Comments on: First they trashed the Grange brand, now a great man’s name http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/03/first-they-trashed-the-grange-brand-now-a-great-mans-name/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:13:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ralph Kyte-Powell http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/03/first-they-trashed-the-grange-brand-now-a-great-mans-name/#comment-3584 Ralph Kyte-Powell Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-3584 Yes, Darby, those fortifieds are a treasure beyond dollar value and unlike table wine absolutely irreplaceable. I suppose Seppeltsfield is an example of Fosters' inability to understand the heritage value of a family of wines. Not just the wine, but the unique nature of the place itself. Fortunately they didn't muck it up, thanks in large part to winemaker/blender James Godfrey, and the new owners are making all the right noises regarding its future. Yes, Darby, those fortifieds are a treasure beyond dollar value and unlike table wine absolutely irreplaceable. I suppose Seppeltsfield is an example of Fosters’ inability to understand the heritage value of a family of wines. Not just the wine, but the unique nature of the place itself. Fortunately they didn’t muck it up, thanks in large part to winemaker/blender James Godfrey, and the new owners are making all the right noises regarding its future.

]]> By: Bernard Keane http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/03/first-they-trashed-the-grange-brand-now-a-great-mans-name/#comment-3585 Bernard Keane Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-3585 Wonderful little piece Richard. What's particularly galling is the absurd inflation that has overtaken the Penfolds flagship labels under Foster's. It's not that long ago that St Henri was available for $40 a bottle and the middle-income collector (i.e. someone like me) could spring for a case of each vintage to cellar. Now they're double that and damn poor value in my view. Ditto 389 which used to be a good $30 bottle of wine but now can't be had for much under fifty. I'd rather explore other options thanks Foster's. Wonderful little piece Richard. What’s particularly galling is the absurd inflation that has overtaken the Penfolds flagship labels under Foster’s. It’s not that long ago that St Henri was available for $40 a bottle and the middle-income collector (i.e. someone like me) could spring for a case of each vintage to cellar. Now they’re double that and damn poor value in my view. Ditto 389 which used to be a good $30 bottle of wine but now can’t be had for much under fifty. I’d rather explore other options thanks Foster’s.

]]> By: Kevin Charles Herbert http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/03/first-they-trashed-the-grange-brand-now-a-great-mans-name/#comment-3580 Kevin Charles Herbert Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-3580 <br />Since the Foster's debacle at Penfolds, I find that a toke or 7, on a Blue Mountains Madness spliff followed by a shot ot two of '48 Corio whisky, is all the go in my social circle....also, warm turps in cold milk is a blast on a cold morning after you've woken up under a parked car near home...... Since the Foster’s debacle at Penfolds, I find that a toke or 7, on a Blue Mountains Madness spliff followed by a shot ot two of ‘48 Corio whisky, is all the go in my social circle….also, warm turps in cold milk is a blast on a cold morning after you’ve woken up under a parked car near home……

]]> By: Darby Higgs http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/03/first-they-trashed-the-grange-brand-now-a-great-mans-name/#comment-3581 Darby Higgs Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-3581 Ralph you are being to kind to Fosters, but I must say that the company is still recovering from the bashing it got under Elliot all those years ago. How can you go broke selling beer in Australia?<br /><br />Will the new owners of Sepplesfield do any better with the heritage stocks of fortified wine? These really are irreplaceable. New St Henri look-a-likes at whatever price point can be churned out relatively quickly, but it takes a generation or two to build a solero system. Ralph you are being to kind to Fosters, but I must say that the company is still recovering from the bashing it got under Elliot all those years ago. How can you go broke selling beer in Australia?

Will the new owners of Sepplesfield do any better with the heritage stocks of fortified wine? These really are irreplaceable. New St Henri look-a-likes at whatever price point can be churned out relatively quickly, but it takes a generation or two to build a solero system.

]]> By: Ralph Kyte-Powell http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/03/first-they-trashed-the-grange-brand-now-a-great-mans-name/#comment-3582 Ralph Kyte-Powell Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-3582 Richard, my memory of these things may be shaky but I think you might be blaming Fosters for a lot of the things their predecessors, Southcorp, did to the various grand labels within their portfolio. In recent years Fosters have been working to resurrect brands like Seppelt and Leo Buring that had originally been thoroughly trashed by Southcorp. Anyway, whether Fosters or Southcorp, it seems to me that the real problem is the cult of the "brand manager". These young men and women would come to the company with a history marketing soap powder, TVs or used cars, usually anything but wine. They would have bamboozled senior management, themselvs without wine background, with their line of spin to get the job. On arrival, they would immediately rush to make their mark on the product, changing labels, price points, promotional strategy etc. etc. etc. with absolutely no interest in the traditions, history, heritage, or past commercial successes of the product. By the time their strategies had come home to roost, destroying once proud and successful brands, usually after about two years, the brand manager would have gone on to their next "challenge" in another company, adding wine marketing to their C.V. Rouge Homme, Lindemans Hunter wines, Seppelt Great Western table wines, Leo Buring and others were recipients of this disastrous treatment. Richard, my memory of these things may be shaky but I think you might be blaming Fosters for a lot of the things their predecessors, Southcorp, did to the various grand labels within their portfolio. In recent years Fosters have been working to resurrect brands like Seppelt and Leo Buring that had originally been thoroughly trashed by Southcorp. Anyway, whether Fosters or Southcorp, it seems to me that the real problem is the cult of the “brand manager”. These young men and women would come to the company with a history marketing soap powder, TVs or used cars, usually anything but wine. They would have bamboozled senior management, themselvs without wine background, with their line of spin to get the job. On arrival, they would immediately rush to make their mark on the product, changing labels, price points, promotional strategy etc. etc. etc. with absolutely no interest in the traditions, history, heritage, or past commercial successes of the product. By the time their strategies had come home to roost, destroying once proud and successful brands, usually after about two years, the brand manager would have gone on to their next “challenge” in another company, adding wine marketing to their C.V. Rouge Homme, Lindemans Hunter wines, Seppelt Great Western table wines, Leo Buring and others were recipients of this disastrous treatment.

]]> By: Edward James http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/02/03/first-they-trashed-the-grange-brand-now-a-great-mans-name/#comment-3583 Edward James Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-3583 How will the revisionist identify the opportunist in the years to come ? <br /> How will the revisionist identify the opportunist in the years to come ?

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