They cast aside unwritten traditions, combining superior Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley with primo Australian Shiraz to create a new designation, an international blend Penfolds calls “a wine of the world.”
They are good and experienced wine makers. I knew that they’d been playing around in CA for a while but didn’t know exactly what they were planning.
Bin 704 is named to honor Bin 407. Both are 100 percent Cabernet. This one is all CA fruit and I expect it should be pretty good. It’s pricey at $70, but I guess that’s not too crazy these days.
However, Quantum Bin 98. A blend of Australian and American grapes.
Reminds me of that wine a decade or so ago, where Chateau Palmer made a cab-syrah blend with syrah from the Northern Rhone. I just looked it up – it’s the “Historical XIX Century Blend,” sells for around $400.
I think it’s a cool concept, but I don’t get the $700 price tag. Even if they’re blending To Kalon with Grange or something, that pricing seems silly.
Penfolds’ philosophy is to blend from different vineyards. I suppose this is just the next logical step.
As for price, the 2016 Grange is $850 from the winery (I cite that price on the assumption the $700 price above is also the winery price; I know you can get the Grange cheaper, around $550). Their limited edition cab is $1,200. $700 seems right in line with all that.
Suspect that the target market for these wines was mainland China, which would have been a no brainer until they slapped a 200% plus tariff on Australian wine.
I see Yao Ming cabernet in Costco bins for $59.99 all the time (and not appearing to move quickly at that price), so the market will eventually have its say.
Bob Egelhoff and Michael Twelftree made a couple of vintages of a US/OZ blend called Two Worlds. It was 50/50 Egelhoff Cab and Two Hands Shiraz. Came in magnum only. According to my CellarTracker notes, it was $300/mag. So a bit less that what Penfolds wants. Anyhow, it was actually really good stuff.
How much greater is the carbon footprint of this wine than a typical bottle? I would think if they have to ship half the unfinished wine to the other side of the world to get bottled and then ship the finished wine back out that’s not very environmentally friendly.