The historic Penfolds Magill Estate is one of the few single vineyards in the world located within city boundaries. At its peak in 1949, then planted to several varieties, the vineyard covered 120 hectares of gentle north-west facing slopes. Regarded as one of the premier sites in colonial South Australia it has gradually diminished to 5.24 hectares because of urban development.

The now heritage-listed space is only part of the original Grange Vineyard , but the original Grange Cottage, built in 1845, remains among the vines.

During the 1950s Magill became the centre of winemaking experimentation, and Grange Vineyard fruit was at the heart of Max Schubert s early bottlings of Grange Hermitage. The vineyard was completely replanted in the 1950s and 60s with further re-plantings of the remaining surviving land in 1986/1987 and 2016. All dry-grown and on their own roots the vines are hand-pruned and hand-harvested. Yields are, on average, usually less than 35 tonnes from entire estate.

The basket-pressed Magill Estate Shiraz, reintroduced as a single-vineyard wine in 1983, is made in the classic Penfolds method. It differs from other wines in the portfolio because of its single-vineyard origins, unique terroir and very limited production.

Complex, varied and sometimes thrilling. The latest vintages showing great potential. DR NEIL BECKETT, PhD

1983 TO 1989 Mostly past.

These vintages are variable in quality and style, which reflects the early development of Magill Estate Shiraz. Normally Penfolds would release a wine of this calibre after some years of experimentation, but the politics of saving the vineyard from urban encroachment meant that the wine needed to be commercialised earlier to prove its viability and currency in the market. The wines from 1983 to 1989 (inclusive) were not tasted for The Rewards of Patience Edition 8 because in the previous edition most of the vintages were either drink now or past . That said, 1983 and 1986 were the top vintages of the era and there will always be exceptions to the rule because of previous cellaring conditions. The 1984 is the least of the vintages and is well and truly past now. Nonetheless, all of these wines have played a key role in establishing the consistent wine style we enjoy today.

1990 «««« Drink soon.

Medium-crimson brick red. Perfumed fresh and earthy sous bois aromas with blackberry and cedar notes. Supple wine with aged earthy tobacco, sous bois and dried leaf flavours, blackberry and cedar notes, fine slinky dry textures and inky long finish. Fruit beginning to dry out. A fully developed wine in a pleasurable old Claret style.

Has aged well with retention of a sweet fruit core throughout. (JH)

A beautiful beguiling bouquet with gentle aged roasted meat, demi-glace, spicy, leather, menthol notes and supple velvety textures. An ethereal wine. (NB)

1991 «««« Drink now to past.

A classic Penfolds vintage, albeit within the context of a developing style. The best examples have developed significantly with pronounced leather, furniture polish and shellac notes accompanying briary, dark fruits, some mid-palate richness and leafy dry tannins.

1992 ««« Drink now to past.

A cool vintage wine with distinct minty and peppery notes, developed tobacco, blackberry, praline and panforte flavours and muscular firm but sinuous tannins. Most bottles have fully developed.

1993 «« Past.

A difficult vintage throughout South Australia. The earthy silage and tobacco characters are now dominant, the fruit is drying out and the tannins are sinewy and aggressive.

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