Australia’s Most Collected Wines 2016

Penfolds Bin 389 topples iconic Penfolds Grange on Wine Ark Australia’s Most Collected Wine List 2016

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 Wine Ark, which presents a genuine reflection of what Australian wines are being cellared in this country in almost real time.’

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”. New entries into the top 50 on the list include Giaconda Chardonnay from Beechworth (up 32 places), Seppelt Chalambar 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.

2016 Position Wine Movement from 2013
1 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz Blend Various Regions Up 1
2 Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz Various Regions Down 1
3 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz Various Regions Up 1
4 Lake’s Folly Cabernets Cabernet Blend Hunter Down 1
5 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River –
6 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Blend Margaret River Up 1
7 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz Barossa Valley Up 1
8 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra Down 2
9 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling Clare Valley –
10 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier Canberra District Up 1
11 Mount Mary Quintet Cabernet Blend Yarra Valley Up 5
12 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay Margaret River Down 2
13 Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon Various Regions Up 1
14 Penfolds RWT Shiraz Barossa Valley Up 5
15 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon Various Regions Down 3
16 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz Various Regions Down 3
17 Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon Hunter Up 3
18 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra Down 1
19 Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz Eden Valley Up 4
20 d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz McLaren Vale Down 2
21 Petaluma Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot Coonawarra Down 6
22 Voyager Estate Cabernet Merlot Margaret River –
23 Lake’s Folly Chardonnay Hunter Up 12
24 Orlando St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra Up 7
25 Giaconda Estate Chardonnay Beechworth Up 32
26 Yarra Yering Dry Red No 1 Cabernet Blend Yarra Valley Up 4
27 Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling Clare Valley Down 6
28 Jasper Hill Georgia’s Paddock Shiraz Heathcote Down 4
29 Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon Barossa Valley Up 6
30 Torbreck Runrig Shiraz Viognier Barossa Valley Up 6
31 Seppelt Chalambar Shiraz Various Regions – VIC Up 33
32 Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz Eden Valley Up 5
33 Seppelt St Peters Shiraz Grampians Up 12
34 Grosset ‘Springvale’ Watervale Riesling Clare Valley Down 6
35 Tyrrell’s Vat 9 Shiraz Hunter Up 4
36 Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz Coonawarra Down 10
37 Mount Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz Grampians Down 12
38 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Michael Shiraz Coonawarra Down 9
39 Kilikanoon Wines Oracle Shiraz Clare Valley Down 7
40 Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz Barossa Valley Up 9
41 St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz Barossa Valley Up 44
42 A.P. Birks Wendouree Shiraz Clare Valley Down 3
43 Turkey Flat Shiraz Barossa Valley Down 6
44 Dalwhinnie Moonambel Shiraz Pyrenees Down 18
45 Brokenwood Graveyard Shiraz Hunter Down 13
46 Tyrrell’s Vat 47 Chardonnay Hunter Up 31
47 Giaconda Warner Vineyard Shiraz Beechworth Up 6
48 Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River Up 5
49 Grosset Gaia Cabernet Franc Merlot Clare Valley Down 3
50 Pierro Chardonnay Margaret River Down 2