Australian wines top Bonhams line-up

Some of Australia’s leading properties will top the bill at Bonhams’ fine wine sale in London later this week.

Penfolds Grange, Bin 707, 60A, Henschke Hill of Grace and Clarendon Hills Astralis will all feature this Thursday (24 October).

The full range of Aussie wines on offer shows off, “the very high quality of red wines now being produced in Australia,” said Bonhams and includes: a six pack of 1995 Penfolds Grange (£600-£700); several six packs of 2002 Bin 707 for the same price or a full case for £1,200-£1,500 and three bottles of Hill of Grace with a bottle each from 1988, 1990 and 1991 for £600-£700.

There are also many lots of more “everyday’ wines such as Parker Terra Rossa (£300-£380 for two dozen bottles), Yalumba’s The Octavius Old Vines Shiraz 2000 (£350-£420 for 12) and Wolf Blass’ 2002 Black Label Cabernet/Shiraz (£300-£380 for a dozen).

Also featuring heavily at the sale are sweet and fortified wines, including 24 bottles of 1977 Warre’s for £700-£800 and the same amount of 1994 Graham’s  for £750-£850.

In the sweet section there is old Château d’Yquem, a bottle of the 1933 included in a lot with half a litre of 1924 Tokaji Aszú six puttonyos and two half litres of three puttonyos from 1942 and 1986 for £450-£550.

A separate case of 12 bottles of 1970 Yquem is being offered for £2,200-£2,800.

There is also a strong showing of rare Champagne such as two bottles of 1959 Salon (£2,500-£3,200), Vega Sicilia, rare Cognac, German and Italian wines such as Sassicaia, Tignanello and Conterno.

There is also an extensive array of Bordeaux and Burgundy including a selection of claret from the 1940s, including three magnums of 1948 Margaux (£5,000-£6,000), a single bottle of 1949 Mouton Rothschild (£2,800-£3,500) and a bottle of 1947 Vieux Château Certan (£900-£1,100).

International director for fine wines, Richard Harvey MW, said: “We always aim to create sales which will appeal across the range of tastes and pockets and this is one of our most diverse auctions with something for everyone.”