KEY POINTS:
John of Mt Maunganui wrote for advice regarding the possible sale of a wooden box containing six bottles of the 2001 vintage of the legendary Australian red, Penfolds Grange.
While having no desire of becoming the "Dear Abby wine columnist", I appreciated the genuine tone of his letter, did the necessary due diligence and phoned him with my findings.
Having at one stage owned what's known as a vertical of Grange from 1960 to 2000 (a single bottle from each year's vintage), and drunk a few over the years, I'm not necessarily a Grange guru but faced with it as a Mastermind topic, I could be fairly relaxed. I've lunched on two occasions with the present Grange senior winemaker, Peter Gago, only the fourth man after founder Max Schubert (1951) to be entrusted with this valuable heritage, and have visited the hallowed shrine where Grange is made, at Nuriootpa in South Australia.
It was Wine Spectator magazine, the American Bible of the industry, that declared the 1990 Penfolds Grange the best wine made in the world that year. From memory, prices shot up overnight from $140 to more than $500 per bottle.
Prices for Penfolds Grange may have come back a bit, but not much: the current vintage, 2003, is selling for around $480. Schubert, creator of Grange, once said, "The greatest wines have implanted in them the ideas of the winemaker as to what they should be, their character is part of the wine."
Over the years Penfolds has been meticulous in protecting the quality and, consequently, the brand. Penfolds is one of the world's most revered and recognised quality wines. Although Grange is the flagship, fortunately there is a whole range of lesser mortals. Be assured of this, whatever your price range, there's gold in them thar Penfold bottles.
As for John of the Mount? $2000 for six bottles of Grange: bargain.
Recommended
2006 Penfolds Thomas Hyland Chardonnay
Smells of lifted citrus fruit and subtle oak, tastes like nectarine and nougat. Perfect with chicken.
Price: $21
2005 Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz
Aromatic potpourri of plums, currants, cracked pepper and savoury undertones. Supple character.
Price: $30
