Very dark purple without a hint of bricking. Amazing youthful nose of sweet, pure, dark fruits - sweet dark cherries, bramble, and spice. Huge muscle and structure on the palate, firm but ripe tannins, but beautifully balanced with layers of complex fruit and a tremendous long finish. 95 points, drink 2006-2015

Eric,

Thanks for the TN. In the next few weeks I will be partaking in a tasting of the '89 Grange. Have you had the '89 before?

IW

Life without wine?...... Yeah Right.<br /><br />I believe we have 2 lives; the life we learn with and the life we live with after that.

IW, I have not, sorry - this was my first time ever tasting Grange

IW: I have had the 89 on multiple occasions, and some have been unbelievably good, while some have been weak. I really think that there were counterfeit bottles, since the cork's printing had faded while IN THE BOTTLE. I sent many corks and a detailed explanation each time as to where I bought each one, and all other pertinent information, but did not receive anything except a note from a secretary, I think, that said that John Duval will be contacting me shortly. Nothing came of that, so I never buy Penfolds now, but your 89 will probably be a great wine.

Here are some notes from a retrospective book on Grange published by Penfolds for the Grange vertical at the 2002 WS Wine Experience last October:

1989 Penfolds Grange

Considered a rich, fruity Grange for relatively early drinking - a reflection of the 1989 vintage conditions.

Vineyard Regions: Kalimna (Barossa), Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale.

Vintage Conditions: A generally good growing season led into a difficult vintage marked by heatwave conditions at the beginning of March, followed by heavy rain. The result was soft, richly flavoured wines, generally for earlier drinking.

Grape Variety: 91% Shiraz, 9% Cab Sauvignon.

1992 Penfolds Grange

In the Grange context, quite a simple wine, although it will develop more complexity with age. Almost certainly an early drinking style.

Vineyard Regions: Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, McLaren Vale.

Vintage Conditions: In the Barossa Valley, rainfall was slightly below average and the season was cool. Harvest was quite often interrupted by light rain. Coonawarra had a mild, relatively dry start to the season, whilst damp overcast conditions in April saw it as very much a vintage of two parts. In McLaren Vale, there was close to average rainfall over a cool slow ripening period.

Grape Variety: 90% Shiraz, 10% Cab Sauvignon

If anyone wants notes from any other vintages of Grange, I'd be happy to post them in this thread.

Cheers,

Otis

Gmt, Otis,

Thanks for the info. I am going to a friends house to enjoy this wine. It is not in my collection. I really hope the bottle he has is the real thing and not a counterfeit bottle. He received it as a wedding gift, and said that they were going to have it near there 10th wedding anniversary.

IW

Life without wine?...... Yeah Right.<br /><br />I believe we have 2 lives; the life we learn with and the life we live with after that.

What a delicious wine and drinking nicely.

I always pick up a little prune and licorice on older Grange wines. Also offering berries, plum, spice and smoke on the finish. I picked up more blackberry and cedar towards the end of the bottle.

Well done!