Deep crimson; its bouquet has a strikingly complex array of black characters that run all the way from the first whiff to the finish and aftertaste: licorice tar bitter chocolate blackberry prune and plum. The tannins are prominent and play their part with each successive sip of the steadily building impact on the very long palate but they are in balance with the fruit and oak of an extremely powerful Grange.

Made from fruit coming predominantly from the Barossa Valley this year (97%) and containing 2% Cabernet Sauvignon the 2006 Grange has been added to my list of favorite recent vintages. Deep garnet-purple colored it's still a little youthfully mute offering notes of warm cherries black currants anise coffee and toast with underlying hints of soy yeast extract black olives and Indian spices. Tight-knit and solidly structured on the medium to full bodied palate the concentrated fruit is densely coiled around the firm grainy tannins and very crisp acidity at this stage but promises something very special in the years to come. It finishes very long complex and layered with the cedar poking though the fruit purity. Patience is required for this vintage; it should begin opening out around 2016 and drink to 2030+. 98+

(96+ points) Containing 98% Shiraz and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in 100% new American oak hogsheads for 18 months, the 2006 Penfolds Grange is tightly wound and dense, possessing a core of smoky black fruits, lots of oak, espresso roast, dried spice, and mineral characteristics on both the nose and palate. Powerful, rich, and beautifully balanced on the palate, with a serious, concentrated, medium to full bodied feel, crisp acids, and a very long, tannic and structured finish, this age-worthy beauty needs a solid 5-8 years in the cellar to fully integrate its components, and should have a very long drink window.

Not quite the massive monster that is the 2004 Grange, the 2006 is still no shrinking violet. It's full bodied, muscular and extracted, and while the flavors veer toward espresso and dark chocolate, there's also a ribbon of raspberry fruit running through the wine from start to long, dusty finish. Drink 2015–2025, and probably beyond. JOE CZERWINSKI