Description
The 1953 Penfolds Grange was the second vintage to be released commercially and it was also the first vintage to use grapes from Penfolds’ prized Kalimna vineyard in the Barossa Valley. The 1953 Penfolds Grange is one on the best Grange’s ever produced, it is a very famous old Australian wine still showing remarkable freshness and balance. (Rewards of Patience – Sixth Edition)
Bottles labelled Bin numbers 2, 10, 86C. One of three Grange vintages (1952 and 1962 are the others) produced in half (375ml) as well as full (750ml) bottles.
Winemaker comments by Penfolds Rewards of Patience, Edition VI
COLOUR Medium brick red.
NOSE Fresh mocha/apricot/meaty/Provencal herb/polished leather aromas.
PALATE A beautiful, velvet-textured wine with sweet-fruit/roasted meat/mocha/herb/leather flavours and loose-knit, slinky, dry tannins. Finishes long and sweet. A very famous old Australian wine still showing remarkable freshness and balance.
VINEYARD REGION Magill Estate and Morphett Vale (Adelaide) and Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley).
VINTAGE CONDITIONS Average rainfall and normal weather conditions.
GRAPE VARIETY Shiraz (87%), Cabernet Sauvignon (13%)
MATURATION 18 months in American oak hogsheads.
WINE ANALYSIS Alc/Vol: 12.80% – Acidity: g/L- pH: 3.68
LAST TASTED 2008
PEAK DRINKING Now
FOOD MATCHES Mature cheddar cheese.
Considered one of the finest Australian wines ever made. Fragrant bouquet; complex, intensely flavoured palate. “I can’t imagine a greater old wine” — James Halliday. “One of the greatest wines I have ever tasted” — Len Evans. A first rank Grange. (Ultimate Grange Experience, Nov. 1994).
