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Penfolds Grange 1978

  • Bob Campbell MW
    96 Points
  • Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
    93 Points
  • Jancis Robinson MW
    18.5 Points
Penfolds Grange 1978
  • Bob Campbell MW
    96 Points
  • Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
    93 Points
  • Jancis Robinson MW
    18.5 Points
Penfolds Grange 1978
Write a Review
Penfolds

Penfolds Grange 1978

SKU: PEGR197810 UCAU
15 Plus Years
$1,049.99 / bottle
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Grange is arguably Australia’s most celebrated wine and is officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia.

Deep colour, beautiful and classic with intense blackberry, blackcurrant dark chocolate espresso aromas, superbly full bodied concentrated wine with deep set blackberry, blackcurrant, dark plum, dark chocolate mocha flavours, fine chocolaty and velvety tannins leading to along finish.

Sourced from a premium private cellar

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Penfolds Grange 1978

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Tasting Notes

Penfolds Grange 1978 is a distinguished symbol of Australian winemaking excellence, proudly recognized as a Heritage Icon of South Australia. This exceptional vintage captures the essence of Penfolds’ legendary craftsmanship, celebrated worldwide as one of Australia’s most iconic and revered wines.

Visually striking with its deep, captivating colour, the 1978 Grange immediately signals the depth and concentration to follow. The nose unfolds with intense aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, dark chocolate, and rich espresso, setting the stage for an extraordinary tasting experience. On the palate, it is superbly full-bodied and concentrated, revealing layered flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant, dark plum, and mocha that evolve gracefully with each sip. The wine’s fine, velvety tannins offer a luxurious texture complemented by subtle chocolaty notes, culminating in a long, memorable finish.

Carefully sourced from a premium private cellar, this vintage demonstrates the remarkable aging potential and complexity Penfolds Grange is renowned for. Decades of maturation have deepened its character, allowing the wine’s robust structure and elegant profile to reach full expression. The 1978 Grange is a powerful testament to South Australia's unique terroir and the meticulous attention to detail that defines Penfolds’ winemaking philosophy.

As a prized collector’s treasure, this vintage embodies both historical significance and outstanding quality. Its allure lies not only in its rich sensory profile but also in its status as a flagship representation of Australian viticulture. Penfolds Grange 1978 remains a benchmark for excellence, celebrated for its remarkable depth, complexity, and enduring legacy.

  • Heritage Icon: Officially listed as a Heritage Icon of South Australia and arguably Australia’s most celebrated wine.
  • Rich Aromatics: Intense blackberry, blackcurrant, dark chocolate, and espresso aromas with superbly full-bodied concentration.
  • Complex Palette: Layered flavours of blackberry, blackcurrant, dark plum, mocha, and fine chocolaty, velvety tannins.
  • Premium Provenance: Sourced from a prestigious private cellar, showcasing decades of meticulous aging.
red

Red

2024

1978

icon-grapes-bold

Shiraz

Wirra_Wirra

Penfolds

McLaren_Vale_South_Australia_Australia

Barossa Valley

750ml_Bottle

750ml (Bottle)

10-15_Years

15 Plus Years

14

14.5%

icon-cork_7fa41e8a-1ddb-4194-95e8-f8169a35c5dd

Cork

Critic Scores

96Bob Campbell MW

Lovely developed red with maltexo, forest floor, Bovril, woodsmoke and toast. A hint of caramel

93Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

A wine that seems to get better every time I have it, the 1978 Grange, a blend of 90% Shiraz and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, has turned out to be a blockbuster wine with extraordinary intensity, a voluptuous palate, notes of camphor, coffee, jammy black fruits, leather, and creme de cassis. As the wine sits in the glass, pepper and melted asphalt make an appearance. Very unctuously textured, thick, and chewy, this wine is soft, with a very succulent style. Its color is showing just a touch of amber as this wine approaches its plateau of maturity. Drink it now and over the next 20 years.

18.5Jancis Robinson MW

Tremendous beetroot, blackcurrant, chocolate, forest, mushroom. Exotic spices, leathery, dusty maturity. Impeccable.

Vinification & Cultivation

Crafted only for our premium wines

Vineyard Cultivation

Penfolds Grange 1978 originates from South Australia's premium Shiraz regions, including fruit from Magill Estate near Adelaide, the Barossa Valley, and McLaren Vale. The 1978 growing season was warm and dry, producing excellent Shiraz ripeness and concentration—conditions that favoured deep colour development and phenolic maturity. Grange represents Penfolds' flagship wine programme established by winemaker Max Schubert in the 1950s, originally styled as Grange Hermitage. By 1978, Grange production drew from multiple South Australian regions to ensure consistent quality and complex fruit. Penfolds' vineyards benefited from mediterranean-climate conditions across the regions, with red volcanic soils in the Barossa and sandy loam in McLaren Vale contributing diverse mineral character. The 1978 vintage represents mature fruit from well-established vineyard partnerships.

Vinification

The 1978 Grange underwent traditional fermentation methods with hand-plunging to extract colour and tannin structure. Fermentation proceeded in open vessels, allowing natural temperature management and extended contact with skins. Following primary fermentation, malolactic conversion developed secondary complexity. Oak maturation proceeded in new and seasoned American oak, imparting vanilla and toasted notes whilst allowing phenolic integration. The extended élevage extended twenty-four months or longer, with the wine rested in bottle before release. This traditional approach built the wine's structure and ageing capacity, enabling the 1978 vintage to develop tertiary complexity over decades of cellaring.

About this Wine

Penfolds

Penfolds was established in 1844 by a young English doctor, Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold. He built a cottage in Magill, on the outskirts of Adelaide with his wife Mary, and it was around this site that vine cuttings from the South of France were planted. Peter Gago joined Penfolds in 1989, and in 2002, he became Chief Winemaker. He leads an incredibly talented and experienced winemaking team who follow the traditions established by Penfolds previous owners.

Penfolds house style wines embrace the idea of multi-regional blending, optimum fruit quality, the use of fine-grained American and French oak and most often, barrel fermentation and maturation. Penfolds has played a big part in the evolution of winemaking in Australia - and across the world. Their biggest viticultural regions include Adelaide, the Barossa Valley, the Clare Valley, Coonawarra, Limestone Coast, and McLaren Vale. In total, grapes are sourced from more than 220 vineyards across Australia and only the best are chosen.

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South Australia

If you like Australian wine, then you probably like South Australia wine. The rich reds produced there put Australia on the wine-making map of the world. With over 40% of the countries vineyards, South Australia can rightfully call itself the wine state.

Wines are produced in several regions throughout the state, though many are naturally grouped together, like Barossa and Eden Valleys, only 15 minutes apart. They include such regions as Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Eden Valley, Coonawarra, Adelaide Hills, Kangaroo Island, Langhorne Creek, The Limestone Coast, McLaren Vale and Wrattonbully to name but a few!

Barossa Valley boasts some of the oldest vines in Australia dating back to 1843 and produces some of the world's finest Shiraz, whilst the 'terra rossa' soils of Coonawarra is most suited to producing outstanding Cabernet Sauvignons. If you're a fan of Riesling, Clare Valley is a great place to explore and for a Maritime climate not dissimilar to parts of the Italian coastline, seek out the wines from McLaren Vale.

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