The Auswine Forum

Walked past this today



Steal at US$177k

Will hopefully spoil under all those lights.

Sorry, I'm a tad cynical.

$177000???? I remember reading this media release and at 168,000 it was just plain money-gouging garbage. Even with the add-ons it is ridiculous. Thanks TWE for pushing the wine-market into the stratosphere amidst global financial turmoil. Can not wait until your bubble bursts.

Well in this case it probably is less about the wine and more about the "artwork"..I guess...

I mean, who would actually drink this..and if the intent is to drink it, this doesn't seem like a good way to cellar your wine as it doesn't have a way to be protected from light...and if you covered it to protect it from light, you wouldn't be showing the artwork...

I dunno..it is odd...I wonder how many people have actually bought this....

Think that's the point, they don't need to sell any.
Free publicity, good and bad.

Yeap..but seems to be a waste of what probably is a pretty good wine..then again they couldn't just put anything in there either I suppose....

Maybe they are banking on no-one drinking it, and it's filled with Rawson's Retreat?

Plenty of people in the Middle East who are loaded beyond belief. The carparks in Dubai's equivalent of Chadstone Shopping Centre or a Westfields have plenty of Lamborghinis parked... nearby Qatar has an average per capita salary of $95,000.

Anyway, the purpose of the Ampoule is to act as a price anchor, allowing prices for the rest of the Penfolds portfolio to be increased (or at least appear reasonable). Torbreck and Henschke are the other wineries engaging in this that readily spring to mind for me. The wine for stuff like Laird or Block 42 probably costs only $25/bt to make, but the additional marketing is worth a lot more.

Going back in the morning, might offer the 96 Block 42 that I have for, oh, 5grand! Seems fair

I guess if you owned a private jet, and could buy small tropical islands with the spare change from the end of financial year tradings, this would be the perfect ornament for your cellar..... Maybe even 2 for symmetry...

In fact, I think Penfolds have got the marketing all wrong. With something like this in such limited supply, and in such high regard , they should not have allowed it onto the open market. Rather, they should have "invited" selected few "worthy" souls the opportunity to procure one. And of course, with this comes with it their right to say "NO Block 42 ampoule for you!".......

Its also a marketing gimmick - remember the cost to them is 4/5th of bugger all but then people see the pustule... sorry I mean ampoule... on display for $xxxxx thousands of dollars and think WOW Penfolds must be so valuable... and then they see the Bin 389 for $100 and suddenly that doesnt seem so expensive after all!

Call it what you like...the marketing has worked. The Penfolds name is out there advertising itself for free in a busy international airport that has many wealthy travellers passing through. Instead of spending thousands on a billboard or such, Penfolds is essentially being paid for their own advertising.