Penfolds launches $168,000 wine – Gago gone Gaga? I was reminded of this ludicrous leap into wine hyperspace back in 2012, when I read about Penfolds’ latest leap into eccentric creations that have little to do with wine or the legendary Max Schubert.
The latest offer is a $95,000 bespoke music cabinet with a valve amplifier and a Penfolds-branded turntable. Apparently Max was a music lover. Is that so? He’s been dead almost 30 years, and now someone remembers that he loved music?
What’s the Occasion?
We’re celebrating 70 years of Grange. ‘Only seven individually crafted pieces have been produced globally (I think they mean in toto),’ says Penfolds, ‘paying homage to the “all in one” console design from the 1950s – the same decade Grange was first created by Max Schubert.’
‘As if a symphony (sic), parallels are drawn between the creation of a blend and the marriage of voice and instrument. Inside, wine lovers are welcomed by the rare “White Capsule” release Grange magnum duo of vintage 2010 and 2017. Hidden within the wine console compartment that also houses a suite of luxury accessories including a hand-blown Grange Decanter, crafted by leading Australian glass artist and designer, Nick Mount.’ More Here
You’d think they could afford a competent copywriter or proof reader, wouldn’t you? And what’s so special about the white capsule?
From Rolex to Citizen
Max worked for Penfolds his entire life yet Penfolds didn’t show much appreciation for his enormous contribution. As Richard Farmer reminds us, ‘The loyal servant of Penfolds had always hoped his farewell would be celebrated in that old fashioned way with a good watch. A Swiss Rolex was to be his pride and joy but he just got a Japanese Citizen, and for the rest of his life there was not even a free case of his masterpiece every vintage.’
This slap in Max’s face is staggering. He retired in 1975, just before the Penfold family sold out to Sydney brewer Tooth & Co. Max had to wait years for recognition, which came much later in the form of the inaugural Maurice O’Shea Award, an Order of Australia, Decanter magazine’s Man of the Year in 1988, and an Australia Day Citizen Award in 1991.
From Grand and Gaudy to Cheap and Chintzy
For decades, Penfolds (these days owned by TWE) has milked Max’s name for all it’s worth. The great man has been so much more valuable dead than alive. The milking has seen highs and lows – the latter finding their ultimate expression in wines made for Chinese New Year. More in Max’s Collection & Tribute Range – Why is Penfolds Trashing a Great Australian’s Name for a Fistful of Dollars?
More recently, the Chinese New Year offering has gone up-market with a magnum of Bin 389 in a special box. It’s over $300. Some Bin 389 with your dim sums, Sir? Here are the tasting notes from Penfolds’ website:
‘Balance of the sweet (cabernet) and the savoury (shiraz). Possesses what has now often been referred to as a black forest cake 2018 vintage flavour profile. Darker fruits – closer to that of a black cherry liqueur than a crème de cassis component of Kir. Flavours of roasted beetroot – a venison sauce beetroot reduction … similar texturally to a congealed sweet fat (a custardy emulsion/film – not a grainy paste). Oak and tannins absorbed. Both are certainly present, yet not at all demanding their own space on this Bin 389 stage. Substantial, intense.’
I’m not making this up, I swear. ‘ … similar texturally to a congealed sweet fat (a custardy emulsion/film – not a grainy paste) … ‘ Who writes this garbage? And what are they smoking? Or vaping?
Here’s Campbell Mattinson’s review from The Wine Front: ‘It’s a showy Bin 389 or perhaps by that I mean that the oak shows quite a bit. It’s also warm through the finish. It’s substantially flavoured, a bit ferrous, a bit meaty, with coffee, toast and dark chocolate notes adding beef to blackberry, blackcurrant and gum leaf. It has the substance and the structure to age well, if not superbly. I tossed up between 93 and 94 here and, after revisiting many times, finally settled on the former, though it was a close-run thing. It’s not quite as compelling as I expect Bin 389 to be, but its quality is still high.’
Ho Hum. Campbell had to work very hard to avoid telling us that this bin 389 is disappointing and overpriced. Maybe better served with red bean buns? Or maybe use it as a present for someone you want to impress, and have some Chinese rice wine instead?