One of California's leading wine brands is poised to launch a new series of NFTs (non-fungible tokens), each one representing a porcelain magnum of Napa red.
Working in collaboration with French luxury porcelain house Bernardaud, the digital tokens will be released on December 15. According to the brand's owners, Robert Mondavi Winery is “looking to revolutionise the world of wine collecting and authentication through NFT technology”.
Each NFT acts as a 'key' to unlock redemption of the wine bottles, exclusive winery experiences and insider access to future offerings.
The digital assets were developed in strategic partnership with VaynerNFT, a pioneering entity under VaynerX holding company, founded by serial entrepreneur and chairman Gary Vaynerchuk.
Entitled MCMLXVI in a nod to the year the winery was established, the Robert Mondavi Winery x Bernardaud collection features a limited series of 1,966 Limgoes porcelain bottles.
The magnums hold custom wine blends created by Robert Mondavi’s team of winemakers, from grapes cultivated in the To Kalon vineyard in Napa Valley.
“We set out to create something truly revolutionary, channelling the visionary mindset of Robert Mondavi himself to mark the genesis of an historic transformation for the winery,” said Robert Hanson, president, Wine & Spirits division at Constellation Brands.
“Our shared commitment to incredible quality, farm-to-bottle craftsmanship and pioneering innovation has culminated in a thrilling endeavour from a winemaking perspective and a compelling investment for digital asset collectors, luxury design enthusiasts, and fine wine aficionados alike.”
The MCMLXVI collection unveils the first wine bottles that Bernardaud has produced in its 150-year history, each one taking 50 craftsmen two weeks to create. The Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant wines were sourced from the 2019 vintage.