Penfolds Grange Hermitage 2018
The Wine
100 Pts JamesSuckling.com 'A robust Grange from a lauded vintage, this wields sheer power with such compelling prowess. Uncompromising Grange. There are rich blackberries and plums on offer, together with brazen oak and abundant notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, charcoal, cola and hard brown spices. So fleshy and intense. Dark-chocolate and cocoa-powder aromas and flavors here, too. The tannins are polished and long, extruding deep into the finish and holding endlessly. Dark chocolate, black cherry, dark plum and more. Impressive. Brazen. One of the great Granges that will drink magnificently for decades to come.'
98 Pts Josh Raynolds, Vinous 'Inky, bright-rimmed violet. A kaleidoscopic, penetrating bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruit preserves, espresso, cola, incense, coconut and Moroccan spices, along with a smoky mineral topnote. Shows superb clarity and mineral lift to the sweet, deeply concentrated black currant, bitter cherry, dark chocolate, fruitcake and mocha flavors, which are sharpened by a spicy element. A vein of juicy acidity adds support and drives a wonderfully long, smoky finish that leaves a suave floral note behind. Drink 2030 - 2045.'
99 Pts Erin Larkin Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 'This wine comes with high expectations—as does the vintage. The 2018 vintage across South Australia (and cheekily, we could probably extend the accolade to all of Australia) was excellent. It was warm, but without incident, and responsible for powerfully ripe, serious wines. Many producers made some of their best wines in this vintage. So here, to the 2018 Grange: there is spiced raspberry, lashings of salted licorice, red curry paste, layers of forest berries, rendered lamb fat and crushed pink peppercorns to start. In the mouth, the tannins close around the fruit with the same polish and seamlessness as the 2008, possibly the 2004? Very different vintages, but there is a textural similarity for me. This is polished and glossy and so very pretty. It contains 3% Cabernet Sauvignon this year, and 69% Barossa, 18% McLaren Vale and the balance from Clare Valley. Each of the regions brings with it its own characteristics. Barossa brings the red dirt, blood, deli meat and rust. McLaren Vale brings the plush purple fruits with a side of meat and licorice. Clare brings the polish, the opulence and the velvet texture. With their powers combined, this is an extraordinary Grange. One of the true greats, which will only get better as it ages. Drink 2028 - 2058.'
98 Pts Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front '97% Shiraz, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. As is custom, it spent 18 months in 100% new American oak. For reviews of every Penfolds Grange ever made, click here. It’s sourced from the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and, interestingly, the Clare Valley. A substantial Grange release, poised, creamy, saturated with dark berried flavour, vanillin but appropriately so. Rarely does tannin come, when it’s as robust as it is here, so saturated in flavour, start to finish, sun up to sun down. Pan juices flow, fruit commands, tannin blows the roof off things. This is a big release, bigger (in memory at least) than the previous few releases – it has a CMYK blacker-than-black density to it – but its quality is ballistic. Take the stereotype of new world red wine, push its quality to its outer limits and then push it out yet further again, and you have this wine. Grange for the true believers, maybe not, but one for the new believers, definitively. Drink 2028 - 2048+
19/20 Pts Jancis Robinson.com 'Much is anticipated of this famous wine from a particularly famous vintage. Shiraz plus 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Fruit from Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley. 18 months in American oak hogsheads (100% new). TA 7 g/l, pH 3.56. Very deep blackish crimson. Much more expressive than the RWT on the nose. This really should be a banker should anyone put it into a blind tasting. The French have criticised it for being too approachable, according to Gago! Salty nose plus really ripe, rich dark fruits. Heady – just hinting at porty – and super-healthy on the palate. So rich underneath. Multi-layered, warm and spicy. Rich and broad. No disappointment. Drink 2027 – 2060.
The Details
Variety - Shiraz
Country - Australia
Region - South Australia
Extra - Screw Cap
Year - 2018
Volume - 750mls
About the Wine Maker 
Since 1844, Penfolds has built its reputation on experimentation, curiosity and an unwavering commitment to quality. The story began with founders Dr Christopher and Mary Penfold, whose pioneering work with tonics, brandies and fortified wines laid the foundation for one of Australia’s most influential wine estates. Their legacy was carried forward by visionary winemakers such as Alf Vesey, Ray Beckwith and Max Schubert, whose bold innovations propelled Penfolds to international acclaim.
Nearly two centuries later, that same pioneering spirit continues to define Penfolds. Guided by a lineage of forward‑thinking winemakers, the estate has become one of the world’s most celebrated producers, recognised for its distinctive style, technical excellence and relentless pursuit of greatness.
