With sales reaching just over $333,700 the 2021 Barossa Wine Auction season has beaten all previous records, achieving the highest sales result in the event’s 56-year history.
Much of this success can be attributed to the bold move by Barossa Grape & Wine Association to include, for the first time, a second live event outside the Barossa.
On Thursday 29 April, 222 guests were hosted by members of the Barossa wine community and MC Jane Thomson at the Hyatt Regency, Sydney for a live auction and gala dinner. The atmosphere in the room was electric as bidding wars erupted across the floor. At one point the enthusiasm was so high bidding paddles were snapped! Baron of Barossa and Wine Auctioneer since 1984, Andrew Caillard MW noted it was “the best live auction I have ever presided over. It’s absolutely brilliant to see such support for Barossa. This is going to go down as one of the most memorable wine auctions ever held in Australia.”
The financial results speak for themselves, with bidding totals in Sydney exceeding the top estimates by over $60,000!
Highlights include: (all sales figures include buyer’s premium)
- Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Double Magnum 2015 $22,135
- Rockford Basket Press Shiraz 2010 Imperial $11,650
- Standish Wine Co The Standish Shiraz Imperial 2003 $6,990
- John Duval Wines Entity Shiraz 6 Magnum Collection 2004, 2015, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2017 $3,495
- Torbreck The Laird Shiraz Imperial 2013 $15,145
The tremendous success is proof of Barossa’s place in the hearts of Australians as our country’s most prestigious and beloved wine region.
The online auction also reached record success, achieving a clearance rate of 82%, up from an estimate of 70%.
The congratulations for this success must be shared with the entire Barossa wine community. Without their decades of generosity, welcoming spirit and tireless commitment to excellence this would never be possible.
“The entire Barossa grape and wine community should be wholly encouraged by the fantastic results that were achieved. The atmosphere was electric as the spirited bidding received rounds of spontaneous applause as the hammer fell on each lot. You couldn’t help but feel there was a real sense of confidence in the pedigree of the lots being presented and this flowed through to the prices achieved, which exceeded everyone’s expectations,” BGWA chief executive James March commented.
All wines in the 2021 Barossa Wine Auction have been authenticated with the new Seal of Provenance. Powered by Cellr’s innovative use of NFC technology, the purchaser can simply tap the Seal of Provenance with their smartphone to verify each bottle’s provenance from the winery’s own museum collections. Brands can adapt the content provided with each tap, easily updating with new messages and relevant information. BGWA have advised lucky bidders to keep tapping in the coming weeks for a fun (and very shareable) moment.
Part proceeds of the Barossa Wine Auction go to the BGWA Well-Being Fund, supporting mental health first-aid for the Barossa grape-growing and winemaking community. A full statement on the total donation to be made to this fund will be announced in the coming weeks.
Barossa Grape & Wine Association brings Barossa to the heart of Sydney
The Barossa Wine Auction forms a key part of Barossa Grape & Wine Association’s domestic engagement strategy. In 2021 BGWA rose to the challenge to bring an exceptional, fine wine experience to the people of Sydney, hosting 222 guests for a spectacular gala event.
“At a time when travel to Barossa has been limited, it was more important than ever to bring the Barossa wine story to this critical domestic market. The enthusiasm with which the event was embraced by Sydney-siders proved that the desire to connect with Barossa, and importantly enjoy our wines, remains strong throughout Australia,” March said.
Throughout the organisation of the 2021 Barossa Wine Auction season, the BGWA team had several contingency plans in place to ensure the event could go ahead. This included ensuring all COVID-19 requirements could be met by the venue and that key personnel including the Langton’s auction team, Barossa Wine Auction Ambassadors and MC Jane Thomson were based in New South Wales, in the case that border restrictions prevent BGWA from travelling.
In addition to the successful live auction event, BGWA presented an invitation-only masterclass hosted by iconic Barossa wine brands. The 12 lucky guests were treated to a tasting of 7 vintages of Penfolds Grange tasting from 1990-2016 presented by Penfolds chief winemaker, Peter Gago and James March. This was followed with a Barossa Rare & Distinguished tasting featuring flagship wines from Charles Melton, Hentley Farm, Peter Lehmann Wines, Rockford and Torbreck.
“Each guest at the masterclass was identified by BGWA and Langton’s as a collector of Barossa wine. The opportunity to connect with our winemakers personally, while being treated to an exceptional line-up of wines, created a bucket-list experience for each of our guests. Not only did this inspire some exuberant bidding on the night, it fostered connections to the Barossa wine community that will last a lifetime,” March said.
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