According to the Washington Post, the forklift dropped 461 cases of Velvet Glove Shiraz which was destined for the US, where they were going to be sold for $US200 a bottle. Unfortunately the “gut-wrenched, shocked and numb” owner of Mollydooker Wines, one Sparky Marquis (got to love those traditional Orrstrayan names) is now down a third of his entire production thanks to this unfortunate accident. Luckily for Mollydooker Wines, the wine was insured. [Washington Post]
Image: Antphotos
tsengan
Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 5:44 PMOh god. My heart breaks. Not for his loss, but the loss of such fine wine that will now never get a chance to age.
On the up side for him, the remaining bottles of the vintage just got incredibly valuable as collector’s items.
Jae
Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 8:57 PM1. They probably couldn’t sell these wines at $20 a bottle let alone $200. With only a third remaining, they might actually sell out
2. Fully insured –> Minimal loss
ummmmm
Sunday, July 24, 2011 at 1:47 AMSurely this was an insurance scam.
1. bad batch of wine comes in
2. insure all
3. break most
4. take insurance
5. sell the rest at a premium…
Cray
Monday, July 25, 2011 at 8:59 AMNah, I don’t think it was an insurance scam. Just bad luck and an unfortunately negligent forklift driver.
I used to do the whole cellar thing, and we’d lose half a pallet or a whole pallet of wine or beer at least once or twice a year. Either to just plain bad luck or someone’s carelessness.
You’ve just got to expect accidently like this are going to happen. Until the day that the transportation of goods is taken out of the hands of humans, accidents are going to happen.
Penmonicus
Monday, July 25, 2011 at 1:49 PMI heard it was an actual fault with the forklift, not the driver. But that could be false.