Mollydooker falls flat

[Jenise]

On the ground. Here's a report from the Huffington Post:


ADELAIDE, Australia -- An unsteady forklift dropped a container full of fine Australian wine worth more than $1 million, smashing most of the bottles. The winemaker says he's "gut-wrenched, shocked and numb" after the loss of his flagship shiraz.

Sparky Marquis of Mollydooker Wines lost a third of his Velvet Glove Shiraz production after the accident that destroyed all but one of the 462 cases bound for the United States. Each bottle of the Mollydooker wine sells for $200.

Marquis said Friday that when workers opened up the dropped container, "it was like a murder scene. There was red everywhere."

He said the wine was fully insured.

The accident has crippled Mollydooker's U.S. launch in September. It will also impact the wine market in Australia.


Tough break, but I thought Mollydooker was export-only. Just don't see how that would impact the Australian wine market, unless I'm wrong (which I very well could be).

Read subject line and just thought "doesn't it always?"
Not what I expected./
Must be a helluva forklift for a container with that many cases (thought for containers they used cranes/pickers).
Can't say for my tastes this is a big loss, but still sad for those who put their efforts into it.

As someone else pointed out elsewhere, the uncharitably minded could wonder if this isn't an insurance scam, though obviously accidents do happen.

Mark Lipton

As someone else pointed out elsewhere, the uncharitably minded could wonder if this isn't an insurance scam, though obviously accidents do happen.

I thought about that in light of fading market for high end high octane Aussies. But in another report it was clear it was in hands of an export company. It would be very risky to make that proposal to an outsider. If it had happened at MDooker facility one might be more suspicious.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/22/wh ... ?hpt=hp_c2

On CNN now too.

Geez, that's a dangerous situation! Hope none of the workers were overcome by the alcohol fumes.

and thankfully no one lit a match.

[Robin Garr]

And from closer to Sparky's home ...

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/na ... 6099928512

[Jenise]

Geez, that's a dangerous situation! Hope none of the workers were overcome by the alcohol fumes.

Best line of the day!

[Robin Garr]

I thought this was an odd comment in a story of the event in TIME Magazine:

If there were one comfort, it's that he'll be able to recoup his costs thanks to insurance. But Marquis was clear that the implications would be far-reaching. The Mollydooker wine that ended in puddles on the pier was the winery's first foray into the U.S. market – their launch in the Western hemisphere is now in jeopardy.

Full story: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/07/23/uns ... z1SwjHm0pb

First foray into the U.S. market? Sparky's "Launch in the Western Hemisphere"? Huh?

[Jenise]

First foray into the U.S. market? Sparky's "Launch in the Western Hemisphere"? Huh?

Clearly not; the writer probably mischaracterized it. The launch of Mollydooker no, but the launch of this particular product, perhaps yes. Did you see the bottle shape? Not intended for cellar racking.

First foray into the U.S. market? Sparky's "Launch in the Western Hemisphere"? Huh?

Clearly not; the writer probably mischaracterized it. The launch of Mollydooker no, but the launch of this particular product, perhaps yes. Did you see the bottle shape? Not intended for cellar racking.

No, the Velvet Glove has been in US for several vintages.

First foray into the U.S. market? Sparky's "Launch in the Western Hemisphere"? Huh?

Clearly not; the writer probably mischaracterized it. The launch of Mollydooker no, but the launch of this particular product, perhaps yes. Did you see the bottle shape? Not intended for cellar racking.

No, the Velvet Glove has been in US for several vintages.

Indeed I couldn't imagine any Mollydooker wine not being available, in what is clearly it's target market.