After recently selling my property set on acreage and downsizing to inner city living, my extensive wine and spirits collection needed to be relocated. I love history, and the idea of the original prison cells being converted to wine cellars was a brilliant concept and a unique investment [...]

We were fortunate enough to secure a cell that had an important and famous past as our private cellar. It makes for a great introduction to our visitors retelling the history of Pentridge and our cell, whether it is to family, friends or business associates.

Melbourne’s Pentridge Cellars has transformed Coburg’s historic prison precinct into a private cellar for serious fine wine collectors. The historic prison precinct has shifted its focus to keeping fine wine under lock and key, as part of the development of Pentridge Cellars.

The Coburg jail was closed in 1997 but several of its historic and significant buildings remain, including D-block – where cells within these bluestone walls are now being sold as luxury wine cellars, complete with racking, temperature control, ambient lighting and CCTV security.

D Division was used to hold prisoners at Pentridge Prison right up to its closure in 1997, now, thanks to self-confessed wine enthusiasts Paul Tardivel, and Michael Woodworth, the cells will now be home to thousands of bottles of wine in what is now called Pentridge Cellars.

You’ve got the Toorak address, the Collins Street office, a Brighton beach box and the Sorrento holiday home. What’s next? A luxury wine cellar at the former Pentridge Prison might be the new must-have accessory for well-to-do Melbournians.

Pentridge once housed some of our most notorious prisoners… But it’s soon to be home to wine connoisseurs.