‘Unprecedented’ Penfolds collection to go under hammer in HK

An “unprecedented” collection of Penfolds, including a complete vertical of Grange in magnum from 1979 to 2014, will go under the hammer on 19 January at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong.

The vertical Penfolds Grange magnums will span 36 vintages from first 1979 vintage to 2014.

The news was announced at a time when Penfolds, perhaps the most famous Australian wine, is poised to celebrate 175th anniversary this year.

Spanning 36 vintages, the vertical collection will be the first time any auction house has offered a vertical of Penfolds in magnum from the very first vintage of Grange put in the format to the latest release.

In addition to the magnum collection, the headline Penfolds collection will also include historic Penfolds vintages dating back to the 1950s. Last month, a rare bottle of 1951 Penfolds Grange has sold for a record AU$80,386 at auction at Langton’s in Australia. 

Adam Bilbey, Head of Sotheby’s Wine for Asia, states, “Coinciding with the 175th anniversary of Penfolds, we are very pleased to offer a rare collection featuring eight decades of this Australian icon’s history, presenting collectors with an unmatched opportunity to acquire both rare and legendary vintages of Penfolds’ most famous wines.”

The ‘Finest & Rarest Wines’ auction this month at Sotheby’s altogether will include over 790 lots estimated in excess of HK$23 million (US$2.9 million).

Other than Penfolds, the sale will feature 120 lots of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, and over 60 lots of coveted Burgundy from Armand Rousseau, Leroy and Henri Jayer.

Whisky highlights include three sets of ‘The Macallan Exceptional Single Cask 2017 Releases’ direct from the distillery, and ‘The Yamazaki 50 Years 2007 Release’.