Yarra Yering. Photo: Hugh Davison
Oenophiles across the country will have the chance to taste the wines featured in the latest edition of the Langtons Classification of Australian Wine at a series of Langtons Classified events across Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne this September and October. Last held in 2018, the Classification tasting experience will feature the recently lauded wines that Langtons considers “the pinnacle of fine wine in Australia”.
The country’s iconic and collectable wines will be on-pour by their respective producers at exclusive events hosted by luxury fine wine retailer Langtons. Guests can expect to sample drops including Bass Philip Wines Reserve Pinot Noir; Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz; Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz; Rockford Basket Press Shiraz; and Tyrell’s Vat 1 Semillon.
The Langtons Classified tasting event dates and locations are as follows:
- Thursday, 26 September at Crown Perth
- Tuesday, 1 October at the National Wine Centre of Australia, Adelaide
- Friday, 4 October at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
- Tuesday, 8 October at Hyatt Regency, Sydney
- Friday, 11 October at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
Guests can purchase either general admission tickets for access to 79 Classified wines or a 1st Classified ticket to taste the full 100-bottle line-up. For the first time, guests attending the Langtons Classification tasting experiences will also receive first access to a selection of the Classified wines before the general public via Langtons’ online wine store.
The 8th edition of the Classification features 100 wines from 60 wineries, which achieve a coveted spot in the Classification based on consumer demand, collectability, and prices commanded at auction. To be eligible, wines must have already been available for 10 vintages and have a strong presence in the wine auction market.
The unveiling of the 8th Langtons Classification of Australian Wine has also revealed new wine-drinking habits among Australians. Compared to the usual inclusion of full-bodied shiraz and cabernet examples, this year marked a growing demand for lighter-style wines with elegance and vibrancy. Red and white wines from cool-climate regions proved popular with drinkers, as evidenced by the inclusion of Pinot Noir from Tasmania and Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley.
“The 8th edition of the Langtons Classification of Australian Wine is certainly a shake-up to what we’ve seen across the last three decades of the guide. We are seeing a shift in consumer interest from full-bodied, hedonistic red wines to more vibrant styles that embody elegance and complexity,” says Langtons head of auctions and secondary market Michael Anderson.
“Our Classified tasting experiences invite fine wine lovers to engage with top-tier wines and their producers for an interactive yet relaxed tasting experience. Furthermore, we want to give these avid fans first access to these wines to help build their personal collections and find those special-occasion bottles.”
The 8th edition of the Langtons Classification of Australian Wine also marks the debut of a new tiering system that includes just two categories instead of the previous three: First Classified and Classified. First Classified status is only attributed to a small selection of top wines, with the name a nod to the first growths of the 1855 Bordeaux Classification – the inspiration behind the Langtons Classification of Australian Wine. A total of just 21 wines reached the First Classified status in this Classification.
Nineteen new wines joined the Langtons Classification of Australian Wine including The Relic Shiraz Viognier and The Schubert Theorem Shiraz (The Standish Wine Company), Hoffmann Dallwitz and Little Wine Shiraz (Sami-Odi), Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (Tolpuddle), and Quartz Chardonnay (Bindi). Long-standing Classification wines Penfolds Grange, Henschke Hill of Grace, Wendouree Shiraz, Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, and Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay were once again included in the line-up.
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