Grange Hermitage

In 1950 Max Schubert had a trip across France's most renowned vineyards and met some of the most important wine makers in the country. There he learnt a great deal and applied all that to producing wine when he travelled back to Australia.

In 1951 he produced the first Grange, known back then as Grange Hermitage. That wine became Australia's flagship, and all wine lovers around the globe agree that it's a pure example of extraordinary wine making. It isn't easy to find in restaurants nowadays, just a few of us have stock of this beauty.

We had a complete vertical down to '93 until just recently, when I sold my last bottle of '96. To be honest I was hoping it wouldn't sell, I had stored it in my private section of the cellar and was hoping to buy it myself for a special occasion! But I couldn't resist when the customer, after having a bottle of Krug, scrutinised the wine list and ended up pointing and the Grange selection. It was interesting as he insisted that his companion should taste the wine blind; as she was experienced the blind tasting was as interesting as ever.

From my point of view the wine was excellent, one of those that, as I like to say, "after you've tasted it, you can just look at the glass and wonder". If I could I would have left that bottle in the cellar for another 10 years, because its structure was untouched by the passing of time; still an extraordinary wine showing all the good characteristics of a great Shiraz with notes of candied plum, sweet black fruits, espresso notes and the most elegant tannin, lactic texture and everlasting on the palate. I'm in love with this wine!

That's all for today, I'm going to London to see Richard Geofroy, as I'm invited to the 2004 launch of Dom Perignon. I will let you know how good it was :)

Derya Demirci de la Fuente
Auberge du Lac Head Sommelier