This year, 2026, Penfolds celebrates Grange’s 75th anniversary. Born from controversy, this wine has become Australia’s most revered wine and a true icon on the global stage.
The Penfolds story began in 1844 when Dr Christopher Penfold and his wife Mary arrived in South Australia from England. They planted the first vines at Magill Estate in Adelaide, establishing what would become a legendary winery.
Nearly a century later, in 1950, Penfolds’ first Chief Winemaker Max Schubert was sent to Europe to study winemaking. It was in the cellars of Bordeaux that he was profoundly inspired by the ageing potential of French wines, and he envisioned creating an Australian wine “capable of ageing for a minimum of twenty years.”
In 1951, Schubert returned to Adelaide and began experimenting with Shiraz from Magill Estate and Morphett Vale. He produced the first experimental batch and named it after the Penfold family home, “Grange Cottage”.
However, this forward-thinking wine was not well received. In 1957, management criticised it harshly and ordered the project to be discontinued.
Luckily, Schubert believed in his vision. He continued to make the wine in secret, hiding vintages from 1957 to 1959 in the Magill Estate cellars. It was not until 1960, when the early vintages were tasted after bottle ageing and revealed their extraordinary potential, that management reversed their decision and Grange was officially reinstated.
In 1844, Dr Christopher Penfold (above) and his wife Mary arrived in South Australia from England. They planted the first vines at Magill Estate in Adelaide, establishing what would become a legendary winery.
Max Schubert joined Penfolds in 1931 at the age of 16, starting as a messenger boy. In 1948, at just 33 years old, he was appointed Penfolds’ first Chief Winemaker – a role that would lead him to create Grange, Australia’s most iconic wine.
As the inaugural vintage of Grange, the 1951 was never sold commercially. Nevertheless, it is regarded by many as the most significant bottle in Australian wine history. Today, only 20 bottles are thought to remain.
Over the following six decades, Grange rose to become the first Australian wine to be classified as a “Heritage Icon”. Schubert’s vision of crafting “long-lived and elegant Australian red wines” has endured through 75 uninterrupted vintages.
To mark this milestone, Penfolds has officially released the 2022 Grange in a special 75th Anniversary gift box. As part of the celebrations, the winery has also launched a Grange 75th Anniversary Vertical Set featuring vintages from 2018 to 2021, offering wine lovers a journey through the enduring legacy of this Australian icon.
A blend of 97% Shiraz and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, Grange 2022 was aged for 18 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads. According to Penfolds, its peak drinking window is 2028 to 2075.
Grange 75th Anniversary Vertical Set features vintages from 2018 to 2021, offering wine lovers a journey through the enduring legacy of this Australian icon.
“The 2022 Grange assuredly authenticates its flagship role and 75th Anniversary credentials. No pressure. Both timely and lucky to avail such a stellar vintage in such a symbolic year,” said Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker of Penfolds.
