2002 Penfold's Grenache Reserve

the initial nose on this was amazing, with pronounced rosemary/provencal herbs and lavender. just great on top of the vanilla strawberry/cherry grenache nose and palate. not as deep as my standard (De Lisio) but this is older, at its peak right now with the round bottle bouquet, not any noticeable tannin and medium body, medium finish with enough acid; not any heat either. the striking thing is the combination of the wonderful aromatic spices with the grenache cherry/strawberry/red plum. 93 points.

Follow up on 4/18, 6 pm: after preservation with gas drinking well tonight. very pleasantly spicy/herbs on top of elegant grenache red fruit nose. good acidity and finish.

Parker writing in 2005, 95 points:

The 2002 Grenache Cellar Reserve is a terrific effort. Produced from a 75-year-old Barossa vineyard, and aged completely in old wood, it exhibits a fabulously complex bouquet of licorice, kirsch liqueur, and spice box, a great mouthfeel, huge body, and lovely elegance as well as freshness. It is a terrific example of old vine Barossa Grenache that should drink well for 5-10 years.

From Penfold's website

Cellar reservear rEsErvE

Grenache 2002

The tradition of innovation and experimentation is central to the Penfolds winemaking philosophy and is perpetuated in the form of Penfolds Cellar reserve wines. These sometimes one-off releases emerge periodically when experimental wines, which have been nurtured carefully in the winery cellars, are deemed appropriate for public release.

The wines do not necessarily fit into any particular genre and provide winemakers with the freedom to strive for new styles and definitions of excellence in their expression.

With the 2002 Cellar reserve grenache, a wine has been developed which harnesses one of the world’s most exotic and perfumed red wine grape varieties, presenting it as a single varietal wine in contrast to its more established cousin, the Bin 138 grenache-Shiraz-Mourvèdre blend.

Barossa Valley

regular rains throughout winter resulted in good soil moisture levels and healthy vine growth, but a cool spring and summer reduced potential yields, and in fact left grapes in danger of not ripening. a warm, dry autumn relieved the situation and this, combined with careful vineyard management, resulted in a harvest with smaller than

average yields but of excellent quality. grenache

Matured for 12 months in a 50/50 combination of older French and american oak hogsheads.

alc/Vol: 14.50% acidity: - ph: -

4-Dec-03 Now - 2010 Duck & game, Cheese, Beef

Winemaker comments by

Peter gago

Dense crimson, with an almost black core. a heady, concentrated, fragrant lift of unabashed, youthful grenache fruit, showing primary raspberry and dark stone-fruit conserve aromas, courted by dark spice, licorice and floral notes.

Expansive and intensely opulent. rich, generous blueberry and blackberry fruits, with licorice, dark chocolate and stewed beetroot layered over ripe, subtle tannins. The body is full and round, with a chewy, concentrated rich core. Fully reflective of its old-vine fruit sourcing, this wine has silky softness, yet the concentration, depth and structure to mature over several years in bottle.