It’s almost like ‘wine insider trading’ – knowing who is storing what in the vaults of the biggest collectors of Australian wines. It’s also a window into the future of what wines are going to come back onto the market in years to come. The biggest and most famous are not always the most sort after when it comes to keeping the bottles however.
Why not start at number one. It is a Penfolds, but probably not the one you thought it was. It’s Penfolds Bin 389, toppling the iconic Penfolds Grange and knocking it back into the number two position.
Wine Ark’s John Cuff explains: “Penfolds Grange is arguably the most collectable Australian wine. We know its amazing power and finesse, steeped in history; however it sells for a hefty price. The Penfolds 389 Shiraz Cabernet is considered by most collectors to be a cellar staple. I believe you would be hard pressed finding a cellar that doesn’t have at least a few bottles of 389 and our results clearly illustrate this”.
Wine Ark’s list of the 50 most collectable wines, released every three years, has become the go-to-guide on the subject and the results are a clear indication of trends when it comes to cellaring. Jeremy Oliver, wine writer and presenter believes "There are lists and rankings of Australian wine labels, but none are more current than this list from WineArk, which presents a genuine reflection of what Australian wines are being cellared in this country in almost real time."
New entries into the top 50 on the list include Giaconda Chardonnay from Beechworth (up 32 places), Seppelt Chalambard Shiraz from VIC (up 33 places) and Tyrrell's Vat 47 Chardonnay from the Hunter Valley (up 31 places). The big success story for the year is St Hallett, with their Blackwell Shiraz moving up 44 places from 86 to 41. 12 per cent of the list comprises first time entries showing that new Australian wine is just as worthy of cellaring.
There has been a notable increase in the volume of chardonnay being cellared. Campbell Mattinson, publisher and wine writer, remarked: “Peering into the treasure chests of Australian wine collectors is always a fascinating exercise. It’s not just informative; it helps ground us all. For all the talk, for instance, of new Australian chardonnay styles, two of the biggest (upward) movers on the collector list are Lake’s Folly Chardonnay and Giaconda Chardonnay, both invariably made in a fuller style. Australian wine collectors listen and learn but ultimately think for themselves. That’s why we crave these lists. They keep things real. The chattering folk can say whatever they want; this is what’s actually happening.”
“Since the 2013 list, we have grown our customer base, which has added to the diversity of our managed cellars. Our growth in Melbourne is demonstrated by the increased presence of Victorian wines, however the top ten remain the same, indicating that those cellar staples are constant across the cellars of Australia,” says Mr Cuff.
Wine Ark will be running a launch tasting in both Sydney (Thursday September 1st) and Melbourne (Thursday September 8th) with Jeremy Oliver free of charge. These tastings will show a range of wines from the Top 50 including a vertical selection of Australia’s Most Collected Wine. Visit www.wine-ark.com.au for details.
Some fast facts about the Wine Ark list of Australia's Most Collected Wines 2016:
- Most popular wine brand: Penfolds (8 entries)
- Most popular wine region: Barossa (7 entries) with Margaret River, the Clare Valley and Coonawarra (6 entries each)
- Most popular varietal: Shiraz (25 entries)
- Most popular state: SA (28 entries)
- White vs Red: 9 whites, 41 reds
- The most collected Shiraz: Penfolds Grange (number 2)
- The most collected Cabernet Shiraz: Penfolds (number 1)
- The most collected Cabernet Blend: Lake’s Folly (number 4)
- The most collected Cabernet Sauvignon: Moss Wood (number 5)
- The most collected Riesling: Grosset Polish Hill (number 9)
- The most collected Chardonnay: Leeuwin Estate (number 12)
- The most collected Pinot Noir: Mount Mary (number 60)
| AUSTRALIA'S MOST COLLECTED WINES 2016 | |
| 2016 Position | Wine |
| 1 | Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz Blend Various Regions |
| 2 | Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz Various Regions |
| 3 | Penfolds St Henri Shiraz Various Regions |
| 4 | Lake’s Folly Cabernets Cabernet Blend Hunter |
| 5 | Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River |
| 6 | Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Blend Margaret River |
| 7 | Rockford Basket Press Shiraz Barossa Valley |
| 8 | Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra |
| 9 | Grosset Polish Hill Riesling Clare Valley |
| 10 | Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier Canberra District |
| 11 | Mount Mary Quintet Cabernet Blend Yarra Valley |
| 12 | Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay Margaret River |
| 13 | Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon Various Regions |
| 14 | Penfolds RWT Shiraz Barossa Valley |
| 15 | Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon Various Regions |
| 16 | Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz Various Regions |
| 17 | Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon Hunter |
| 18 | Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra |
| 19 | Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz Eden Valley |
| 20 | d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz McLaren Vale |
| 21 | Petaluma Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot Coonawarra |
| 22 | Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot Margaret River |
| 23 | Lake’s Folly Chardonnay Hunter |
| 24 | Orlando St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra |
| 25 | Giaconda Estate Chardonnay Beechworth |
| 26 | Yarra Yering Dry Red No 1 Cabernet Blend Yarra Valley |
| 27 | Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling Clare Valley |
| 28 | Jasper Hill Georgia’s Paddock Shiraz Heathcote |
| 29 | Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon Barossa Valley |
| 30 | Torbreck Runrig Shiraz Viognier Barossa Valley |
| 31 | Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz Various Regions – VIC |
| 32 | Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz Eden Valley |
| 33 | Seppelt St Peters Shiraz Grampians |
| 34 | Grosset ‘Springvale’ Watervale Riesling Clare Valley |
| 35 | Tyrrell’s Vat 9 Shiraz Hunter |
| 36 | Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz Coonawarra |
| 37 | Mount Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz Grampians |
| 38 | Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz Coonawarra |
| 39 | Kilikanoon Wines Oracle Shiraz Clare Valley |
| 40 | Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz Barossa Valley |
| 41 | St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz Barossa Valley |
| 42 | A.P. Birks Wendouree Shiraz Clare Valley |
| 43 | Turkey Flat Shiraz Barossa Valley |
| 44 | Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz Pyrenees |
| 45 | Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz Hunter |
| 46 | Tyrrell’s Vat 47 Chardonnay Hunter |
| 47 | Giaconda Warner Vineyard Shiraz Beechworth |
| 48 | Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River |
| 49 | Grosset Gaia Cabernet Franc Merlot Clare Valley |
| 50 | Pierro Chardonnay Margaret River |
Share the content
