In a first for New Zealand wine, Craggy Range will be sold through Bordeaux’s famous Negociant network La Place de Bordeaux in the September release, joining other iconic New World wines and Super Tuscans.
The complex distribution network that comprises La Place has brought Bordeaux’s most
famous wines to the world since the 17th century. The historic network first opened its doors
to the wines of the New World with Almaviva in 1996 and Opus One in 2004, as both wines
were in partnership with Chateau Mouton de Rothschild.
Since then, La Place has begun to offer the world’s most prestigious wines from Italy, the
US, South America, and other famed regions outside of Bordeaux. The release of the non-Bordeaux wines is often timed for early weeks of September following Bordeaux’s busy En Primeur weeks.
The first wines to be distributed by La Place will be its 2020 vintage of Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah & Aroha Pinot Noir.
Craggy Range will be represented on La Place by two of the oldest and most respected
negociants for the September Releases – CVBG and Mahler Besse in both Europe and Asia.
According to David T. Peabody, Grandson of the owner and Marketing Manager at Craggy
Range, “La Place makes sense for Craggy as it expands our distribution reach within the
world of Fine Wine. While this is great for Craggy, it will also reinforce the idea that New
Zealand does have a place in the world of Fine Wine, especially for Pinot Noir. Hopefully,
this will encourage International Negociants to look at New Zealand Fine Wine more
seriously.
“We believe our two great estates, our Gimblett Gravels Vineyard (Hawke’s Bay) and our Te
Muna Road Vineyard (Martinborough), produce world-class Syrah and Pinot Noir,
respectively. The fact that the response from the Negociant network within La Place has been
so strong is a wonderful acknowledgement of that,” he added.
According to Master of Wine Andrew Caillard MW, “La Place provides access to the world’s
greatest wine, Chateau Lafite to Le Pin, Cheval Blanc to Ornellaia, Super Tuscans to the
renowned wines of the Napa Valley. And now, Craggy Range. This is a great opportunity for
New Zealand to build their presence in the Fine wine world”.
Tom Portet & Emma Thienpont of International First Growths commented, “We approached
Craggy Range due to the quality of their wines, but also their international relevance. Very
few brands from the New World have the presence in major markets that Craggy do. The
growth in demand for international wines has been extraordinary, so the time is right to bring
NZ into the mix”.
Founded by the Peabody Family in 1998, Craggy Range has focused on producing wines that are
expressive of their place across it’s two great estates in Hawke’s Bay and Martinborough.
