Inside Penfolds re-corking clinics

If you own a bottle of red wine from Penfolds that’s 15 years or older, it may be eligible for re-corking.

“It’s the ultimate after-sales service,” says chief winemaker Peter Gago. “If you buy a Rolls Royce and it breaks down in the country, they’ll come and fix it for you – as they should! We do the same thing. We go all over the world to fix people’s wines up, 15, 30, 50, 60 years later.” 

Penfolds has offered the complimentary service officially since 1991. Inspired by Penfolds' first chief winemaker Max Schubert, who used to re-cork bottles of Grange for his mates at Magill Estate, the re-corking clinics are now held regularly all over the world.

Penfolds chief winemaker Peter Gago at a recent re-corking clinic in Sydney.

While the service is open to anyone and there are no limits on the number of bottles that can be brought in, there is still criteria that must be met. Firstly, the bottle must be at least 15 years old, and the wine must be red (with the occasional exception), although it doesn’t have to be Grange. Secondly, the fill mustn’t be too low – the wine's level must sit in either the green or amber zone on Penfolds’ custom ‘ullage measure’ (this tool can be downloaded from their website in advance). 

Penfolds senior winemaker Steph Dutton and white winemaker Kym Schroeter assessing wines at a recent clinic.

Once both conditions are satisfied, the wines are eligible for assessment, which is carried out by Peter Gago or another Penfolds winemaker. To do this, the bottles are opened, and a small amount of wine is poured out. If the wine is still good, it’s topped up with the current vintage of that same wine – even if that wine is Grange – and gassed to force out any oxygen. It’s then re-corked using a custom-designed machine, certified, and wrapped in tissue paper. 

Not every wine that’s brought in is re-corked, however. Some bottles are still too young, even if they technically qualify. Others just don’t need it: “At a recent clinic in Sydney, we had someone bring in an immaculate ’53 Grange. Immaculate,” says Peter. “I didn’t want to touch it.” 

Then, of course, there are the bottles that don’t pass assessment. “I’ve had to reject entire collections,” says Peter, although he stresses that most who come in are aware of the risks, and expectations are always managed ahead of time: “We had a fellow in Melbourne a few years ago who brought in three ’51 Granges. I said to him, right now, you’ve got a BMW there. But if they don’t make it, you’ve just got three crusty, dusty bottles.” 

Re-corked bottles are also certified, which increase secondary market value.

But for the bottles that do pass, which these days is most of them, re-corking and certification vastly increases their secondary market value. It’s also an opportunity for people to taste their wines to see how they’re developing.

“Although it will arrest further deterioration, re-corking is not going to give that 1955 Grange another 40 years,” says Peter. “But that’s not what most people want. They want to know if it will last until their silver wedding anniversary, or their child’s 21st. Some just want permission to drink the wine – they couldn’t care less if it’s certified or not.

“The clinics are about more than just putting a new cork into an old bottle. It’s education. It’s talking to winemakers; it’s all sorts of things. It’s hard to explain the culture of it all in one conversation – it’s just something that’s very, very real.” 

Penfolds re-corking clinics are advertised ahead of time on their website and to their mailing list. Bookings are essential.

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