Article: Introducing the ninth rewards of patience
Introducing the ninth rewards of patience
A Landmark Edition: Celebrating 40 Years
Every Penfolds wine carries a story earned over time. With the release of the Ninth Edition of The Rewards of Patience, those stories are revisited, refined and brought into sharper focus – revealing how patience, when honoured, becomes its own reward.
Released in 2026, the Ninth Edition marks forty years since the first publication of Rewards of Patience and the 75th anniversary of Penfolds flagship, Grange. Across those decades, it has become an indispensable reference for collectors and professionals alike – a living record of how Penfolds wines evolve, mature and ultimately reveal themselves.
Affectionately known as the Penfolds ‘Form Guide’, the Ninth Edition respects its heritage while offering a fresh perspective – shedding light on not only when to drink, but the reward that time delivers.
The Tasting Panel
A convergence of experience, independence and global perspective.
The authority of the Ninth Edition rests on an independent panel of internationally respected wine writers, critics and commentators — each contributing their own lens, shaped by geography, discipline and experience.
VOICES FROM THE TASTING ROOM
Across over 500 hundred wines and four cities, moments of clarity emerged – wines settling into themselves, revealing balance, texture and persistence that only time delivers.
“To monitor ‘all things Penfolds’, tastings were assembled for an A List of global media in Paris, Hong Kong, London and Adelaide for this ninth Edition of our ‘diary’ tome.”
— Peter Gago, Chief Winemaker, Penfolds
“Virtually every significant wine that Penfolds has made since the early 1950s.”
— Nick Ryan, Wine columnist, The Australian
“Older St Henri vintages are so delicious to taste, with their mouthwatering sapidity, loose limbed tannic frames and fragrance that lingers over the palate.”
— Jane Anson, Wine journalist, author and multimedia publisher (janeanson.com)
Grange, tasted across generations, offered its own quiet revelations.
“The 1962 is, amazingly, probably the ideal vintage to drink now. Another standout was 1994 — Peter Gago’s first red wine vintage.”
— Jancis Robinson, Wine correspondent, Financial Times; founder, jancisrobinson.com
These observations are woven throughout the Ninth Edition – not as verdicts, but as signposts, guiding interpretation and understanding.
A LIVING REFERENCE
More than an archive, Rewards of Patience is an evolving chronicle of Penfolds itself — its craftsmanship, its ambition, and its enduring relationship with time.
The Ninth Edition stands as both reflection and guide: grounded in forty years of perspective, yet attentive to what lies ahead. For collectors, drinkers and custodians of the cellar, it remains a trusted companion – one that understands patience not as waiting, but as knowing when to seize the moment.
GRANGE AT 75: MOMENTS COMING INTO VIEW
As Grange marks its 75th anniversary, the Ninth Edition highlights a series of releases now entering, or approaching, their peak drinking windows. Together, they offer timely touchstones for personal milestones still to come – birthdays, anniversaries and moments worth marking.
The following vintages sit confidently within their drinking windows for upcoming 30th, 40th and 50th birthdays—and, in the not‑too‑distant future, 60th celebrations:
1963 Grange “The finish rolls on for minutes without dipping or losing momentum. This is an extraordinary wine.” — Matthew Jukes.
5 Stars – Drink Now
1976 Grange “So complete, it’s almost perfect. Tender, fresh, melodic. It’s still soaring” — Tyson Stelzer.
5 Stars – Drink Now to 2045
1982 Grange “Intricate and subtle with beguiling freshness and symmetry.” — Nick Butler MW.
5 Stars – Drink Now to 2035
1989 Grange “Catch this vintage earlier rather than later to wallow in the fabulous fruit.” — Matthew Jukes.
5 Stars – Drink Now to 2035
1990 Grange “Composure and completeness. A wine of dizzying dimensions.” — Nick Ryan
5 Stars – Drink Now to 2050
Spanning three, four, five and six decades, each wine carries its own story of time, place and patience.
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