Penfolds releases Kalimna Block 42 wine worth $168,000

[Matt]

http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/fishing/penfolds-releases-168000-wine/story-fn7qf6t1-1226412434639

[Lee]

Ridiculous.... even $168k for the whole dozen would be ridiculous....

[markg]

Its about the same price for a full collection of Grange.. Perhaps if I already had one

[TiggerK]

The publicity alone is genius. It's all over the internet. Who cares about anything else, it's brand awareness, plus raises the luxury tag they're endlessly seeking nowdays.

If I had anything near a Gina R fortune, as quite a number actually do, it's nothing, and there's only 10 left!! Better Be Quick!

Nothing excites a rich person as much as getting something almost no one else can get!

[Matt]

I'm waiting for one of you guys to provide a tasting note.

[RogerPike]

I'm waiting for one of you guys to provide a tasting note.

Not that hard. That wine, exactly the same wine, was about $250 when released.

Roger

[Craig(NZ)]

It helps rich Asians self esteem no doubt so hey let em have it. Personally I think I will pass

[Jay60A]

I'm waiting for one of you guys to provide a tasting note.

I'll just crack one of my six-pack as soon as Pete (that's Mr Gago to you lot) jets over to open it for me with the diamond encrusted cork-screw it came with .

Seriously you have to have some serious moola to fall for this, given that this wine now sells - and maybe is fair value vs First Growths - at $600-$1000 aus. That means you are paying $167,000+ for a flash bottle and rarity.

[Sean]

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[Sean]

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[Lee]

I can imagine the sommeliers face at being asked to crack open (literally) the $168k glass ampoule..... I can see the signed disclaimers being bought out....

[dave vino]

Actually I have some questions now that I have thought about it a bit more.

Can I have one in green glass rather than clear glass to protect the wine from light?

Should it be stored horizontally or vertically?

If it is hermetically sealed (I am assuming it is), then will it age properly?

Have sommeliers been briefed on the opening procedure in case I take it to a restaurant (and Mr Gago is not available)?

It is in a wooden box I believe so no light

Doesn't matter how it is stored, no cork to keep wet.

Gago says it has enough oxygen in the ampoule to encourage aging and will age like a screwcap.

Penfold have said only they should open it and will fly someone anywhere in the world to do so.

[phillisc]

Actually I have some questions now that I have thought about it a bit more.

Can I have one in green glass rather than clear glass to protect the wine from light?

Should it be stored horizontally or vertically?

If it is hermetically sealed (I am assuming it is), then will it age properly?

Have sommeliers been briefed on the opening procedure in case I take it to a restaurant (and Mr Gago is not available)?

It is in a wooden box I believe so no light

Doesn't matter how it is stored, no cork to keep wet.

Gago says it has enough oxygen in the ampoule to encourage aging and will age like a screwcap.

Penfold have said only they should open it and will fly someone anywhere in the world to do so.

April 1 and before 12pm?

[newworld]

This brings up the old chestnut: cork vs screwcap vs ampoule.

I think I'm sticking with screwcaps until ampoules have been proven to work better over several vintages.

[Sean]

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[Sean]

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[Sean]

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[dave vino]

Actually I have some questions now that I have thought about it a bit more.

Can I have one in green glass rather than clear glass to protect the wine from light?

Should it be stored horizontally or vertically?

If it is hermetically sealed (I am assuming it is), then will it age properly?

Have sommeliers been briefed on the opening procedure in case I take it to a restaurant (and Mr Gago is not available)?

It is in a wooden box I believe so no light

Doesn't matter how it is stored, no cork to keep wet.

Gago says it has enough oxygen in the ampoule to encourage aging and will age like a screwcap.

Penfold have said only they should open it and will fly someone anywhere in the world to do so.

No lid on the wooden Jarrah cabinet in the photo and I think the idea is to put it on display anyway. Wealthy people like to display their wealth - according to JK Galbraith (just to be serious for a moment).

Looks like 2 doors to me, I'll get Jeeves to check mine out shortly, he's just laying out my Polo attire.

[Sean]

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[Rossco]

Considering the Auction price as recently as this year of an actual bottle is:
PENFOLDS Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley 2004 Bottle $450-750 $451* 2012

I wonder how much this will push up current auction prices?

Does it also say something about how much penfolds rate their 2004 vintage?

I applaud Penfolds for having the balls to do this..... heaven knows their price increase strategy has worked 'wonders' for them this year

If anything, its marketing genius....even if they dont sell another ampoule, the coverage alone the brand has received, is worth its weight.

TiggerK summed it up best: Nothing excites a rich person as much as getting something almost no one else can get!

Would be hilarious if some 11ty billionaire took it to Antarctica for penfolds to open.

[Mahmoud Ali]

There's been a lot of discussion about Penfold's attempt to raise their brand profile through price escalations and the introduction of new premium bottlings. Whatever one's thoughts are about that strategy this release has highlighted for me a sense that Penfold's is becoming more of a "luxury goods" brand like Gucci, Hermes, and Chanel, etc., and less like a wine company.

As much as a so-called "brilliant" marketing strategy this might be to some people, as a wine enthusiast/collecter I find it disgusts me. There is nothing in this release package remotely affiliated with wine appreciation nor any attempt to introduce wine culture into new markets. Instead of promoting wine as a cultured beverage it promotes the idea that wine is like any other prestigue product linked to scarcity, packaging, wealth, and prestige. This is not what wine culture is about.

This ampoule of liquid proclaims nothing about the vintage, about storing upright vs laying down, about cork vs screwcap, or about cellaring. It's about showing off and displaying wealth. Offering to fly in the winemaker to open the wine encourages the buyer to open it sooner rather than later. It does nothing to promote wine; it promotes exclusivity, excess, and showmanship. I can't believe that Peter Gago would participate in the circus charade that a bottle, excuse me, an ampoule-opening would be.

Why would any wine enthusiastwant to buy wine from a company like Penfold's. They have clearly set their sights on promoting a brand image to sell wine. One can't hellp but think their focus will be on premium, expensive wine, not the regular bins. This stunt, what else can one call it, has made me lose respect for Penfolds. The more I think about this the less interested I am in impressing my Canadian friends with my older bottles of Penfold's wine.

In my mind anyone buying an ampoule of this Bin whatever would show that the person has more money than sense. Coke and Cognax XO for a chaser?

Nothing to cheer about.........................Mahmoud.

[dave vino]

I don't think it is Peter Gago that will open it. The article says "he or she will have to call out a senior member of Penfolds' wine-making team, the only person with the correct training to uncork the prized bottle."

[TiggerK]

Given the tiny price of the wine component, you'd think they could have made it a magnum's worth!! You'd want to show it off to a good group to boost your ego. Stingy if nothing else!

MInd you, one could always buy two of them.....

[Mahmoud Ali]

I don't think it is Peter Gago that will open it. The article says "he or she will have to call out a senior member of Penfolds' wine-making team, the only person with the correct training to uncork the prized bottle."

Fair enough Dave. I hadn't read this article but was going by what I remembered (incorrectly it seems) from a Decanter article I read a few days ago.

[Sean]

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[odyssey]

Last year the US wine critic James Suckling gave the wine a perfect score of 100 points. Even so the wine is pretty good from all accounts.

[n4sir]

It's hard to think of this as anything other than absurd, a vulgar pisstake, the ultimate elitist wine wank to top them all - something about it reminds me of the Lotus T125 Exos, not that I'll ever have to worry about such distractions.

Part of me also can't help thinking that maybe Penfolds is trying to recoup their massive costs in trying to develop a glass on glass stopper for Grange in one swift hit. How many years and how many millions have they spent on this now?

[Rossco]

There's been a lot of discussion about Penfold's attempt to raise their brand profile through price escalations and the introduction of new premium bottlings. Whatever one's thoughts are about that strategy this release has highlighted for me a sense that Penfold's is becoming more of a "luxury goods" brand like Gucci, Hermes, and Chanel, etc., and less like a wine company.

As much as a so-called "brilliant" marketing strategy this might be to some people, as a wine enthusiast/collecter I find it disgusts me. There is nothing in this release package remotely affiliated with wine appreciation nor any attempt to introduce wine culture into new markets. Instead of promoting wine as a cultured beverage it promotes the idea that wine is like any other prestige product linked to scarcity, packaging, wealth, and prestige. This is not what wine culture is about.

And this is where the real issue is Mahmoud!

In my eyes, penfolds is no longer a wine producer. Its a luxury goods producer. It doesnt sell wine, it sells the idea of luxury & the perception of wealth. They couldnt give a rats about the average consumer, wine culture or appreciation (and if i was to be cynical the quality of their wine....IF i was to be cynical) in fact based on their past few official releases in HK / Moscow, they couldnt give a rats about Australia.

Why.... well its pretty simple. Why bust your @$$ trying to sell 5,600 bottles of wine @ $30 each.....when you can sell 1 bottle @ $ 168,000

Only time will tell if their new strategy will work, but in the mean time they have burnt a lot of reliable, constant consumers...which in my eyes is going to be the biggest problem IF their new strategy doesnt work.

[sparky]

They couldnt give a rats about the average consumer, wine culture or appreciation (and if i was to be cynical the quality of their wine....IF i was to be cynical) in fact based on their past few official releases in HK / Moscow, they couldnt give a rats about Australia.

Just a quick reminder all, that Penfolds Re-corking clinic bookings are now open. We'll be visiting five Australian capital cities and look forward to over 1500 people spending some one-on-one time with members of our senior winemaking team and getting their wines assessed.

In case anyone was wondering, it's a free service.

[Rossco]

Just a quick reminder all, that Penfolds Re-corking clinic bookings are now open. We'll be visiting five Australian capital cities and look forward to over 1500 people spending some one-on-one time with members of our senior winemaking team and getting their wines assessed.

In case anyone was wondering, it's a free service.

I dont think anyone here would doubt the past history of what penfolds has achieved, nor its re-corking clinics.

I am happy to be corrected, but I believe we were talking about the current & future strategy of penfolds?

I wonder if in 10 - 15 years the free penfolds re-corking clinic will be available to the numerous releases of their screw-capped wines (ie 2006 RWT ect)?