On Friday April 20 2001 one of the highlights of the Barossa Valley Vintage Festival, the Penfolds Barossa Rare Wine Auction, attracted a large crowd of enthusiastic bidders, interested onlookers and the plain curious.
The sale highlighted classic Barossa wines, and showcased the best the valley could offer, many in hard to obtain large format, museum lots and yet to be released wines.
Keen demand, absentee, and telephone bidders helped to drive prices to an all time high, the sale eclipsing the record result achieved in 1997.
As always the sale commenced with the white wines, and a huge demand for riesling became apparent. Peter Lehmann's multi-award winning Eden Valley Reserve riesling 1993 achieving $150. Lot 8 - 12 bottles of Kaiser Stuhl Green Ribbon rhine riesling 1987 saw nostalgia buffs bid to $55 a bottle for the wine. Seppelt Eden Valley riesling 1984 made $140 a bottle. A collection of Penfolds Yattarna made $140 a bottle, whilst Henschke's Littlehampton Vineyard pinot gris made $40 a bottle.
The red wines attracted a lot of interest, many were museum stocks and came direct from the cellars of the wineries involved, giving great provenance and showing terrific condition.
Penfolds, as befits their position as the Valley's biggest winery and major sponsor of the auction, contributed some outstanding lots with the highest prices being paid for 1955 Wynns Michael shiraz of $1,950. The Penfolds Bin 60A, considered by many to be the finest red wine made in Australia, made $1,250 a bottle, and the bidder taking both lots, "a sound decision" according to auctioneer Colin Gaetjens, "you wouldn't want one bottle to be corked!" A set comprising a bottle of 1990 Bin 920, 90A, 707 and Grange went for $1,800, Bin 7 a great follow up to the 60A $950, a vertical of St Henri from 1990 - 1998 made $170 a bottle.
A super lot of Peter Lehmann Stonewell shiraz comprising 6 bottles of every vintage from 1987 - 1996, a total of 60 bottles in all, proved astute buying at $85 a bottle. Seppelt Dorrien cabernet was strongly supported, the 1990 achieving $120, and the much decorated 1996 $100.
A bottle each of Elmore Roehr's dry grown shiraz from 1996 and 1997 making $130 a bottle. A collection of 6 bottles of Turkey Flat shiraz 1990 - 1995 made $75 a bottle. A vertical of Rockford Basket Press shiraz 1986 - 1997 handsomely presented in a wooden display case achieved $290 a bottle.
The large formats were as popular as ever, with a great selection of magnums, double magnums, imperials, even a 12 litre 'double imperial'.
The highest price paid was $21,500 for an imperial of Penfolds 1996 Grange, then not released, but destined to be a classic.
An imperial of Henschke Hill of Grace 1996 made $8,200 and the 12 litre bottle of Irvine Grand merlot 1996 $4,000.
Many bidders saw the auction as an opportunity to purchase these large formats as they are bottled especially for this auction and not commercially available.
The sale concluded with an offering of some rare fortified wines, with a total of over $180,000 being raised.
Oddbins donates it services for the auction, with auctioneer Colin Gaetjens having conducted the auction since 1987, and Stephen Lumb becoming only the third auctioneer in the 36 year history of the event.
Price Highlights (not mentioned in article):
Magnums
| Barossa Valley Estate E&E Black Pepper shiraz 1996 | 420 |
| Henschke Cyril Henschke cabernet sauvignon 1992 | 450 |
| Henschke Mt Edelstone 1992 | 550 |
| Irvine Grand Merlot 1990 | 400 |
| Orlando Steingarten riesling 1996 | 260 |
| Orlando Steingarten riesling 1998 | 260 |
| Penfolds Bin 389 magnum set - 1995, 1996 | 240 |
| Penfolds Magill Estate magnum set 1994 - 1998 | 320 |
| Peter Lehmann Eight Songs Shiraz 1997 | 350 |
| Pewsey Vale riesling 1997 and 1998 | 140 |
| Rockford Black Shiraz | 380 |
| Yalumba The Octavius 1996 | 400 |
Imperials
| Grant Burge Meshach shiraz 1990 | 1,850 |
| Orlando St Hugo 1990 | 1,450 |
| Orlando Centenary Hill shiraz 1996 | 1,000 |
| Rockford Basket Press 1992 | 3,000 |
| St Hallett Old Block 1998 (9 litre) | 2,800 |
| Yalumba The Octavius 1990 (double magnum) | 850 |
| Yalumba The Octavius 1996 (double magnum) | 800 |
| Penfolds RWT shiraz 2000 - barrique | 25,000 |
| Penfolds Grandfather tawny - 10 litre barrel | 1,000 |
| Seppelt Rutherglen muscat - 10 litre barrel | 750 |