Wanted: Advice for attending wine events!!!!

[savingforgrange]

Hello everyone

I was just browsing Penfolds on YouTube and found this awesome video:

Do many of you attend events like this? Any pointers on where I can start looking? I love the atmosphere!!! drinking fine wine, meeting new people.

Thanks so much,
savingforgrange

 

[samh004]

I'm not sure why (I think this) but I feel @QF WP might attend these sorts of events, or at least be invited.

 

[QF WP]

Not a hope in hell I'd get invited to such a salubrious event. Others here are much more likely, like @Wozza

 

[Wozza]

Never heard of the event. But it looks targeted at the overseas Asian market, a super important segment for Penfolds these days, as they press for higher margins and global market share and reputation.

I do try to attend as many tastings as I can.

Top tips to get the invite:

- sign up to the wine store mailing lists, especially the ones that are active in your city

- become a member of your favourite wineries

- sign up to the big corporates, like TWE

- buy through and be on the mailing list for Langtons

- subscribe to The Wine Front ($50 pa) that has an excellent calendar of tastings

- follow your favourite wineries and retailers on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram

- join wine clubs in your area

- follow @qaz and others on AFF who regularly post tasting events.

You'll have many an opportunity if you do at least 5 of these things.

Cheers, Wozza

 

[Daver6]

Penfolds Kalimna Club would hold similar events in capital cities. Don't quite recall how I originally became a member, but no longer am. They now require you purchase $800 of their wine direct from them (ie rip-off pricing). The events used to be ok, but went downhill IMHO.

 

[savingforgrange]

Thanks everyone for your replies! Great pointers Wozza! And Daver6 I searched up the Kalimna club as well

 

[qaz]

Never heard of the event. But it looks targeted at the overseas Asian market

These were Australian capital city events - tickets were available via cellardoor.co

 

[TomVexille]

I can recommend going on a @Buzzard wine tour when he runs them. There's one coming soon.

Other than that, we've been to a couple winery dinners in Melbourne that have been good fun.

 

[kpc]

Never heard of the event. But it looks targeted at the overseas Asian market, a super important segment for Penfolds these days, as they press for higher margins and global market share and reputation.

Visited Penfolds at the Barossa Valley last Saturday. For $10, I partook in the wine tasting list below. Penfolds have really gone to the dark side with "Spirited wine with Baijiu"....a wine mixed with a Chinese spirit for the Chinese market. I couldn't spit it out fast enough!!. Penfolds pricing is now ridiculously high and I believe the Chinese market is willing to pay a high price for it. Apparently, the Chinese translation for Penfolds means "Towards richness"! I fear my days of enjoying St Henri, 407 and 389 etc at a reasonable cost are long gone! ps all the wines listed were 10-15% cheaper at DM before cashbacks and using 5% off Wish GCs!

 

[cove]

Yes I switched off too.
I have about 3 dozen Grange but I prefer MossWood ,Cullens and Penfolds 707 or Hill of Grace.

 

[qaz]

4-6.30pm tomorrow: Penfolds 175th Anniversary Special Bin Tasting @ Magill Estate

 

[Wozza]

Those prices are ludicrous by local standards. I think profit before people is at play here. It's possibly a sign of the times to come for the industry if more listed corporates end up owning the decent brands in the wine industry.

I haven't acquired any Penfolds this year. Such a shame as many of the current release had such promise.

I guess Penfolds would say they are adapting to the global marketplace by replacing the largely local consumer with an overseas consumer who is willing to pay the additional premium and buy into the story being peddled.

I get it. I don't like it as it means I'm priced out of buying their wines. But, let's face it, Bordeaux is doing it. Nappa is doing it. Many others are doing it, including Henshke, Mount Pleasant, Cullen, Chris Ringland, ... (the list is big).

I guess I say to my slightly aggrieved self:

So what!

There are plenty of good brands out there that are loyal to their customers, who produce quality wines year after year that I can enjoy (Serrat immediately springs to mind, but there are many others). It's still largely a cottage industry, so there are new entrants and established ones alike that will cater for our tastes and offer us the same or a better drinking experience for our budgets.

Hopefully it stays that way.

Penfolds doesn't care to secure my custom anymore. And I'm happy with that and to be priced out and put my money elsewhere.

Thank God for the many other alternatives!

 

[Dl0208l]

Thanks everyone for your replies! Great pointers Wozza! And Daver6 I searched up the Kalimna club as well

Hi Daver you based in Adelaide ?

 

[Dl0208l]

Hi Daver you based in Adelaide ?

Sorry I meant that for SavingforGrange