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The 1981 stood out as slightly superior. Winemaker John Duval always felt this was a tannic style of Grange, but the wine has shed its tannins, and this is one of the few vintages where the percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon was above 10%. Sweet notes of creme de cassis, cedarwood, charcoal, and barbecue spices are followed by a full-bodied, opulent wine displaying heady amounts of alcohol, glycerin, and density in its full-bodied, skyscraper-like texture. I was drinking this wine with great pleasure in the mid-nineties, yet here it is nearly 15 years later, and the wine does not appear to have budged much from its evolutionary state. This is a testament to how remarkably well these wines hold up, and age at such a glacial pace.Grange, Penfolds’ flagship wine, is, by many accounts, the most renowned and world-famous wine produced in Australia, and these six vintages from my cellar all acquitted themselves well. These wines are almost always Shiraz, but many vintages include less than 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and there are cross-appellations blends from vineyards in the Barossa and McLaren Vale.Robert Parker | 97 RP

Made from fruit coming predominantly from the Barossa Valley this year (97%) and containing 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2006 Grange has been added to my list of favorite recent vintages. Deep garnet-purple colored, it’s still a little youthfully mute, offering notes of warm cherries, black currants, anise, coffee and toast with underlying hints of soy, yeast extract, black olives and Indian spices. Tight-knit and solidly structured on the medium to full-bodied palate, the concentrated fruit is densely coiled around the firm grainy tannins and very crisp acidity at this stage, but promises something very special in the years to come. It finishes very long, complex and layered with the cedar poking through the fruit purity. Patience is required for this vintage; it should begin opening out around 2016 and drink to 2030+.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPBeautifully aromatic, with scents of blueberry, plum, cherry, coffee and toasted walnut rising from the glass with intensity. After a hit of tannins the rich, focused fruit flavors take over, showing glints of pepper, mint and cocoa and lingering effortlessly. Best from 2016 through 2030. 2,000 cases imported. — HSWine Spectator | 98 WSContaining 98% Shiraz and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new American oak hogsheads for 18 months, the 2006 Penfolds Grange is tightly wound and dense, possessing a core of smoky black fruits, lots of oak, espresso roast, dried spice, and mineral characteristics on both the nose and palate. Powerful, rich, and beautifully balanced on the palate, with a serious, concentrated, medium to full bodied feel, crisp acids, and a very long, tannic and structured finish, this age-worthy beauty needs a solid 5-8 years in the cellar to fully integrate its components, and should have a very long drink window.Jeb Dunnuck | 96+ JD(98% shiraz and 2% cabernet sauvignon): Deep ruby. Highly aromatic nose offers black raspberry, cherry pit, potpourri and minerals. Dense, lush and sweet but very energetic, offering spicy red and dark berry, dark chocolate, rose pastille and licorice flavors complemented by spicy, sweet oak. Shows bitter chocolate and cherry-cola nuances on the extremely persistent, spice-accented finish. This should be approachable on the young side.Vinous Media | 94 VMNot quite the massive monster that is the 2004 Grange, the 2006 is still no shrinking violet. It’s full bodied, muscular and extracted, and while the flavors veer toward espresso and dark chocolate, there’s also a ribbon of raspberry fruit running through the wine from start to long, dusty finish. Drink 2015–2025, and probably beyond.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA balanced and intense red, with sliced meat, blackberries and spices. Full body, with silky and refine tannins and hints of new wood. Sweet tobacco and plums. A little shy now. Give it three to four years.James Suckling | 93 JS

The 2010 Grange arrives with much expectation and does not disappoint. This is a powerhouse, structurally superior to both the 2009 and 2008 vintages and breathtakingly dense, long and precise. The nose has cola, blackberry, vanillin, hard brown spices of all kinds, coal smoke, meaty charcuterie elements and a strong tarry, savory note that speaks of the 85% Barossa Valley componentry. The palate has super deep tannins that fan out through flavorsome black fruits. These are purposeful tannins - they bristle on the palate, tantalizing and assertive yet playful; strong not aggressive. The power here is the thing: This has mouth-coating density and terrific drive, so tightly coiled, it gives enough away to suggest a very, very long cellaring wine is here. This is a classic Grange that will please the serious collectors. A wine of genuine pedigree. Drink in 2026.James Suckling | 100 JSWith its veritable vortex of rich but dynamic blackberry and blood-plum, exotic satsuma lift, creamy praline oak and supple tannins of deep-pile velvet, this is a sumptuous wine to sink into - a bottomless pit. Hints of sarsaparilla and tar lend savoury nuance. This oozes confidence and charm. Sourced from Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and Magill Estate, it spent 17 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. Drinking Window 2018 - 2045Decanter | 99 DECThe 2010 Grange is a 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and 96% Shiraz blend made from Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and Magill Estate fruit that was aged 17 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. Very deep purple-black in color, this is classic Grange - amongst the finest produced - replete with fresh, vibrant and youthful black fruit notes showing some blueberry aromas and accents of camphor, anise and the slightest floral hint plus a whiff of oak in the background to lend a cedar-laced lift to this textbook Shiraz nose. Medium to full-bodied in the mouth, it is very taut and finely constructed showing typically firm, grainy, uniform tannins, great concentration and wonderful persistence on the finish. If I have any very slight complaint of this near perfect wine it is that it seems a little too clinical and appears to speak less of the land and the heart of South Australia and more of the very skilled winemaking than did the Grange from the magical 2008 vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 99 RPThis inky, embryonic wine deserves to be cellared until at least 2025 and should drink well for at least 25 years after that. It takes its time opening up in the glass to reveal notes of grilled meat, vanilla and plum. In the mouth, it's full bodied and firmly built, with a wall of chewy tannins surrounding a deep ripe core.Wine Enthusiast | 99 WEFocused, elegant, powerful and layered, exhibiting plum, currant, floral, spice and coffee flavors that come together seamlessly and persist on the long, complex finish. This has presence and deftness in equal measure, with well-integrated tannins. Best from 2018 through 2030. 371 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 98 WSPeter Gago is excited about the 2010 Grange, having followed it through a moderate, relatively dry growing season, then shepherding his best lots of shiraz through the end of their fermentation and extended aging in new American oak hogsheads. The fruit is a blend from Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale and the Magill Estate, delivering powerful richness and deep intensity without any perception of alcohol. American oak provides an accent, dominated by the fruit concentration that brings its own herbal spice. The volatility that lifts that spice is a trademark of Max Schubert’s winemaking style, and adds to the detail that develops as this turns into a grand wine. More accessible than many Grange releases, this presents a sleek and sophisticated composure rather than the fireworks that often accompany a young Grange. It should age beautifully.Wine & Spirits | 94 W&S