Penfolds Kalimna Club

[daver6]

Any other people here receive the new promo pack including a free Ah-So and very shiny metal membership card?

My thoughts are the changes are a bit ridiculous. Kalimna Club membership is now contingent on you purchasing at least $800 from penfolds.com or via their cellar doors within 12 months.

Now, I've been a member for 5 years or so. Its been free and receive the annual invites to the icon release dinner. This dinner is still pretty pricey and I don't think subsidised at all. Other benefits I see is the ability to pre-order wines for the icon release. Again, I did that for the first time this year and got totally burnt on pricing. They did send a sorry bottle of Bin 150 but don't think that really made up for the sour feeling.

So now they are trying to drive members to make purchases direct so you can remain a member of a club that has, as far as I can see, negligible tangible benefits.

Not quite sure what on earth the good folk and TWE were thinking with this change.

[ticklenow1]

Unless they match the chain store pricing, what's the point of being in it, unless you live nearby the cellar door? More greed by the sounds.

Cheers
Ian

[Michael McNally]

When your goal is the super-premium, ultra-deluxe, platinum Amex, squillionaire market, you don't design a friendly, open to all, value for money club.

Cheers

Michael

[mjs]

Haven't seen the Kalimna Club but am in John Riddoch club at Wynns. That used to be similar in terms of being relatively free then switched to $800 per year, now it's changed to a more reasonable purchase requirement and quite good pricing, eg BL ~$22-23. There are one or two functions a year, but not many other benefits. To be honest, if you are into wines from TWE you are better off being in their Cellar Door club. The on line pricing is always better than the John Riddoch club and I guess the Kalimna Club. Then you can go nuts at the couple of tastings of most of the TWE labels they hold once or twice a year, where you can get some very good deals.

[swirler]

I very naively replied to a humble TWE wine club email that offered me their wines at much higher than chain prices. I suggested that they need to lower the prices if they want to drive sales and this would be great for them as they wouldn't have to give a cut to Woolworths, etc.,

For my effort I was rewarded with an 'out of office' automated reply which was never followed up on. Charming.

And of course, I've never even considered purchasing from them since.

Hmmm. these corporate people really know how to build relationships and boost sales.

[mjs]

I very naively replied to a humble TWE wine club email that offered me their wines at much higher than chain prices. I suggested that they need to lower the prices if they want to drive sales and this would be great for them as they wouldn't have to give a cut to Woolworths, etc.,

For my effort I was rewarded with an 'out of office' automated reply which was never followed up on. Charming.

And of course, I've never even considered purchasing from them since.

Hmmm. these corporate people really know how to build relationships and boost sales.

Sorry Swirler, but the TWE Cellar Door club prices are often lower than the chains, I'm not a TWE apologist, it's just the facts

[daver6]

So how does one join the Cellar Door Club, given the Kalimna Club is a bit of a joke?

[swirler]

No worries. It was a Wynns club not the Cellar Door Club. A few years back, so things may have changed.....

[mjs]

Yes, the two clubs at Wynns (Gables and JR) were a bit average a couple of years ago. Fortunately they have revamped the JR club with less of a purchase requirement and better deals. Also have events during the year. Last year was doing some blending with Sue Hodder, tastings and a dinner at Pipers. Got to see the individual vineyard components of BL and blend our own '14 BL, plus taste some unreleased JR, some V&A Lane and other things.

[phillisc]

Ahh the Kalimna Club, must be the greatest piss-take of the century...where it costs you much much more than Joe Public.
Why be in a club where they don't value you as a member and why be a member of a club with no value.

Its been well documented, over the years my absolute love-hate relationship with TWE, I really like many of their products but guess when I told them to shove their prices up the Khyber Pass, and Uncle D's was 40-45% cheaper and TWE staff buying there as well, as their own staff price could still not beat the chains, they kicked me out.

Fast forward and things at Wynns have improved a bit and the young lad that Moira put me onto at Southbank has done an excellent job sourcing me many dozens of wines at much less than chain prices...credit where credit is due I guess

Penfolds have to let go a bit, the exclusivity is costing them, it might be alright to bang on that they have made big profits at the top of the range offshore, but the domestic punter would like to be able to source 389 in the mid $40 and St Henri in the middish $60s (which I did with ease and are not a club member) rather than being gouged by an entity that is meant to look after them.

On another matter and don't know if anyone has any cred here, or that I have been asleep under a rock but the tastings that Andrew J and Malcolm speak of, have never occurred in Adelaide. Apart from Seppelts and perhaps Bailey's which I also am fond of, all the decent top shelf TWE stuff is made in SA.
I get it that we are tinpot over here and that a lot more wine can be sold in Melbourne/Sydney, but think you would make a few sales if you held one in SA.
Cheers
Craig

[DJ1980]

Yes, what a shame. I have been a member for about 10 years now, signed up when friends and I visited cellar door and had a private tour (which they no longer do) and an incredible tasting of all the premium wines.

The deals for being a member were excellent at the time, the relationship was very personable and the events hosted in Brisbane reasonably priced and generous.... How times have changed.

Now I have to spend $800+ to keep my my membership that literally offers me nothing but access to "pre-order" wines I would never miss out of at the big chains and stupidly expensive current release wine dinners that don't offer more than a 1/2 mouthful of wine to taste per glass...

How sad...

[phillisc]

Yes DJ no argument from me...it is sad.
I had a look at something sent to me in 2014 for a pre-release 2010 Grange dinner at Magill Estate at the price IIRC of about $485!!!
For that I could get 3-4 friends together, and with a budget of $1500 or more, could buy a bottle of all the top shelf stuff, a loin of pork, slow cooked shoulder of lamb ...what ever, and have way more fun, be further in front economically and certainly get more than a teaspoonful.

Still laughing about the May 1 queues at Magill to get a bottle, rub shoulders with Mr Gago, maybe a selfie or a signature and have your mug on the local TV news that night...perish the thought

Odd that Pennies are sending out marketing stuff 9 months before release...perhaps this is all part of the softening up and inevitable slow burn for the much hyped 2012 and the accompanying four figure price tag after 'Enfant terrible' from the previous vintage.

Cheers
Craig

[Chuck]

Pocketed the Ah-so (was just about to buy one) and ditched the rest but have not bought from the club ever yet remain a member. Is the $800 spend a new rule? I didn't read any of the stuff accompanying the Ah-so.

Carl

[mjs]

So how does one join the Cellar Door Club, given the Kalimna Club is a bit of a joke?

It seems to be a staff, family and friends thing. I got in by accompanying a mate (grb2001) who was already a member as a guest to a tasting at Etihad a year or so ago. You buy stuff, then you're in. Last tasting in Melb was last Oct I think, over three nights. There were about 150 there on the night I went. There were two tastings last year, so I assume there may be another one coming up around May. Don't think they are in all capital cities unfortunately. Could be a long shot, but you might be able to get somewhere by ringing Customer Relations at TWE at Southbank in Melbourne and buying something.

[n4sir]

Pocketed the Ah-so (was just about to buy one) and ditched the rest but have not bought from the club ever yet remain a member. Is the $800 spend a new rule? I didn't read any of the stuff accompanying the Ah-so.

Carl

The $800 spend rule was in the accompanying letter you ditched out Carl - I knew this was coming as it was mentioned at the (sole) Adelaide dinner last year, and immediately thought at the time that's me out of the club. The Ah-so was a nice little farewell gift...

The writing for this was on the wall for quite a while: the spend rule had been strongly rumoured to happen up to a year ago (it was just a question of how much), and was one of the prominent options mentioned in the survey sent to members back in late 2013. I would have preferred an annual fee like when I originally joined the Magill Estate Club in 2006 (which was merged into the Kalimna Club a couple of years later), but this was always an unlikely option - the good old days of six Adelaide tasting events a year and (minimum 20%) discount all year round disappeared years ago, replaced by free memberships, pens, cards, diaries, other associated marketing crap (and this year an Ah-so).

It's a little sad but in the end I guess it doesn't effect me that much given the way the Kalimna Club operated in Adelaide last year - club prices were uncompetitive, and there was only one tasting event being the new releases dinner (which was basically open to non-members if they were quick enough).

Cheers,
Ian

[Chuck]

Thanks Ian. Just can't see any benefit of remaining a member. Haven't bought any Penfolds for a few years. Too many other good quality wines at more reasonable prices available.

Big wine companies just don't make sense to me. The passion is lost as is the personalised service of smaller wineries.

Carl

[phillisc]

Carl, whilst I have received good service in the last 3-4 months...you have hit the nail on the head and reflects my complete disdain for large players...you are right, there is very little care factor involved when considering the consumer.

Cheers
Craig

[wheel]

I work for Pennies in the Magill CD, and they are relaunching the whole Kalimna club. They were definitely the first to admit that the ball was dropped somewhat and that it really wasnt the offering that it used to be.
As of now, they will be trying to tailor more events to indicidual customers purchases. Ie; if you regularly buy yattarna, we will have yattarna verticals of which you will get invitations.
I am currently drafting out a plan of a grange vertical as well as potentially a special bin tasting. At this stage, it will be over 2 nights, 10 pax maximum per night and we will go through wines from most decades.
With the refurbishment and the tasting rooms, we will be utilising them a lot more. Potentially single bottle dinners will be something we will try again, with the new Magill Estate Kitchen. Watch this space, but dont be despondant just yet!

[Mark Carrington]

TWE alienating their customers: shock.

[daver6]

I work for Pennies in the Magill CD, and they are relaunching the whole Kalimna club. They were definitely the first to admit that the ball was dropped somewhat and that it really wasnt the offering that it used to be.
As of now, they will be trying to tailor more events to indicidual customers purchases. Ie; if you regularly buy yattarna, we will have yattarna verticals of which you will get invitations.
I am currently drafting out a plan of a grange vertical as well as potentially a special bin tasting. At this stage, it will be over 2 nights, 10 pax maximum per night and we will go through wines from most decades.
With the refurbishment and the tasting rooms, we will be utilising them a lot more. Potentially single bottle dinners will be something we will try again, with the new Magill Estate Kitchen. Watch this space, but dont be despondant just yet!

Will the events be held at Magill Estate only or in other capital cities (Perth included)?

[phillisc]

Interestingly Penfolds have sent me three emails today.
I think what needs to be considered very very closely by their management, and perhaps Wheel you can have a word in someone's ear that the balance between what is on offer and a "fair" price to be paid is something that needs to be sorted and sorted quickly.
As many have said here, the pricing needs to be competitive, only those who are blindingly loyal to a brand, and there appears to be less and less punters today that are, or those who have pockets deeper than the Grand Canyon will fork out that sort of dough. St Henri at $100 ( as was the offer in the email today) simply won't cut it.

Whilst you are at it, I know Kalimna Club relates to Pennies, but any chance of Wynns doing something for Wynnsday...ACTUALLY in Adelaide!

Cheers
Craig

[dave vino]

the pricing needs to be competitive, only those who are blindingly loyal to a brand, and there appears to be less and less punters today that are, or those who have pockets deeper than the Grand Canyon will fork out that sort of dough. St Henri at $100 ( as was the offer in the email today) simply won't cut it.

LOL? Are they that scared of upsetting the retailers? What is the point of offering the wines at prices $15-$25 more than retailers per bottle. What makes it even more grating is there is no middle-man here, so they are making lots more profit than the retailers looking after their 'special customers'.

[Polymer]

This comes back to the same thread that was on here about "Wine Clubs".

Either the pricing needs to be better than alternatives
OR
There needs to be something exclusive about being in the club. That might be bottles that can't be procured normally or special events for members only - and even that is a stretch...

It isn't like any of these wines are hard to get..they're out there in mass and at heavy discounts...

[swirler]

Why on Earth would anyone feel loyalty towards brand owned by a private equity firm?

[mjs]

Interestingly Penfolds have sent me three emails today.
I think what needs to be considered very very closely by their management, and perhaps Wheel you can have a word in someone's ear that the balance between what is on offer and a "fair" price to be paid is something that needs to be sorted and sorted quickly.
As many have said here, the pricing needs to be competitive, only those who are blindingly loyal to a brand, and there appears to be less and less punters today that are, or those who have pockets deeper than the Grand Canyon will fork out that sort of dough. St Henri at $100 ( as was the offer in the email today) simply won't cut it.

Whilst you are at it, I know Kalimna Club relates to Pennies, but any chance of Wynns doing something for Wynnsday...ACTUALLY in Adelaide!

Cheers
Craig

Craig,
Yeah, I saw the 100 buck St H email today. They have to be joking??!! Really makes you wonder if there's any cooperation/communication between TWE and Penfolds marketing, assuming they are separate, or even any coordinated strategy. St H avail for $75-79 on TWE, then "cheaply" on Pennies for $100. FMD!!?? Do they think we are idiots?
cheers, Malcolm
ps: no Wynns JR Club vintage time function weekend this year btw

[phillisc]

Interestingly Penfolds have sent me three emails today.
I think what needs to be considered very very closely by their management, and perhaps Wheel you can have a word in someone's ear that the balance between what is on offer and a "fair" price to be paid is something that needs to be sorted and sorted quickly.
As many have said here, the pricing needs to be competitive, only those who are blindingly loyal to a brand, and there appears to be less and less punters today that are, or those who have pockets deeper than the Grand Canyon will fork out that sort of dough. St Henri at $100 ( as was the offer in the email today) simply won't cut it.

Whilst you are at it, I know Kalimna Club relates to Pennies, but any chance of Wynns doing something for Wynnsday...ACTUALLY in Adelaide!

Cheers
Craig

Craig,
Yeah, I saw the 100 buck St H email today. They have to be joking??!! Really makes you wonder if there's any cooperation/communication between TWE and Penfolds marketing, assuming they are separate, or even any coordinated strategy. St H avail for $75-79 on TWE, then "cheaply" on Pennies for $100. FMD!!?? Do they think we are idiots?
cheers, Malcolm
ps: no Wynns JR Club vintage time function weekend this year btw

Interesting Malcolm, where did you see this, I don't have the level of intel...perhaps I need to look at the JR site a bit more.
Perplexing, that they overhaul the club last year but then drop well attended events???

I am contemplating as I cannot get to the Coonawarra offline in Victoria on May 6th, to instead go to a tasting Australia dinner here in Adelaide with Sarah Pigeon.

Cheers
Craig

[Sean]

deleted

[mjs]

Craig, I spoke with Tony Gleeson at Wynns CD as i was keen to find out if there was anything on that would interest my "Maralinga" wine mates in Adl. He is always involved in JR club things and he said they were putting it off probably to the Cabernet weekend in October, which incidentally will run for the whole month of October this year, with the serious tasting stuff some time around the middle weekend. Will be there for this.

Please say hello to Sarah for me!

cheers, Malcolm

[sparky]

When is Gavin going to bring on a post 'like' button?

[phillisc]

As a postscript to the three emails from last week, a parcel arrived at work...dated January 2016
One of those little pretty boxes Chuck and N4Sir have been referring to...with the ah-so and a little sliver card thingy that states I have been a member since May 2011!!

I did not even realise and have only brought Pennies recently through the TWE friends of the cellar door...for prices far far less than the Kalimna website...go figure??

Wonders will never cease.

Cheers
Craig