Latest news with #PenfoldsGrange
Otago Daily Times
22-04-2025
- Health
- Otago Daily Times
Singing the praises of cellaring
Ageing gracefully. No, I haven't suddenly become an influencer spruiking a brand of skin cream, nor am I recommending a regimen of calisthenics for your facial muscles, but I do want to talk about the rewards of cellaring wine. Famous Australian wine company Penfolds takes the concept of cellaring seriously, and every few years arranges a tasting of deep verticals of all their wines, with both local and international experts reviewing their progress. Their tasting notes are summarised and compiled by Andrew Callaird MW into the Rewards of Patience book, which is an invaluable tool for collectors to monitor their own cellars. The current (2021) edition is the eighth in the series. Penfolds also host re-corking clinics internationally where collectors are invited to bring in their (generally) top wines for assessment and possible re-corking. Young wines with perfect fills are normally not opened. Older bottles, and those showing a bit of ullage, are opened and checked. Bottles that are out of condition are returned with the advice to drink them shortly, bottles in good shape are topped up with the current vintage of the same wine, re-corked and capsuled, with a certificate from the re-corking clinic. Bottles with this sort of provenance can be highly prized at auction. Sometimes it can seem like the concept of cellaring wine has become old hat, and statistics do suggest that the majority of wine is consumed fairly shortly after being purchased; however, there are still enough zealots out there that love to experience the magical alchemy that time in the bottle can bring. I'm fortunate to have several friends who share a similar passion and get-togethers invariably see interesting bottles out of our respective cellars. To be fair, the vast majority of wine is meant to be enjoyed relatively youthfully, with the sub $20 category in the super or bottle shops mostly falling into that realm (that $7.99 ugly duckling bottle in the super is not going to become a graceful swan with ten years of cellaring). There can be surprising exceptions of course, but this can often relate to particular vintages. Nor does wine have to cost hundreds of dollars (Penfolds Grange is now about $1000 a bottle!) to be cellar-worthy, with so many great wines in the $30, $40 to $50 range. Here are three older wines that were a treat to try. In the case of Pegasus Bay they have done the cellaring for you, and these wines are available in the marketplace now. The Maude was from their own library stock and kindly shared as part of their 30th celebrations. 2014 Maude Mt Maude Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir RRP N/A Price Rating Excellent Colour development suggests an older wine, confirmed by the nose, with forest floor, earth and spice elements, the fruit neatly woven through the whole. Supple & rich, hints of milk chocolate & briary herbs, sweetness to the fruit and still some tannic grip apparent. Sumptuous, a velvety quality, fascinating to see what bottle age has given. Sweet rose-water on the close. 2015 Pegasus Bay Aged Release Pinot Noir 1 RRP $70 Price Rating Excellent to Outstanding The nose draws you in, darker fruits, forest floor, savoury aspects, nutty characters, a sense of some development, rose petal perfume unfurling with air. Mouthfilling, spice & savoury notes, graphite, blueberry, fine tannins lurking in the background, complexity. Lovely refinement, drinking superbly yet more gas in the tank. Such a treat to try this. 2015 Pegasus Bay Aged Release Prima Donna Pinot Noir RRP $130 Price Rating Outstanding It's all about the perfume, melded with forest floor notes and Christmas cake spices, the fruit equal to the task. A real step up in power and intensity, there's no doubt this is a big wine yet it carries it off with such poise and vibrancy. Great fruit depth, mushroom, spices again, a delightfully long carry, an underlying sense of development that shines a light on the rewards of cellaring.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SANS PRĖCĖDENT - TWO LEGENDS EXPLORE ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST RESPECTED VARIETALS
ADELAIDE, Australia, Feb. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Introducing Grange La Chapelle 2021, the result of curiosity and exploration that united cultures across two hemispheres. A blend that truly intertwines the rich heritage of French wine tradition and the innovative spirit of Australian craft. A long-standing friendship between Caroline Frey, Chief Winemaker and vigneron, La Chapelle and Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker Penfolds Grange enabled this unexpected union to showcase what this varietal can achieve aromatically and structurally - coalescing different geographies, different soils and different winemaking cultures. Caroline and Peter both acknowledge that after many conversations, the time was right to work together. This partnership created a pure varietal expression of equal parts in harmony. 50% La Chapelle France, from the steep, sun drenched slopes of the Hill of Hermitage and 50% Grange made from a collection of select South Australian vineyards: Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley - including many old 19th-Century vines from a State that has never been scourged by phylloxera. It combines the attributes of French Syrah and Australian Shiraz, expressions that share a common ancestry yet have evolved into distinctive styles from their respective terroirs. A new wine different and yet respectful of parentage and original DNA - bravely using the flagship wine of both … not without risk. Grange La Chapelle has its own identity. It is bold, yet elegant, structured yet expressive, offering a unique experience showcasing two legends. Caroline Frey said, "As the project progressed, I saw the elegance in Grange and the strength in La Chapelle." This blend offers a true taste of the shared history of Syrah and Shiraz and future possibilities. While this is the first inaugural vintage release (2021), this wine is intended for future release, mother nature permitting - annually. Peter Gago said, "When things are real, all quickly becomes self-evident … This friendship created an idea, this idea became a trial, the trial became a wine. Who would have thought …" Peter goes on to reference earlier links, including a major La Chapelle and Grange tasting organised by The Institute of Masters of Wine many years back. More recently in 1987, a Hermitage Luncheon at Rakel Restaurant in New York (with a young chef, Thomas Keller!) co-hosted by Gerard Jaboulet and Max Schubert. Pouring the 1971 Penfolds Grange and 1978 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle – certainly a celebration of Syrah and Shiraz. Fast-forward 38 years to 2025 and this connection has now come full-circle. Eighteen customers from around the world were personally invited by both teams sensitively to hand sell Grange La Chapelle 2021 to their private customers. The wine is rare, and the make size small. A small allocation will be sold by Penfolds direct to consumer channel in Australia, and the USA. Grange La Chapelle 2021 was celebrated at the inaugural global launch in Paris on February 9, 2025, at an intimate invite only Black-Tie evening hosted by Caroline Frey and Peter Gago, at Monnaie de Paris. 750ml RRP Australia AUD: $3,500 | 750ml RRP France €2,600. Visit for further information. NOTES TO EDITOR: About Grange La Chapelle: Bold and unique. Uniting winemaking cultures, spanning hemispheres and time. Fate. A longstanding friendship between two winemakers created an idea. The idea became a trial. The trial became a wine. And then there were three – 2021 (bottled), 2022 (bottled) and 2023 (in barrel). Who would have thought? Syrah from the legendary Hill of Hermitage, La Chapelle, coupled with Shiraz from esteemed South Australian vineyards, Grange. The blend's raison d'être: One variety - reunited, reinterpreted, reassembled. La Chapelle named after the chapel on the top of the mound of granite on the left bank of Rhône, is a revered wine in Tain l'Hermitage, France. This Syrah from the revered Hermitage appellation is both powerful & mythical, made to last. Today La Chapelle vintages 1978, 1990, 1991 & 2015 vintages are much sought after globally, and the 1961 remains a 20th-Century wine legend. Grange is named after the cottage at Magill Estate Winery South Australia (originally established by early settlers Dr Penfold and his wife Mary in 1844). Created in 1951, Grange has enjoyed a consecutive annual release for more than 70 years, and is also highly respected and endorsed by wine cognoscenti around the world. Prized vintages to relish today include 1952, 1962, 2008, 2010 & 2018 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Penfolds Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
09-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
SANS PRĖCĖDENT - TWO LEGENDS EXPLORE ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST RESPECTED VARIETALS
ADELAIDE, Australia, Feb. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Introducing Grange La Chapelle 2021, the result of curiosity and exploration that united cultures across two hemispheres. A blend that truly intertwines the rich heritage of French wine tradition and the innovative spirit of Australian craft. A long-standing friendship between Caroline Frey, Chief Winemaker and vigneron, La Chapelle and Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker Penfolds Grange enabled this unexpected union to showcase what this varietal can achieve aromatically and structurally - coalescing different geographies, different soils and different winemaking cultures. Caroline and Peter both acknowledge that after many conversations, the time was right to work together. This partnership created a pure varietal expression of equal parts in harmony. 50% La Chapelle France, from the steep, sun drenched slopes of the Hill of Hermitage and 50% Grange made from a collection of select South Australian vineyards: Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley - including many old 19th-Century vines from a State that has never been scourged by phylloxera. It combines the attributes of French Syrah and Australian Shiraz, expressions that share a common ancestry yet have evolved into distinctive styles from their respective terroirs. A new wine different and yet respectful of parentage and original DNA - bravely using the flagship wine of both … not without risk. Grange La Chapelle has its own identity. It is bold, yet elegant, structured yet expressive, offering a unique experience showcasing two legends. Caroline Frey said, 'As the project progressed, I saw the elegance in Grange and the strength in La Chapelle.' This blend offers a true taste of the shared history of Syrah and Shiraz and future possibilities. While this is the first inaugural vintage release (2021), this wine is intended for future release, mother nature permitting - annually. Peter Gago said, 'When things are real, all quickly becomes self-evident … This friendship created an idea, this idea became a trial, the trial became a wine. Who would have thought …" Peter goes on to reference earlier links, including a major La Chapelle and Grange tasting organised by The Institute of Masters of Wine many years back. More recently in 1987, a Hermitage Luncheon at Rakel Restaurant in New York (with a young chef, Thomas Keller!) co-hosted by Gerard Jaboulet and Max Schubert. Pouring the 1971 Penfolds Grange and 1978 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle – certainly a celebration of Syrah and Shiraz. Fast-forward 38 years to 2025 and this connection has now come full-circle. Eighteen customers from around the world were personally invited by both teams sensitively to hand sell Grange La Chapelle 2021 to their private customers. The wine is rare, and the make size small. A small allocation will be sold by Penfolds direct to consumer channel in Australia, and the USA. Grange La Chapelle 2021 was celebrated at the inaugural global launch in Paris on February 9, 2025, at an intimate invite only Black-Tie evening hosted by Caroline Frey and Peter Gago, at Monnaie de Paris. 750ml RRP Australia AUD: $3,500 | 750ml RRP France €2,600. Visit for further information. NOTES TO EDITOR: About Grange La Chapelle: Bold and unique. Uniting winemaking cultures, spanning hemispheres and time. Fate. A longstanding friendship between two winemakers created an idea. The idea became a trial. The trial became a wine. And then there were three – 2021 (bottled), 2022 (bottled) and 2023 (in barrel). Who would have thought? Syrah from the legendary Hill of Hermitage, La Chapelle, coupled with Shiraz from esteemed South Australian vineyards, Grange. The blend's raison d'être: One variety - reunited, reinterpreted, reassembled. La Chapelle named after the chapel on the top of the mound of granite on the left bank of Rhône, is a revered wine in Tain l'Hermitage, France. This Syrah from the revered Hermitage appellation is both powerful & mythical, made to last. Today La Chapelle vintages 1978, 1990, 1991 & 2015 vintages are much sought after globally, and the 1961 remains a 20th-Century wine legend. Grange is named after the cottage at Magill Estate Winery South Australia (originally established by early settlers Dr Penfold and his wife Mary in 1844). Created in 1951, Grange has enjoyed a consecutive annual release for more than 70 years, and is also highly respected and endorsed by wine cognoscenti around the world. Prized vintages to relish today include 1952, 1962, 2008, 2010 & 2018
