1970 Penfolds Grange Hermitage

Notes Sourced from The Rewards of Patience - Fifth Edition (2004):
Drinking Window: Now – 2006
Medium brick red. Complex mushroom/cedar/cigar box aromas. The palate is quite structured with mushroom/cedar flavours and some raisin/leathery notes. The tannins are quite leafy and muscular, but balanced by a core of fruit sweetness. Finishes very firm. Beginning to lose fruit.
90% Shiraz, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley and Magill Estate (Adelaide). A dry, mild growing season and vintage.

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Notes sourced from Southcorp Wines.

Made from a blend of 90% Shiraz and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Alcohol: 11.5 %

Vintage Conditions: Dry growing season with rainfall 40% less than normal. Mild, dry conditions at vintage.

The bin numbering for Grange was standardised with this vintage. Previous bottlings reflect the actual numbers of various storage "bins" in which Grange was stored in Sydney and Adelaide. This wine is a favourite of Don Ditter, who worked at Penfolds from 1946 and succeeded Max Schubert as Chief Winemaker in 1975.

Rated 86/100 points by Robert Parker in 1990. Won a trophy, two gold and one bronze medal at Australian shows in 1975.

Tasting notes: size>Colour: medium deep red with a touch of brown on the rim, good for age. Bouquet: lively fruit with camphor overtones; fresh and with good balance. Palate: Fresh lively camphor/fruit; low to medium tannin. An excellent drinking red far more approachable than any of the other wines from the 70s. (James Halliday, National Times, Nov. 1982)

Firm, mature fruit/oak balance. Drinking well and nearing peak. (Rewards of Patience, 1st ed., 1985)

Mature, complex "licorice" flavours. Holding well. Good drinking. (Rewards of Patience, 2nd ed., 1990)

A sturdy wine, very big and firm. Starting to drink well, but fairly tannic and could still be cellared. (Huon Hooke, 1993)

Fragrant, yet also earthy/gamey aromas with some sweet fruit character. Multi-layered palate with complex flavours of cedar, plum, leather and earth. At the "leaner" end of the Grange spectrum, butnevertheless an attractive wine that is probably at the peak of its development. Will hold. (Rewards of Patience, 3rd ed.,1994)

Soft, mellow and mature with honey, chocolate and raisin-like fruit. (Ultimate Grange Experience, Nov. 1994)

"Medium brick red. Complex, mature smoked oyster and truffle aromas with some stocky sweetness. Palate beginning to fade, with some sweet but over-developed fruit and earthy/ leather characters. Plenty of grip but drying out. Drink now." (Southcorp Wines, The Rewards of Patience, Fourth Edition, March 2000)