GRANGE is arguably Australia's most famous wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. This wine boasts an unbroken line of vintages from the experimental 1951 and clearly demonstrates the synergy between Shiraz and the soils and climates of South Australia. The 2007 is unmistakably Grange—formic, ripe, pungent, confronting. CORE: darker elements—soy/cola/peat/ coal-dust/Dutch black liquorice with sesame/sea-weed/quince paste. BENEATH: coffee-grind/mocha/ bitter chocolate (from oak?). ABOVE: African spices coupled with a fleeting and appealing glacial waft. PALATE: At once, balanced and accessible; fresh and tight. A structural and textural continuum; no beginning or end, no gaps. Complete. In an attempt to define the palate profile - FLAVOURS: dates, persimmon, roasted nuts … freshly baked pecan-pie/Portuguese custard tart. OAK: omnipresent, yet neither prominent nor ostentatious. Completely assimilated. TANNINS: neither obstructive nor aggressive, yet effortlessly conveying flavours. Yes, maturation of 21 months in barrel and three years in bottle has moulded quite the structural and tactile Grange package. VINEYARD REGIONS: Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Magill Estate, South Australia. GRAPE VARIETIES: 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet. MATURATION: Matured for 21 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. LAST TASTED PEAK DRINKING (from January 2012 assessment): 2014–2045
Wow - I always wanted a pungent, textural continuum, with Portuguese custard. Oh, and not obstructive, aggressive, prominent or ostentation - thank goodness for that ??? And just how many glaciers are there in Australia? And at a snap at $US500 per bottle
At least I admire the writers imaginative use of the English language!!!!!