BlockBar NFT Gifting Platform Launches with 300 Bottles of Penfolds Wine

BlockBar, the world’s first direct-to-consumer NFT platform for wine and spirits has just diversified further by launching a gifting capability comprised of 300 bottles of Penfolds.

This new initiative lets the BlockBar community gift a highly coveted collectible wine or spirit connect the physical and digital world. In fact, BlockBar says the market for investing in high-end collectible spirits, like Penfolds wine, has increased by 582 % in the last decade.

Sam Falic, co-founder of BlockBar, told Forbes about the platform’s extension which targets both crypto experts and beginners: “This is of great value to add to your digital portfolio, aside from the digital art you own, you can now own a digital bottle and build your digital bar which is also backed by physical assets.”

NFT (Non-fungible tokens) are currently popular (almost in every industry), from art to rare wine and spirits. Since its founding in 2018, BlockBar has allowed consumers to purchase asset-backed NFTs directly from brand owners, to burn, redeem or sell the physical product. The actual bottles are stored in a secured facility in Singapore. BlockBar also gives the chance to gift the physical product, and the NFT gifting platform is designed so that anyone can use it.

Penfolds wine estate has launched a limited edition NFT tied to its rare Magill Cellar 3 barrel of wine, available to purchase for $130,000.

Dov Falic, the other co-founder of BlockBar, explained: “All you need to know is that you are receiving a gift which is a physical bottle that is stored for you in a secure location; the fact that it’s built on blockchain or uses NFTs is the mechanism to prove provenance and ownership. You can take possession of the bottle anytime you want.”

BlockBar’s first NFT gift launches on 18 January 2022, with limited edition NFTs linked to 300 bottles of Penfolds Magill Cellar 3 2018, priced around 0.13 ETH ($467). The founders described the Australian producers’ rare wine as the highest quality and representative blend of the brand’s Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz and “one of the most collectible and giftable wine brands in the world.”

When the NFT is purchased, the cryptographic version is stored securely on BlockBar with proof of authenticity held on the blockchain as a digital certificate of ownership. The recipient will receive an email with an invite to create or sign into an account and accept their NFT, receiving full ownership. The receiver now can choose to redeem the physical product, trade its NFT version within the BlockBar marketplace or store it in their virtual bar, all with no additional transaction fees.

The limited-edition NFT release includes a buyer experience: the first three people to purchase six bottles of NFT Penfolds Magill Cellar 3 2018 are invited to a private virtual session with Penfolds Chief Winemaker, Peter Gago, and will receive a personalized plaque for their wine gift box as well.

#wine #winelovers #BlockBar #wineinvestors #wineinvestment #winecollectors
#winecollector #wineenthusiast #finewines #winelife #luxurywine #womeninwine #penfoldswine #limitededition #NFT #NFTgifting

Wine Review: Drappier Carte d’Or Brut NV (37.5cl)

Champagne Drappier is one of my favourite Aube producers in many ways. I’m happy to say that I have personally met Andre, Michel, and Charline on numerous occasions, along with my son, daughter and daughter-in-law. This wonderful family all left warm and memorable impressions.

This dynamic independent house is currently run by the charmingly and hospitable 7th and 8th generations: father Michel, daughter Charline and sons Hugo and Antoine.

Drappier is based in Urville in the Côte des Bar comes has a wide range of rich lush full-flavoured cuvees and also make still wines.
Fact: Champagne Drappier was Charles de Gaulle’s favourite Champagne and Madame de Gaulle was a great friend of the Drappier family.

The house of Drappier is unusual in many ways: they are neither a Grands Marques house, nor a grower; they own 60 hectares, so they are technically both a domaine and negociant house. Drappier is also one of the most experimental in Aube. They often use no dosage, they are pioneering ‘sans soufre’ no sulphur fizz (sulphur sensitivity runs in the family) and focus on organic viticulture.

The cuvée Carte d’Or expresses the identity of the house directed by the family since 1808.

Tasting Notes:
The Drappier Carte d’Or expresses all the aromas of Pinot Noir; this constitutes at least 80% of the blend, along with Chardonnay 15 %, and Pinot Meunier 5 %.

This champagne has a great aromatic richness of melon, apple and red fruits. The palate is intense, with notes of apple, peaches and quince wrapped in a red-fruit veil. It’s full-bodied and long with a lovely texture, and complex mouthfeel.

91 Points

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Wine Review: Perrier-Jouët Cuvée Belle Époque Brut Champagne 2013

“You do not need to wait for a celebration to pop Champagne” – Liz Palmer

Perrier-Jouët released the 2013 vintage of its prestige cuvée, Belle Epoque mid 2021.

Blend
Made from a blend of 50% grand cru Chardonnay, 45% grand cru Pinot Noir and 5% Meunier, the 2013 vintage embodies the delicate floral style that has come to define the house.

2013 Weather
2013 was a cool year, with late flowering in July pushing back the start of the harvest to September 30. It was a particularly good year for Chardonnay.

Severine Frerson, Perrier-Jouët’s first female cellar master describes the Champagne as “pale gold in colour, with subtle glints of apple green”, and notes of “ripe pear, grapefruit zest, ginger, tangerine and a hint of green pepper”.

“Lime blossom expresses the character, personality and texture of the 2013 vintage”, she said, adding that the fizz has a “delicate salinity” to it.

Serving and Pairing
Perrier-Jouët recommends serving the Champagne at 12°C and enjoying it as an apéritif or paired with the likes of Dover sole and grilled turbot.

Bottle Design
Features its distinctive “anemone” flower motif, the Belle Epoque bottle design was created in 1902 by Emile Gallé, a prominent player in the Art Nouveau movement.

Founded in 1811 in Epernay, Perrier-Jouët is known for its elegant, floral Champagnes that celebrate the delicacy of Chardonnay. The house owns 65 hectares of vineyards, including 55ha of grand cru sites. Its prestige cuvée, Belle Epoque, launched in 1969 at Maxim’s in Paris with the 1964 vintage. The debut vintage of Belle Epoque was practically a blanc de blancs, composed of 90% Chardonnay.

Tasting Notes
Pale gold, clear and luminous with aromas of ripe, juicy pear, hints of citrus and green pepper; a subtle salinity; generous, lively attack with a lush, creamy texture; beautiful floral notes of blossoms, complemented with pear, mandarin, and some grapefruit zest through to a long, expansive finish.

94 points

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Tasting Notes: Pellegrino Cavallina Grillo/Pinot Grigio 2020 and Centopassi “Giato” Nero d’Avola – Perricone – 2020

These are wines for contemplating – after tasting these two wines from Sicily they helped me focus on my New Year’s goals…..

Pellegrino Cavallina Grillo/Pinot Grigio 2020
This medium body wine has a surprisingly, pleasingly smooth texture, is a blend of Pinot Grigio and Grillo, is well-balanced, there are notes of green apples, pears, melons, and hints of light floral, a little vegetal on the palate with a soft finish.

90 points

Centopassi “Giato” Nero d’Avola – Perricone – 2020

This delicious “unoaked” Sicilian red is made from the native grapes of Nero d’Avola and Perricone, it’s fresh and lively on the palate with red berry fruits wrapped up in luscious acidity.

91 points

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Alto Adige – An Exciting Mosaic of Grapes, People, and Territories to Explore – Filippo Magnani

The Third Edition of Consorzio Alto Adige’s “Wine Summit” was about a magical territory between the Dolomites, its people and their great challenge of the mountain…


The Wine Summit is an extraordinary event that, through the masterful organization of “Consorzio Alto Adige Wines”, recants the stories and souls behind the bottles of wines from this magnificent land.

Alto Adige is a jubilation of diversity, and its “contrasts” are the main theme of the occasion. For the third consecutive year, the consortium succeeded in bringing enthusiasts and professionals closer to this wonderful and extreme territory nestled in the mountains. This year, a total of 80 producers presented around 260 wines. Even if it is a small portion compared to the entire wine production of the region, the “Consorzio Vini Alto Adige” was able to give, once again, a clear idea of the enormous potential of the Alto Adige territory.

Days spent in close contact with producers that keep up their precious traditions and combined them with innovations. A unique experience among old vintages, vertical tastings combined with culinary experiences inside ancient castles. A mix of stories and tales told directly from those who heroically, every day, take care of this absolutely incredible place.

Alto Adige – a wine territory wedged between glacial valleys

Alto Adige is one of the smallest wine-growing areas in Italy which, with its 5600 hectares (13.137 Acres), is one of the wildest and most fascinating wine-growing areas in the country.

It is the northernmost wine area of the boot. One of the main and historically coveted access gates by land to Italy located at the border with Austria, this territory is an extreme land, a cradle of cultures and certainly a precious testimony of the incredible biodiversity that characterizes the Italian regions.

The theme of ‘contrast’ at the Wine Summit Event 2021, perfectly sums up the soul of this territory. The hectares of vineyards are distributed in a Y-shaped territory at an altitude ranging from 200 metres (650 feet) above sea level up to a maximum of 1000 metres (3,300 feet). An infinite variety of morphologies, microclimates, and landscapes coexist in this area.

The great diversity of soil, climate, and the imperviousness of the vineyard’s location, with a vast range of elevations, make this Alto Adige a fascinating and continuous challenge between nature and the wine producers. The potentials are endless, and it is interesting to understand how each of them interprets the terroir.

The Alps act as a shield against the cold currents that come from Northern Europe; the region is then open to the south allowing the gentle Mediterranean currents to create a balanced microclimate. The air flows through the vineyards providing not only mild temperatures and substantial rain but also a dry climate. These conditions are particularly suited for the production of authentic wines, rich in character and unique in their peculiarities.

The climate ranges from alpine conditions, fresh and characterized by important thermal excursions, such as the Valle Isarco and the Val Venosta; to sun-kissed valleys, milder Mediterranean climates influenced by the presence of the Lakes, such as the Bolzano area, the Oltradige and the lower Atesina.

A platform for a wide range of grape varieties

Despite the small dimension of the wine growing area of the Alto Adige, the possibilities in the selection of the vine’s variety are endless. The biodiversity allows the cultivation of a unique range of indigenous and international grape varieties. Here, the attention to details is fundamental; there are about 150 different types of rock, the composition of the soil changes within a few metres, it is a rich land that requires meticulous attention.

The last decades have marked a change in the level of wine production. In the past, this territory was mainly linked to two native vines: Schiava and Lagrain (two red varieties), nowadays in Alto Adige about 20 different varieties are cultivated. The air of change has been well received by the “altoatesini” winemakers, who, with conviction and passion, have changed the way of conceiving wine as a finished product, maintaining a strong link with the past. The Schiava, is still the second most used grape variety but today the production is divided into 64% production of white wines and 36% of red wines. Tradition and innovation combined to illuminate a territory that is difficult to explain just with words. In 1971 the DOC mark was introduced and today more than 98% of the viticultural surface has this certification. Today this is a land of varieties such as Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sylvaner, Veltliner, Müller Thurgau, Kerner, Schiava, Pinot Noir and Lagrein. They are recognized for great white wines, but also for red and sparkling wines. Elegant production characterized by exuberant freshness and important acidity is the key factor for the longevity of the wines.

Seven distinct growing sub-regions in Alto Adige linked to wine grape varieties

  Alto Adige Valle dell’Isarco (Eisaktal): It is about 80km long, it is a valley entirely crossed by the river of the same name. Mountain wines, elegant and bold. A production focused on white wines. The vines permitted by the regulations are Sylvaner, Veltliner, Pinot Grigio, Muller Thurgau, Kerner, Gewurztraminer, and Riesling

–  Alto Adige Santa Maddalena: It is an area located north of Bolzano, it is a land dedicated to the Schiava, a historic native grape variety. The wines from the vineyards of the Villages of Santa Maddalena may be Labelled as “Classico – Klassisch”

–  Alto Adige Terlano: It is an area of white wines. The two main varieties are Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay, which by regulation must compose at least 50% of the blend

–  Alto Adige Meranese: Production area of Schiava, the regulation allows the addition of a maximum of 15% of complementary grapes. This sub-zone is located around the town of Merano.

– Alto Adige Val Venosta: This DOC is located to the north-east of the region, it allows the production of wines based on Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Muller Thurgau, Riesling, Kerner, Sauvignon blanc, Gewurztraminer, Schiava, and Pinot Noir, with the obligation to indicate on the label the varieties used in the blend.

Alto Adige Colli di Bolzano: This DOC is dedicated to Schiava, the production area surrounds the DOC Santa Maddalena

–  Alto Adige Lake Kaltern (Lake Kaltern):   it is the largest natural lake in Alto Adige, and has a great influence on the wine products from this area. This breath-taking place is the home of Schiava. The wine produced in this area is labelled as “classico-klassisch” and the designation “Alto Adige” may be used.  The DOC includes the villages of: Caldaro, Appiano, Termeno, Cortaccia, Vadena, Egna, Montagna, Ora and Branzollo. High quality wines are sometimes marked with “Superiore”.

The heterogeneous features of the territory are combined with those of culture. Excellences coming from ancient traditions and the hard work of 5000 winegrowers. It is a territory united by the great love for the land, the wines produced come from private estates, micro wineries, and cooperatives. These cooperatives are aggregations of small producers who deliver their grapes each year. Even if these “cantine sociali” used to be linked to massive productions, it is important to underline that these big entities, in the last decades, have always aimed for great objectives, trying to speak for their land and reaching results of great quality. Alto Adige Doc is the smallest appellation in Italy, but probably one of the most complex. The necessity to transmit a better knowledge of this hidden territory, has oriented the Consortium towards a more detailed zonation and soil mapping to enhance the characteristics of each individual area. The officiality of the new zonation is still waiting for confirmation. However, it could be an important step for this wine district that would mark the path to follow in the future.

Exploring Alto Adige, beyond the borders of wine

Alto Adige is an extreme and adrenaline-filled territory. A land made fascinating by the great balance of its contrasts. Nature is the master of this place, a painting with breath-taking views: white peaks, imposing mountain walls of the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage site that rises up to more than 3,000m, forests, lakes, gentle green valleys and a unique play of light and shadow that is difficult to describe in a just a few lines. Alto Adige offers a wide range of travel experiences, unique for their visitors, to explore the world of wine. Mixing the greatest treats from the cellars with cuisine, sports, wellness, nature. Activities that turn the wine vacation both of wine connoisseurs and wine enthusiasts, into an unforgettable souvenir. Wine here is not just an experience linked exclusively to luxury. The history and culture of Alto Adige are deeply linked to rural traditions, men or rather “heroes” who have dedicated their lives to their precious land. It is a perfect destination for those who love less frenetic rhythms. You can spend days in the open air, between charming paths or ski slopes; walk through the different Weinberg (German word used for the vineyards, literally means “wine mountain”) and stay in authentic accommodation or participate in culinary experiences and tastings in the wineries also known as “Schloss”, the German word for “castle”. The variety of nature in Alto Adige/South Tyrol is combined with that of culture. The towns were coloured by many men of different cultures, Italians, Germans, and Latins. In this place of the thousand shades to discover, there is something that is never missing: Harmony. In South Tyrol you will leave a small piece of your heart.