Rare collection of Large Format wines to be Auctioned

A unique and rare collection of premium large format Australian wines, owned by a leading Adelaide wine investor, will go under the hammer this month.

To be auctioned by the Adelaide-based Oddbins Wine Auctions on Wednesday 29 March, the wines represent the creme de la creme of Australia's best vintages in large format bottles.

Oddbins wine auctioneer, Mr Stephen Lumb, said it was evident that the vendor had an exquisite knowledge and understanding of the Australian wine industry.

"This is a magnificent collection of rarities and `one-offs' ever to go through our auction house," he said.

"This is a collector who really knew what he was doing. Over the past 15 years, the vendor has put together a collection that most people only dream of. This is truly a selection of Australia's best wines."

Mr Lumb said the collection included imperials, double magnums and magnums from some of the country's most renowned producers including Henschke, Peter Lehmann, Penfolds, Charles Melton, Rockford, Brokenwood and Cullen.

"There are some true gems in this collection," he said. "Some of the pickings include the only imperial of 1991 Henschke Hill of Grace ever made, a very rare imperial of the universally acclaimed 1990 Penfolds Bin 707 cabernet, and a one-off imperial of the 1991 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz complete with a label hand-painted by famed Adelaide artist, Tom Gleghorn."

Other rarities include a 4.5 litre bottle of the 1996 Charles Melton Nine Popes, double magnums of Henschke's 1990 Hill of Grace and Abbott's Prayer and a wide range of magnums from leading Australian producers.

Outstanding 750ml bottles on offer include the legendary 1962 Penfolds Bin 60A and Bin 7, and a superb array of vintage ports from Lindemans (1957) and Quelltaler Wyatt Earp (1963, 1958, & 1961).

Outstanding imported wines include a double magnum of famed Bordeaux Chateau Ch Leoville Las Cases 1978 and jeroboams of Bollinger Grande Annee champagne 1983.

From an interstate collector, comes a range of 1982 Bordeaux, Sauternes, incl. 1955 d'Yquem and a range of Red and White Burgundies.

Also to be auctioned is a single pristine bottle of the 1951 Penfolds Grange, Australia's most expensive and sought after wine.

Oddbins Wine Auctions holds the world record selling price for a single bottle when it sold a 1951 Grange in December 1999 for $33,660.

Mr Lumb said it was the best example of a 1951 Grange he had ever seen.

"It is in absolutely perfect condition," he said. "Its provenance is impeccable. It has a perfect level being well into the neck and it looks like it was labelled and capsuled yesterday. We know for a fact that it was given to the vendor's father by the wine's creator, the late Max Schubert, in the 50s."

Mr Lumb said he expected the wine to meet the existing world record of $33,660.

The 1200-lot auction will be held at the Stonyfell Winery Complex, Stonyfell on Wednesday 29 March starting at 5pm with a pre-sale tasting available from 4pm. Absentee bids welcome.

Catalogues will be available from 22 March. Subscribers can view the catalogue on our site from 22 March.

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