1960 Penfolds Grange Hermitage

Grape Varieties: A blend of 92% Shiraz and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon the fruit was sourced from Magill and Morphett Vale (Adelaide) and Kalimna (Barossa Valley).

Alcohol: 12.8%

Vintage Conditions: Generally hot and fairly dry, with growing season rainfall down 20 per cent on average.

Tasting Notes:size> Grange production officially resumed with this vintage, following a boardroom tasting that clearly showed the quality of earlier Granges once they had matured. Winner of three gold, two silver and three bronze medals in Australian wine shows between 1962 and 1971.

Colour: strong red-brown, good for age. Bouquet: camphor overtones to oak; touch of volatility but not excessively marked. Palate: much more weight than the '59; more oak and tannin; also good fruit. (James Halliday, National Times, Nov. 1982)

A big Grange, full, brick red colour reflecting strong fruit and balanced oak. (Rewards of Patience, 1st ed., 1985)

A big, rich-fruit wine, slightly jammy, with some volatility. Quite a typical Grange. (Huon Hooke, 1993)

Smooth and drinkable with slightly over-ripe prune or raisin-like fruit. (Ultimate Grange Experience, Nov. 1994)

"Grange production resumed with this vintage. Becoming rare. Well-cellared bottles can be in good condition, showing concentration in fruit. Drink now." (Southcorp Wines, The Rewards of Patience, Fourth Edition, March 2000)