Penfolds reveals personal stories behind rare Grange bottles

Penfolds has partnered with National Geographic to create a Digital Series ‘A Story in Every Bottle’ to unearth stories behind rare wines from around the world.

This unique series will showcase a diverse collection of personal memories and connections of collectors, ranging from births, marriages, friendship and life. The rich hunting ground for these yarns has been the Penfolds Re-corking Clinic, a complimentary after-sales service that has been running internationally for more than 25 years.   

To connect with collectors and uncover personal moments and human tales entwined within the wines, National Geographic travelled with Penfolds to Adelaide, Sydney, London, New York, Vancouver and Hong Kong.

Some of the top stories to feature from around the world include: an Olympian and his wife reminiscing about a special wedding gift; a father and son sharing a love of wine; a restauranteur; old friends who reunite; and a young banker who develops a love of wine through an ex-girlfriend’s father.

“From the vine to the bottle, the journey of grape into wine is a story in its own right," said Penfolds Chief Winemaker, Peter Gago. "At a Re-corking Clinic new stories emerge from the wines owners and after 25 years, the notion that every bottle has a story continues to reign true. As winemakers, it is so meaningful and rewarding to meet collectors and share their personal story of their wine’s journey. Professionally it is gratifying to witness the ongoing quality of rare treasures that span so many decades, each one adding to the unfinished story that is Penfolds.” 

Julia Scales, Fox Networks Group Director of Advertising and Partnerships said: “National Geographic is a brand that resonates with consumers worldwide, it empowers and enriches the explorer and storyteller in all of us. We are thrilled to collaborate with Penfolds on this branded content opportunity and share authentic and premium stories showcasing the deep history and passion for winemaking from Australia and around the globe”.  

A unique service in the world of wine, Re-corking Clinics are wine ‘health checks’ for Penfolds wines, aged 15 years or older. These Clinics allow collectors the opportunity to open and visually inspect their wine, assess the quality, top up, certify, and re-capsule their prized bottles, arresting any further deterioration due to leakage or low levels. Penfolds has been providing the Re-corking Clinic service to collectors around the world since 1991, with more than 130,000 bottles certified since their inception.  

While each wine is from a different part of the world, the stories share a common Penfolds thread in that they are connected to memories, occasions, love and friendship.   

Penfolds National Geographic Digital Series 'A Story in Every Bottle' is available on penfolds.com and select digital channels.