James Halliday is auctioning off his private cellar

The first thing James Halliday did when he moved to the Yarra Valley from Sydney in 1983 was build a cellar to house the 12,000 bottles he’d brought with him.

Built against the hillside underneath his Coldstream Hills home, its warren of wire racks has held some truly magnificent wines over the past 40-odd years – from a 1642 Tokaji, bottled in a pale-blue glass flagon, to the single largest collection of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Australia, and everything in between.

Most winos would've given up their spot on Wendouree’s allocation list for a chance to fossick through it – but fortunately, you no longer have to. 

James Halliday in his Coldstream Hills cellar.

James, who recently moved back to Sydney to spend his retirement near his children, is auctioning the last 1800 bottles in his cellar through LANGTONS. Although time, generosity (including donations to the Len Evans Tutorial), and a previous auction, also managed by LANGTONS in 2020, mean the collection is significantly smaller than it was at its peak of 15,000 bottles, there are still plenty of gems to be found.

“Having long since sold the last of my DRCs, my Rousseaus are the best wines in my cellar, led by the Chambertins from top vintages. Clos de Beze is a worthy second, Clos de Jacques, the wine often offering outstanding value for money. Rousseau now fills the shoes left by the impossible-to-find DRCs,” James says. 

There’s also Champagne, including a 1996 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois Billecart, German riesling, and old vintages from treasured Australian producers – such as a magnum of House of Arras E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2000.

A few of the Australian bottles up for sale.

“James Halliday is undoubtedly the most important person in the Australian wine scene. His commentary, literary works, judging and philanthropy have altered how Australians buy, sell and consume wine,” says Michael Anderson, Head of Auctions and Secondary Market at LANGTONS. 

The online auction will close at 9pm AEST on Sunday, 25 May. To view the wines and bid, visit langtons.com.au. 

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