Penfolds to sell bespoke barrels for £97,000

Australian icon Penfolds is to offer freshly filled barrels of wine and private cellar tours to wealthy clients for £97,000 in a bid to cash in on the strength of the brand.

Peter Gago rests in the Penfolds Magill Estate barrel cellar

Brand owner Treasury Wine Estates announced the news at Vinexpo Hong Kong this week as the offering is largely being targeted at Asian consumers.

Each of the barrels can fill 336 75cl bottles, meaning customers will be shelling out £295 a bottle for the privilege of owning their own barrel.

Sadly for wine lovers, the barrels won’t be filled with Penfolds’ top drop Penfolds Grange. Instead, chief winemaker Peter Gago will select a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz for a “very limited” number of barrels.

The barrels will be stored at the Magill Estate in Adelaide for around 18 months before bottling.

Those who buy a barrel will be offered a flight to Adelaide to see how it’s maturing and will be treated to a dinner at the Magill Estate restaurant.

Penfolds global chief marketing officer Simon Marton revealed the idea came about after repeated requests from Penfolds collectors to be able to buy a barrel.

“This is the opposite of mass marketing – this is bespoke personalisation for our best collectors,” Marton said at the Vinexpo launch.

“The exclusivity makes it quite special. The wine will be very rare, valuable and sought after. We’ve got such a great story to tell that the experience part seemed like a natural thing to do,” he added.

When the wine is ready for release, it will be bottled and sent to its owner, with the option of it being housed in standard 75cl bottles, magnums and double magnums. Gift boxes and wooden cases can be engraved with personal messages.

The exact number of barrels for sale hasn’t been revealed. The offering goes live on 1 July.

Australian wine exports to China surged by 66% last year to AU$370m, and Asia is currently TWE’s fastest growing market by revenue.