‘Penfolds itself was established in 1844, and is thus a heritage brand as old as some of the finest European wine houses’
Luxury brands don’t come around very often in the rarefied world of fine wine. Penfolds Grange, now 75 years old, has established a foremost place among the vinous legends
To what extent is the world of luxury determined by heritage? Until recently, you could have convincingly argued that all luxury brands were heritage brands: from Hermès to Patek Philippe to Château Latour, they have been around for centuries.
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But then came the disruptors – new luxury brands such as Richard Mille and Alaïa. In sectors where innovation plays its part, the role of new luxury is even stronger: Pagani and Koenigsegg have shaken the world of supercars.
But has not the world of wine, where innovation arguably plays less of a role than historic vineyards, remained a heritage preserve? Up to a point. To the pantheon of centuries-old greats such as Romanée-Conti and Château Margaux, a new fine-wine luxury brand has been established that commands respect and desirability among top collectors.
Max Schubert created the iconic Grange 75 years ago, from the Shiraz (Syrah) grape variety
Penfolds Grange is not new in absolute terms – the first vintages were produced in the 1950s, but that makes it relatively new in the wine world, and all the more remarkable for its ascent to that pantheon of greats. It helps, of course, that Penfolds itself was established in 1844, and is thus a heritage brand as old as some of the finest European wine houses.
Luxury is an industry in which marketing can be even more important than quality to establishing reputations. But for a fine wine, quality is paramount. There’s no getting away from what’s in the glass. Also, consistency: if you create one great vintage then nine average ones, you won’t find a place in collectors’ cellars.
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Grange is innovative for the wine world. It is made from Shiraz grapes, known as Syrah in France, which, in the Rhône valley, makes the celebrated Syrah wines of Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage. But unlike most of the world’s great wines, Grange is not created from grapes grown from the same plots of land each year.
It is a blend of the best grapes chosen each year by the winemaker – wine-world legend Peter Gago, who was inducted into the prestigious Decanter Hall of Fame in 2021 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the influential Meininger Awards this year.
The Penfolds barrels
Coming from different plots each year ensures quality but also an intriguing variation.
Grange is Australian and expensive – older vintages fetch thousands of pounds, dollars and euros per bottle – and it is, of course, unusual in not coming from the same plot of land every year. But what does it taste like?
Grange is an ethereal, hard-to-pin-down wine, with power but also a lightness of touch and delicacy, which, added to its complexity, make it utterly captivating for collectors.
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On its 75th anniversary this year, Gago commented in characteristically sharp, colloquial style to LUX, “Grange, three quarters of a century young. Without a vintage miss. Annually attempting across treasured South Australian vineyards to best reflect what Mother Nature sends our way. So far, so good. Respectful of the proven Grange stylistic template, every year we try harder … to make a better vintage than the legendary ’52, ’53, ’55, ’63, ’71, ’76, ’86, ’90, ’96, 2010 … The tweaking continues – in vineyard, in winery!”
Oh, and good luck in tracking down a bottle of that 1952. A true luxury item indeed.
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