One of South Australia’s most famous wines – Penfolds – has entered the fine art world with the release of a craft ‘bottle’. The first of these 12 hand-blown glass ampoules reportedly has a buyer.
Penfolds has unveiled one of its most ambitious South Australian-proud projects ever, a highly prized Barossa-grown red wine locked away in an ‘extreme’ bottle created by one of the state’s most renowned glass artists, Nick Mount.
The whole package – only 12 were created – has been priced by Penfolds at AUD 168,000.
One of these rare bottles is under lock and key at Penfolds museum and the first buyer has reportedly emerged from Singapore.
The item is described by Penfolds as “the ultimate reflection of winemaking heritage, innovation and artistic collaboration”, while the wine, considered by Penfolds winemaker Peter Gago as ‘truly magical’, is the 2004 Block 42 Kalimna Cabernet Sauvignon, from Barossa cabernet vines.
The precious wine is contained in a hand-blown glass ampoule by South Australian craftsman Ray Leake. The ampoule is then contained within a conical, elongated plumb-bob of transparent grey glass with a ruby red cotton-reel-like top, all designed by Nick Mount.
With added precious metal detailing by Victorian Hendrik Forster, the work is contained in a bespoke Jarrah cabinet made by designer Andrew Bartlett at Adelaide’s Jam Factory studios.