For its 75th anniversary, Penfolds Grange explores the connection between taste, sound and memory, a reminder that the best bottles aren’t for special occasions, they make them
Not every bottle is just something to drink. Some linger—through memory, through meaning. Penfolds Grange is one of them. To mark 75 years of continuous production, Australia’s flagship wine brand has released ‘The Conversation: The Memory of Music’, a short film exploring how taste and sound can summon moments long past.
Set against Lisbon’s atmospheric backdrop, the 90-second film follows British actors Edward Hayter and Ellen Francis in a quiet, reflective exchange. The European setting nods to founder Max Schubert’s formative travels in the 1950s, where the idea for Grange first took shape. Directed by Alexis Gómez, whose work spans Grammy-winning music videos and impactful campaigns, the film doesn’t try to sell you a bottle. It simply reminds you why one might be worth saving.
The 90-second film captures a contemplative exchange between British actors Edward Hayter and Ellen Francis (Photo: Penfolds)
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Penfolds Grange remains true to Max Schubert’s founding vision: an Australian wine with the patience and power to rival Europe’s finest cellars. Today, the winemaking team continues that ethos, drawing only the best fruit from across South Australia. Over nearly three-quarters of a century, Grange has earned more than 37 perfect scores from critics, proof of its place among the world’s most consistently celebrated wines. Yet statistics tell only part of the story. The rest live in anniversary dinners, career milestones, and those rare nights when the cork yields to celebration.
What makes the film compelling is its restraint. Rather than leaning on heritage or tasting notes, it lingers on the emotional architecture of memory. The film trusts its audience to understand that some experiences don’t need explaining.
