Extreme Wine Packaging?

At one level, I have come across wines which have such dire labels that they discourage you from trying the wine – yet I know I really should not judge a wine from its packaging. But the visual aspect of wine is important – the deep rich colour of my favourite Madiran immediately gets the juices running.
As a healthy sceptic I have also been wary of wines which have such elaborate and expensive packaging that I am immediately suspicious at how much I am paying for the quirky bottle, engraving etc; and what are they trying to disguise?
But this has to be the ultimate – it is called L’INACCESSIBLE (no translation needed) from Chateau Cablanc in Entre-Deux-Mers, Bordeaux. With an equally overblown and annoying website, this wine is presented as “more than a work of art – a concept….” whatever that means. This ornate packaging made from glass encases the bottle – AND to get to the wine you are supposed to destroy the individually made “work of art”. With a pomposity that only the French can achieve the website endeavours to communicate that you can destroy 2 works of art – the glass and the wine – and presumably achieve a higher plain of pretentiousness than your friends!

Who knows? – the wine may actually be rather good – a 2003 red Bordeaux, barrel-fermented and matured in new oak for 24 months, unfiltered – it is claimed to have achieved remarkable concentration – but if you want to find out for yourself you’ll need to move fast as only 500 bottles individually numbered bottles are available – and the price? – a mere €870.00.

To me it is just the sort of thing that gives Bordeaux a bad name, especially at a time where their efforts should be going into re-inventing good decent claret at a reasonable price!

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Keywords:France,wine,bordeaux,claret,entre,mers