Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/705606
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m J u l y - A u g 2 016 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 8 5 An etched bottle of Darius II costs $1,500 for the 3 L format, and up to $6,500 for the 9 L format, says Boscarino. The large formats are very limited production. MEMBERS ONLY Many of these special bottles are destined for loyal customers, members-only clubs and sales accounts, and are often sold via preorder. (A photograph of a mock-up bottle is often used to promote the sale, says Bergin.) At JCB, there are only 1,200 bottles of the current The Surrealist 2013 vintage; prices begin at $350. They're available at JCB tasting lounges and salons in Napa and Sonoma counties, in San Francisco at the Ritz-Carlton, as well as online — but will be limited to members pro- grams once there are fewer available. The Darius II, on the other hand, is a member-exclusive release, says Boscarino, available only through the winery's First Offering membership. Bergin Glass Impressions counts among its clients Chateau Boswell in St. Helena, Calif., for which it creat- ed a design for a special edition Tapestry Cabernet Sau- vignon, which cost between $1,200 to $1,300 per bottle to etch and paint. Another is Realm Cellars in Napa, Calif., whose Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon features an etched eye and is offered biannu- ally to the producer's mailing list members. Another cli- ent wanted a collage of imagery created from 30 years of graphics from Playboy magazine. The bottles were intended for special accounts and customers, and Ber- gin Glass Impressions' work cost from $300 to $1,800 for each piece. Shafer Vineyards in Napa, Calif., has Bergin Glass Impression etch approximately 130 3 L and 30 6 L formats of its Hillside Select wine every year with a reproduction of the paper label; the bottles are donat- ed to various charity auctions across the country. The appeal of a unique, hand crafted bottle is very attractive for collectors, says Bergin. "It's a big, beau- tiful statement when they have a dinner party for 12 of their friends and they uncork one of these bottles," he says. "There's not only a fabulous wine inside, but they're getting an art piece." Boisset, who, apart from the Surrealists, counts fashion designers like Oscar de la Renta, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent among his inspi- rations, thinks the wine world should embrace cre- ativity to craft a package worthy of the wine within. "[The bottle] should be creative and have a correlation between what's inside and outside," he says. Danielle Beur teaux is a freelance writer based in Brooklyn, N.Y., who writes about drinks, business, investing and technology for national magazines and websites. Comments? Please e-mail us at feedback@vwmmedia.com. Bergin Glass Impressions counts among its clients Chateau Boswell in St. Helena, Calif., for which it created a design for a special edition of the winery's Tapestry Cabernet Sauvignon. Carlsen & Associates 707-431-2000 "He even answered a phone call at midnight one evening when I forgot how to program the press!" "They've become friends and treat us like partners. I recommend them to everyone I know." Seth Martin Perissos Vineyards Burnet, TX "