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Penfolds is celebrating the provenance of a truly extraordinary wine, the 2004 Kalimna Block 42 Cabernet Sauvignon. In the spirit of Penfolds reputation of innovation and experimentation,
the winemakers are breaking new ground by releasing a limited edition glass ampoule, containing a rare wine in a truly distinctive format. Essentially a hand-blown glass ampoule that provides an ideal wine environment and a bespoke glass plumb-bob that suspends the ampoule within a wooden Jarrah cabinet.

Penfolds Ampoule Cabinet

Penfolds is an Australian wine producer, founded in 1844 by Christopher Rawson Penfold, an English physician who emigrated to Australia, and his wife, Mary Penfold. It is one of Australia’s oldest wineries and a company brand with an extensive product range.

Only 12 units were produced, all with an individual number. To succeed such a master-piece, all the great australian talents were necessary. the best region’s finest artists and craftsmen worked together to create such a beauty.

Penfolds Ampoule_Peter Gago With Glass

The glass sculpture was designed and hand-blown by Nick Mount, an internationally recognised glass artist. To encase the ampoule, Nick has designed and hand blown a conical, elongated plumb-bob of transparent grey glass with a ruby red “cotton-reel” top. The plumb-bob is suspended in a bespoke Jarrah cabinet, with the ampoule held securely at its core.

Penfolds Ampoule_Nick Mount Workshop

Prominent Australian designer-maker Hendrik Forster prepared all the precious metal detailing. Furniture craftsman Andrew Bartlett designed and made the bespoke Jarrah cabinet, where the ampoule is suspended. The scientific grade ampoule, designed to store the wine in an ideal environment, and encased within the glass sculpture, was created by veteran scientific glassblower Ray Leake.

Penfolds Ampoule_Andrew Bartlett

Penfolds Ampoule_Hendrik Forster

Penfolds 2004 Block 42 is a rare, single-vineyard wine, only released in stellar vintages and produced from the oldest continuously-producing Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the world. Underpinning the technical and scientific aspects of wine – of which a winemaker must have a deep understanding – is the artistry of winemaking: the imagination, intuition, talent and sensitivity that create a great wine. So it was fitting that Penfolds commissioned some of Australia’s finest artists to work on the ampoule project.

Penfolds Ampoule_Sculpture Two Parts

Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago comments: “Behind every Penfolds wine is the joy, energy, research and science that shapes it. The ampoule project is typical of the pioneering philosophy behind Penfolds winemaking evolution. The collaboration with South Australia’s finest artists has been a fitting tribute for one of South Australia’s finest wines.”

Here, an interesting video about the creation of this amazing ampoule:

To see more details, check the brand official website:
http://www.penfolds.com

Simply beautiful.

LA

 

Info sourced at Brand official press release. All images are copyrighted with no reproduction rights available.