“Nothing can stop Barossa” Record-breaking start to the 2021 Barossa Wine Auction season

Wine collectors, enthusiasts, and makers came together today in Barossa to celebrate the start of the extended Barossa Wine Auction season.

Presented by Barossa Grape & Wine Association (BGWA) and supported by Langton’s Fine Wines,  the first of two live auction events saw a total of 29 lots from Barossa’s most prestigious and renowned wineries go under the hammer.

Langton’s Head of Auctions, Tamara Grischy and Baron of Barossa, Andrew Caillard MW, oversaw the buoyant bidding that made for an exhilarating and fast-paced auction.

The biennial event, first held as an integral part of the Barossa Vintage Festival in 1965, expands in 2021. The Sydney Live event featuring an additional 30 lots takes place on Thursday, 29 April and bidding for the online auction (58 unique lots) remains open until 2 May.

All lots in the auctions are sourced directly from the region’s wineries’ cellars and winemakers’ collections. Large format wines made an impressive and formidable display this year, with seven six-litre imperials up for grabs. A regular standout is the rare imperial of Penfolds Bin 95 Grange, which on its 75^th anniversary, sold for $58,250 (including buyer’s premium) including Buyer’s Premium. One of only 11 bottled, the collector was an Australian-based collector.

In an extraordinary reflection on the quality of Barossa Grenache, the Torbreck 2010 Les Amis Imperial set a new record of a single bottle of Grenache sold in the auction, doubling its estimate with a final sale price of $6,960 (including buyer’s premium)

The Standish Wine Company The Relic Single Vineyard Shiraz Viognier Imperial (6 litre) set an impressive result, reaching 10 times its estimate, at $8,155 (including buyer’s premium).

Eden  Valley Riesling again inspired fervent bidding, with the 60 bottle Eden Valley Riesling Collection, Pewsey Vale Vineyard and Peter Lehmann Wigan vertical collections selling well above reserve.

Total sales for the Barossa live auction reached $162,226.25, including buyer’s premium.

Auctioneer, Andrew Caillard MW said:

“Nothing can stop Barossa. The exhuberance in the room today is a reflection of the resilience of Barossa. The generosity of Barossa’s community was returned as bidders from across Australia, buoyed by the confidence in the quality of Barossa’s wines, were willing to dig deep to invest.”

Another first this year was a partnership between the Barossa Wine Auction and technology company, Cellr, to deliver proof of provenance on all wines in the auction via a unique and digitally interactive experience using near field communication (NFC). Powered by Cellr’s customer engagement platform, buyers can tap their smartphone on the Barossa Seal of Provenance and immerse themselves in the latest brand experience.

Attendees of the Barossa Live Auction also had a first look at the new Barossa Wine game, an entertaining entry into the Barossa Wine School e-learning platform set for release in mid-2021.  The Barossa Wine School e-learning platform was made possible through funding by the South Australian Government’s Wine Industry Development Scheme.

A portion of the net proceeds from the auction goes to the BGWA Well-being Fund. Administered by Foundation Barossa, the BGWA Well-being Fund aims to equip better members of the Barossa wine and grape growing community to provide active support for people affected by poor mental health.

An Art and Wine raffle with prizes including artworks by Andrew Holt, Bernadette Kaeding and Dragan Radocaj, paired with wines and a $1000 collection of Barossa wines, will further support this fund. Tickets are still available for purchase at $20 each at until Sunday, 2 May.