“Penfolds sets new wine auction records”
"St Henri beats Grange!"
Historic prices were achieved at Langton’s landmark Penfolds Wine Auction last
night. For a change it is 1957 Penfolds St Henri “Claret” that has made headlines.
With a successful bid of $8110/ bottle it represents almost ten times the pre-sale
estimate.
Without the first commercial release of 1957 St Henri “Claret”, the story of Grange
would not have entered Australian folklore. The competition between Penfolds
winemakers Max Schubert and John Davoren to make Australia’s greatest wine
during the 1950s was one of the most remarkable contests of the modern era. It would
result in huge advancements in winemaking philosophy and technology across the
world of wine. The experimental 1955 St Henri “Claret” also achieved an astonishing
$5750/bottle beating its counterpart 1955 Grange by around $1500/bottle. 1971 St
Henri achieved $3,796; outperforming 1971 Grange by over four times! 1959 St
Henri ($3706) also eclipsed 1959 Grange ($2415). These results are all auction firsts
and previously “unimagined.”
Head auctioneer Stewart Langton said “These prices illustrate an increasingly
passionate race among wine collectors for the dwindling remnants of Australian ultra-
fine wine heritage. This year we have seen prices for Australian wine rarities hit the
roof. ”
Experimental wines 1958 Penfolds Bin 47 Special Dry Red ($6095) and 1954
Penfolds Bin 158 Mataro ($4140) also reached all time highs.
Penfolds Grange performed beyond market expectations. A single bottle of the
famously rare and important 1951 Penfolds Bin 1 Grange (the first experimental
release) achieved $43,700; not a record price but still a tidy sum! 1956 Penfolds Bin
14 Grange, one of the hidden vintages, made a near-record price of $12,100. A
Grange collection (1951-1990) fetched $138,000 and a set of 16 Grange magnums
(1979-1994) achieved $23,000.
Langton’s Penfolds Wine Auction, held last night, was one of the “best ever” sales
with superb clearance rates and strong bidding from both Australia and overseas.
Stewart Langton said “the auction was about as perfect as you could ever hope for.
One or two of our sellers might think he has won the lottery!”
Enquiries
Stewart Langton General Manager 0414 414 314
Andrew Caillard, MW Fine Wine Principal 0418 272 293
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