1972 Penfolds Grange Hermitage

Notes Sourced from The Rewards of Patience - Fifth Edition (2004):

Drinking Window: Now – 2012
Medium deep brick red. Intense liquorice/dark chocolate/blackberry/violet aromas with hints ofvanilla/spice. A loose-knit palate with herb/camomile/meaty/mocha flavours and fine cedary tannins. A lovely, elegant wine.
90% Shiraz, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate (Adelaide), Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide) and Coonawarra. A very good Grange vintage. However, a single batch was unintentionally oxidised before bottling, resulting in significant bottle variation. A mild, dry growing season and vintage.

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Notes Sourced from Southcorp Wines

Bin number:

95

Regional sources:

Kalimna (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill, Modbury (Adelaide Plains) & Coonawarra

Grape varieties:

90 per cent Shiraz & 10 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon

Alcohol:

12 per cent

Total acids:

6.6 grams per litre.pH: 3.77

Growing season/vintage: Generally dry growing season followed by mild weather at vintage.

Comments: Considered a very good Grange, with the reservation that a quantity was unintentionally oxidised during bottling. The result is variability. Good bottles can be outstanding. Won a gold and four other medals at Australian wine shows in 1973, 1976 and 1977.

Tasting notes: Colour: deep red-brown. Bouquet: huge cassis/berry/oak flavours with a touch of volatility. Palate: another monster; great fruit and huge tannin; still a 10-year proposition. (James Halliday, National Times, Nov. 1982)

Mature flavour with rich fruit and tannin. Drinking well but another big wine that needs more time. (Rewards of Patience, 1st ed., 1985)

Fully mature wine showing sweet fruit. Drink now. (Rewards of Patience, 2nd ed., 1990)

Very developed tawny colour. Rather faded dry nose with obvious volatility. Astringent, fiery and hot in the mouth. A poor bottle. (Huon Hooke, 1992)

Deep rich and chocolatey, dense and smooth. A big, softer style with ripe, oaky chocolate and vanilla notes pervading. Very good and has many years left. (Huon Hooke, 1992)

Complex, leathery and concentrated, with "clean" tannin and a long finish. (Ultimate Grange Experience, Nov. 1994)

"Medium brick red. Complex and vibrant, sweet, meaty/truffly fruit with perfumed apricot/marmalade and black fruit notes. Lovely concentrated and textured palate with sweet, briary, apricot-like fruit and touches of star anise. Fine dry tannins and excellent length. A remarkable wine. One of the surprises of the tasting. Drink now." (Southcorp Wines, The Rewards of Patience, Fourth Edition, March 2000)