its depth, with youthfully firm tannins adding shape and grip to an extremely long, mineral- and floral-dominated finish. - Josh Raynolds

JAMES SUCKLING 96 points
Shows a cooler and more savory style from the get go. Darker, spicy aromas with notes of clove and soy, blackberries, bracken and wood, dried orange and dark chocolate. The depth of flavor is undeniable. There's elegance here too, in the sense that it is chiseled and contained, only broadening out at the finish. This has some growth to come in the bottle. Peter Gago’s description of the tannins as 'slaty' is spot on; they are dark, stony and slick, smooth and strong. The flavors hang long into a tight, toasty and spicy finish. Luxuriant, long and powerful. A blend of 98 per cent shiraz and two per cent cabernet sauvignon, sourced from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Wrattonbully, Coonawarra, Clare Valley and Magill Estate. 20 months in 100 per cent new American-oak hogsheads. Try from 2025 and best after 2030.

JANCIS ROBINSON 18++ points
Dark blackish purple. More structured and ambitious than the 2013. Very admirable but, for the moment, a bit dry on the end. Lots of char. Rich in the middle. (JR)

-----

ABOUT THE PRODUCER
Penfolds is one of Australia’s most prestigious and celebrated wineries, with a storied history that dates back to its founding in 1844 by Christopher Rawson Penfold. Originally established as a source of medicinal wines, Penfolds has grown into a powerhouse known for its high-quality wines and innovative techniques. The winery is primarily located in the Barossa Valley, although it sources grapes from various regions across Australia, maximizing the diversity of its offerings.

One of the standout features of Penfolds is its flagship wine, Grange, first produced in 1951. Grange is a rich, full-bodied Shiraz that consistently receives international acclaim and is often regarded as Australia’s finest wine. The winery also produces other notable reds, such as Bin 389, often called “Baby Grange,” and a variety of white wines, including the renowned Penfolds Chardonnay.

Penfolds is known for its masterful blending techniques, where grapes from different regions and vintages are harmonized to create consistent quality and complexity. This commitment to excellence is reflected in their meticulous winemaking process, which balances tradition with innovation.

The winery embraces its heritage, offering visitors immersive experiences through tours and tastings, showcasing both the historical significance and modern advancements of the brand. With a commitment to quality and a legacy that spans nearly two centuries, Penfolds continues to be a cornerstone of the Australian wine industry, representing the country's winemaking prowess on the global stage.