2010 Mollydooker Velvet Glove shiraz forklift. A MCLAREN Vale wine maker says he’s “gut-wrenched, shocked and numb” after losing more than $1 million of his flagship shiraz when a container crashed from a forklift.

Mollydooker Wines‘ 2010 Velvet Glove Shiraz sells for $185 a bottle, but now winemaker Sparky Marquis has lost a third of his production after the mishap which destroyed all but one of the 462 cases bound for the US.

As the container hit the ground the force of 12 tonnes crushed the cartons, reducing many to a third of their normal size.

“It was unbelievable, crazy. It was not what I wanted to hear,” Mr Marquis said.

“When they opened up the container they said it was like a murder scene.

“There was red everywhere.

“But it smelled phenomenal. They were really impressed with the smell.”

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