The Penfolds winery, founded in Adelaide, Australia in 1844, has unveiled a limited edition record player console to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Max Schubert’s Grange wines.
In 1948, Schubert became Penfolds’ first chief winemaker. A loyal company man and true innovator, Schubert would propel Penfolds onto the global stage with his experimentation and creation of Penfolds Grange long-lasting wines in the 1950s. (The 2010 Grange is meant to be uncorked anywhere from 2030 to 2060, for example.)
After Schubert continued to lay Grange’s groundwork in secret, the Penfolds board instructed the winemaker to restart production in 1960 when his determination and the wine quality won them over. When the medals began flowing, Grange became one of the most revered wines in the world. In 1988, Schubert was named Decanter Magazine’s Man of the Year, and on the 50th anniversary of its birth, Penfolds Grange was given a heritage listing in South Australia.
Why release a record player for this legacy? Schubert loved music. Schubert’s record player accompanied any get-together – wine and a diverse music collection forming the fulcrum of every gathering. In homage to Schubert’s distinct taste, seven curated vinyl records form part of the console package. Of course, there’s high-end equipment and digital tech as well.
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Each console has been handcrafted by Symbol Audio, a New York-based design studio and HiFi console and vinyl LP storage cabinet manufacturer. Carved by a single craftsman over 100 hours using time-honored techniques. each console delivers sound meant to enrich the connection between listener and music.
Components include a state-of-the-art Bluetooth receiver, a custom, hand-built amplifier for a warm, traditional tone, an audiophile-grade, belt-driven turntable, 6.5-inch full range speakers and a 300-watt eight-inch subwoofer concealed in its lower cabinet.
Inside another hidden compartment lies a rare, ‘White Capsule’ Grange magnum duo (from 2010 and 2017 vintages). The surreptitious chamber also features a suite of luxury accessories including a hand blown Grange Decanter by Australian glass artist and designer Nick Mount and eight Riedel Extreme Shiraz Glasses.
“Music, like wine, takes us to another place,” Peter Gago, Penfolds chief winemaker, said in a press release. “It conveys life recollections. It soothes. It stirs. It soars. It’s primal. Our own ‘tastes’ transcend the subjective — we’re the owners and arbiters of what we think is special. Music, Wine. Side by side? Why not?”
There are only one United States-allocated Grange console remaining. Find more details and registration at www.penfolds.com.
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