1955 ««««« Drink now.

Medium crimson. Fresh and mature with polished leather, herb garden, roasted parsnip, aniseed and slightly soupy miso and demi-glace notes with a touch of crushed ant. Developed gamey, roasted walnut, roasted parsnip, dark chocolate and leathery flavours, with fine loose-knit/ sinewy tannins and long fresh acidity. Some dried roses and vellum notes. Still holding, but rare.

90 percent shiraz and 10 percent cabernet sauvignon. Magill Estate and Morphett Vale (Adelaide), Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) and McLaren Vale. The most decorated Grange winner of 12 trophies and 52 gold medals during its relatively short career on the Australian wine show circuit. Spent only nine months in oak. Named by US magazine Wine Spectator as one of 12 Wines of the Millennium in 2000. Bin 95 is the most common bottling and commercially available. Also released as Bins 13, 14, 53, 54 and 148A.

Still showing some cut flowers, mocha and sweet fruits but not a great bottle despite its fame and history. (JH)

Unmistakable old Grange with its presence, broad shoulders, expansive tannins and slightly menacing snarl despite its flagging energy. (NR)

1956 «« Past.

In variable condition with the best still showing freshness, mature developed fruit and lacy firm textures. But really now past its best. Very rare.

96 percent shiraz, 4 percent cabernet sauvignon. Magill Estate and Morphett Vale (Adelaide) and Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley). Lightened with only nine months in oak to meet internal criticism. Released as Bin 14 and Bin 53.

1957 «« Mostly past.

This wine is now showing advanced aged characters and an extremely frail structure. Some bottles are still holding but most have lost their charm and freshness. Very rare and valuable due to its historic significance.

88 percent shiraz, 12 percent cabernet sauvignon. Magill Estate and Morphett Vale (Adelaide) and McLaren Vale. The first of the three hidden Granges , this wine was made without the knowledge of Penfolds management, who had ordered Max Schubert to cease production. Matured in the previous year s Grange barrels. Released as Bin 50 and Bin 113.

1958 «« Mostly past.

Now mostly over developed. The best bottles are still showing fresh and polished mahogany, demi-glace and tobacco characters and fine, lacy textures. Very rare and valuable.

94 percent shiraz and 6 percent cabernet sauvignon. Magill Estate and Morphett Vale (Adelaide), Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. The second hidden Grange . Released as Bin 46.

1959 ««« Drink now to past.

At the end of its optimum life. Some bottles holding up with advanced maturity but fine sinewy tannins. Very rare.

90 percent shiraz, 10 percent cabernet sauvignon. Magill Estate and Morphett Vale (Adelaide) and Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley). The third and final hidden Grange . Released as Bin 46 (also Bins 49 and 95). The Bin 95 bottling was the most commercially available.

1960 «««« Past.

Fragile old wine showing developed fruit and lacy fine textures. Some good bottles lying around. Very rare.

92 percent shiraz, 8 percent cabernet sauvignon. Magill Estate and Morphett Vale (Adelaide) and Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley). Released as Bin 95 (also as Bin 45 and 49).

1961 ««« Drink now to past.

Beautiful old Grange showing fresh developed dark chocolate, panforte and tobacco leaf characters and fine, persistent graphite tannins. Still has mid-palate richness and amplitude. Very rare.

88 percent shiraz, 12 percent cabernet sauvignon. Magill Estate, Morphett Vale and Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide), Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) and Coonawarra. Released as Bin 95 and Bin 395.

1962 ««««« Drink soon.

Medium-deep brick crimson. Mature lifted and roasted walnut, farmyard, mahogany, praline, earth and demi-glace aromas. Rich and voluminous with deep-set dark chocolate, blackberry, mocha, leather, demi-glace, ground coffee, sweet fruit flavours and fine, loose-knit slinky tannins. Lovely mid-palate density and long, fresh integrated acidity. Finishes chocolaty and al dente firm; long and minerally. Beginning to fade. Rare.

87 percent shiraz, 13 percent cabernet sauvignon. Magill Estate (Adelaide), Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) and Adelaide Hills. Barossa Valley fruit becomes leading component and the Kalimna Vineyard purchased by Penfolds in 1945 is now  the mother vineyard of Grange. Released as Bin 95 (also as Bins 59, 59A and 456).

Intensely aromatic and fluent in structure but showing decaying grandeur. Nonetheless a grand old wine still drinking well. (NB)

A rich and vital wine with a Christmas cake bouquet, sweet spice notes and a wonderfully long and harmonious palate. (JH)

1963 ««««« Drink now to 2026+.

Medium-deep brick crimson. Intense complex dark kirsch, praline, roasted walnut, smoky liquorice aromas with apricot notes. Beautifully balanced with redcurrant, liquorice, leather, praline, chinotto, coffee and stone fruit flavours, fine persistent integrated chalky/lacy tannins, roasted chestnut and sweet fruit notes. Finishes sweet with lovely lacy plume and mineral acidity. In perfect condition. A magnificently mature wine with superb density, viscosity and length.

100 percent shiraz. Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, Magill Estate, Morphett Vale and Modbury Vineyard (Adelaide). Released as Bin 95 (also as Bin 65). A late developing Grange that achieved its fame in the late 1980s.

Intense raspberry, redcurrant and spicy aromas with coffee and dried rose notes. Complex and richly flavoured with sweet red fruits and a long spicy finish. Not unlike the 1955. (JR)

Dried fruit, coffee, sandalwood, sous bois, earthy aromas and gamey, Chinese herbal medicine notes. Invigorating and completely harmonious with surprising abundance of fruit and firmness. (FW)

1964 «« Past.

Now in decline. Fading fruit with drying textures. Some bottles better than others showing more richness of flavour. Rare.

90 percent shiraz, 10 percent cabernet sauvignon. Magill Estate (Adelaide), Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley) and Barossa Valley. Released as Bin 95 (also as Bins 395, 66, 67 and 68).

T H

E R

E W

A R

D S

O F

P A

T IE

N C

E

T H

E W

IN E

S

/

B IN

9 5

G R

A N

G E

S H

IR A

Z

5 55 4