Langton's Classification of Australian Wine

Langton's Classification of Australian Wine is a listing of fine Australian wines compiled by wine-specialist auction house and online merchant Langton's. The Classification is a ranking of the best-performing Australian wines based on secondary market support over a minimum of 10 vintages. It was first published in 1991.[1][2][3][4] The Classification is divided into three categories - Exceptional, Outstanding and Excellent - and new editions have appeared at intervals of approximately five years. The seventh edition was published in August 2018 and includes 136 of Australia's finest wines. Editions of the classification are identified by Roman numerals.[1]

Langton's logo.

Langton's has been owned by Woolworths since 2009, until 2021 when it was spun off with other liquor businesses to make Endeavour Group.[5]

Langton's Classification of Australian Wine VII

The most recent Classification was released in August 2018. Classification VII has three tiers; the Classification V had four tiers. The new tiers are

  • Exceptional: 22 wines in 2018.
  • Outstanding: 42 wines in 2018.
  • Excellent: 68 wines in 2018.[6]

History of the classification

The first Classification was published in 1991, Langton's Classification of Distinguished Australian Wine I, had its background in a publication from 1990, the Langton's Vintage Wine Price Guide. In the 1991 classification, 34 wines were classified using three categories: Outstanding (A), Outstanding (B), and Excellent. Only one wine was classified as Outstanding (A): Penfolds Grange Shiraz.[7]

Langton's sees its classification as "loosely modelled on the Bordeaux Classification of 1855",[7] but with its regular reclassifications it is more similar to the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine, although with several differences: no official governmental recognition, a much wider geographic scope, and with several different wine styles classified using the same categories.

Langton's Classification of Distinguished Australian Wine II was published in 1996, and included 64 wines in four categories: Outstanding A (three wines), Outstanding, Excellent A, and Excellent.

Langton's Classification of Australian Wine III was published in 2000, and included 89 wines in the four categories also used for classifications IV and V; Exceptional (seven wines), Outstanding, Excellent, and Distinguished. From classification III, fortified wines ("Port") were no longer included.[7] This changed with the addition of Seppeltsfield 100 Year Old Para Vintage Tawny for Classification V in 2010.

Langton's Classification of Australian Wine IV of 2005 included 101 wines, of which 11 at the Exceptional level.[7]

In 2009, Langton's was purchased by Woolworths.[8] Despite concerns raised at the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission,[9] the purchase went ahead, and Woolworths therefore owns the Classification.

So far (2018), no wine included in the top ("Exceptional") category has ever been demoted; this category remains the smallest but has progressively expanded to include additional wines with each edition of the Classification.[6]

'Exceptional' category

In the Classification VI (2018), the following 22 wines are included in the "Exceptional" category.[6] The year when the wines were included in the 'Exceptional' category (or its predecessor "Outstanding A") is indicated.[7]

Vineyard Wine Location Year of first inclusion Edition of first inclusion
Penfolds Bin 95 Grange Shiraz South Australia 1991 I
Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz Eden Valley, South Australia 1996 II
Mount Mary Vineyard Quintet Cabernet Blend Yarra Valley, Victoria
Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay Margaret River, Western Australia 2000 III
Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River, Western Australia
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon South Australia
Wendouree Shiraz Clare Valley, South Australia
Bass Phillip Reserve Pinot Noir South Gippsland, Victoria 2005 IV
Cullen Wines Diana Madeline Cabernet Merlot Margaret River, Western Australia
Giaconda Chardonnay Beechworth, Victoria
Rockford Wines Basket Press Shiraz Barossa Valley, South Australia
Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz Hunter Valley, New South Wales 2010 V
Chris Ringland Dry Grown Barossa Ranges Shiraz Barossa Valley, South Australia
Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah McLaren Vale, South Australia
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier Canberra District, New South Wales
Grosset Wines Polish Hill Riesling Clare Valley, South Australia
Torbreck RunRig Shiraz Barossa Valley, South Australia
Henschke Mount Edelstone Shiraz Eden Valley, South Australia 2014 VI
Jim Barry Wines The Armagh Shiraz Clare Valley, South Australia
Seppeltsfield 100 Year Old Para Vintage Tawny Barossa Valley, South Australia
Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon Coonawarra, South Australia
Best's Great Western Thomson Family Shiraz Grampians, Victoria 2018 VII

See also

References
  1. "Langton's Classification of Wine Explained | Langton's Fine Wines".
  2. Langton’s launches first on-line Australian wine futures Campaign", James Halliday
  3. "Appellation Australia, An exploration of Australian wine". Archived from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  4. "Langton's Classification of Australian Wine IV, Jancis Robinson". Archived from the original on 4 July 2014. Retrieved 20 September 2009.
  5. "Woolworths buys Langton's online wines auctions". 3 February 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  6. "View Wine Classification | Langton's Fine Wines".
  7. Langton's Magazine: Classification of Australian Wine V - Historical analysis
  8. "Langton's sold to Woolworths: The hammer falls - ACCC deadline passes".
  9. "Woolworths Limited - acquisition of Langton's Fine Wine Auctions".
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