Penfolds - Grange 1986

20 WEINWISSER: "Tiefes Purpur, extrem dicht mit sanft schwarzen Reflexen. Reduktives, geballtes Bouquet, viel würzige Tiefe, Trüffelspuren und dunkles Edelholz. Im Gaumen extremes, junges Konzentrat mit ungestümer Adstringenz. Ein grosser, legendärer Grange, noch völlig verschlossen, wird sich erst in etwa zehn Jahren so richtig zeigen."

99 THE WINE CELLAR INSIDER: "Blackberry liqueur, pepper, earth, spice and leaf aromas produce a pungent perfume, This wine is huge. It’s packed and stacked with layers of intense, ripe dark fruit. This is full boded, powerful and finishes with wave after wave of dense, packed and staked fruit. This is about power, purity and intensity, not elegance. That being said, it’s a world-class wine with remarkable character and an endless finish."

98+ THE WINEADVOCATE: "One of my favorite wines from Penfolds, the 1986 (a blend of 87% Shiraz and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon) is one of the most powerful Granges produced (14+% alcohol). At age 23, it reminds me of the way it tasted around 9 years of age. Inky/purple to the rim with an extraordinary perfume of sweet licorice, crushed pepper, blackberry liqueur, camphor, and barbecue spices, this sensationally full-bodied, concentrated, layered 1986 is still an infant in terms of its ultimate potential. It is remarkable how this wine has aged, and it’s hard to believe how certain wine geeks will subscribe to the aging ability of the Grange, but don’t believe the same is true for other old vine Shiraz wines from the Barossa and McLaren Vale. It just doesn’t make any sense. The 1986 is one of the greatest Granges for my palate, and it appears to still have 25-30 years of upside."

98 WINESPECTATOR: "Approaching full maturity, this has developed into a huge mouthful of cherry, raspberry, plum, prune, anise and mineral flavors that keep expanding on the palate. Sensational now, but still has room to grow, at least until 2006 to 2010.--Penfolds Grange vertical. 5,790 cases made."

18 JANCIS ROBINSON: "Sweet and a bit thick and stolid. Good and racy and definitely middle aged."

96 FALSTAFF: "Mittleres, zart unterockertes Rubingranat. Nuancen von Küchengemüse, ein Hauch von Peterwurz, süß und anhaltend, idente Notiz mit 2012, elegant am Gaumen, rund und harmonisch, dank seiner Säure noch frisch, zarte Dörrobstanklänge im Nachhall, sehr delikat und lange anhaltend, nach wie vor ein Hochgenuss."