“Bordeaux, one of the world’s leading centres of wine trade”
Gerda Beziade: For the past threeyears, Excellence Vin, a wine broker outside Bordeaux, has been organizing a tasting of the wines marketed each year at the beginning of September. This beautiful tasting takes place at the Bassins des Lumières, a digital art center that offers immersive and digital exhibitions in the former submarine base of the Second World War. This marks the start of the marketing of wines outside Bordeaux and also symbolises the start of the new school year.
“Bordeaux is one of the world’s leading centres of trade for the greatest wines.”
In September, many wines are put on the market by leading merchants in the market, including Roland Coiffe & Associés.
We specialise in the sale of Great Wines from our Bordeaux region, but we are also proud to put our know-how as an exporter at the service of the sale of these Italian, Argentinian, Chilean, Californian, German or Spanish Great Wines. Through this activity, the Bordeaux financial centre demonstrates its dynamism, its know-how, as well as its openness and adaptation to a constantly changing world of wine. Wine enthusiasts are increasingly diversifying their choices: they can enjoy a Bordeaux one day, then an Argentinian wine the next, reflecting a new consumer trend. The Bordeaux marketplace stands out as an incredibly efficient platform, offering great added value for distribution, brands and consumers in an open market.
Some of these wines have already been sold by La Place for 2 decades. Among them, we once again find the very large 2021 Solaia, Toscana IGT, from the Antinori family. Commercial director Francesco Visani certainly didn’t exaggerate when he told me that this 2021 is one, if not the greatest vintage ever produced at the property.
Everything was perfect during the growing season. Between April and the end of October, when the harvest was over, the average temperature was 19.2 °C. The grapes had time to reach perfect ripeness while retaining their freshness. The sun was shining, and the rain fell at the right time. This vintage is arguably as great as the prodigious 2016, which, like the 2015, was twice crowned with 100 points by The Wine Adocate and James Suckling.
Bibi Graetz’s commercial director, Vincenzo d’Andrea, explained to me that Bibi has made the radical decision not to include grapes located on south-facing hills in the Testamatta 2022, Toscana IGT, nor in Colore 2022, Toscana IGT. More than 50% of the harvest was sacrificed to produce the best possible wines, because in 2022, Italy also experienced heat waves during the summer such as in Bordeaux. Bibi Graetz once again demonstrates her uncompromising devotion to her wines, made from the distinguished autochthonous Sangiovese grape variety from six different terroirs, which in 2022 bring good freshness and acidity, but in a rounder setting.
The wines of the Mazzei family, who have been producing wine for 25 generations, are a safe bet, bringing to each cuvée a unique complexity thanks to the diversity of their 650-hectare estate, of which only 110 are planted with vines. There are seven different terroirs spread over 114 varied plots.
Concerto 2022, Toscana IGT, whose first vintage dates back to 1981, is one of the first Super Tuscan. Thanks to its blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2022 vintage has developed very well. It has been able to maintain its structure and balance despite a scorching summer. It is a wine to be enjoyed in its youth, but which, like Siepi, has excellent ageing potential.
The 2022 Siepi, Toscana IGT, has been in the hands of the family since 1435. This unique blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Sangiovese owes its distinctive character to Merlot, planted as early as the 1980s, long before it became a fashion in the wine world.
Orma 2022, Toscana IGT, comes from a small 7.5-hectare property beautifully located in Bolgheri, on the famous “Boulevard of the Three Lines”, where the Mediterranean breeze brings constant freshness. Acquired by the Moretti Cuseri family in 2005, this property produces a powerful wine in 2022, with a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc, with a pH of 3.56.
Luca Sanjust, owner of Petrolo, also managed to produce in 2022, a year that was certainly more “challenging”, a brilliant Galatrona 2022, Toscana IGT. James Suckling gave the ultimate score of 100 to this wine, which is made from 100% Merlot. The vines are planted on clay soil with strata of schist, marl and sandstone, surrounded by the beautiful wooded hills. This exceptional microclimate has preserved the freshness of the wine, even in 2022.
The dynamic Adrianna Catena presented the excellent wines of the family: Catena Zapata 2021 and Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae 2021. Adrianna, along with her sister Laura, represent the4th generation of Malbec pioneers in Argentina. Since 2018, La Place de Bordeaux has been marketing these two ultra-premium wines from Argentina. Catena Zapata 2021, Mendoza, Argentina, is the flagship cuvée, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon: 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Malbec, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The massal selections of pre-phylloxera Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon come from ungrafted vines, free-feet that are still very rarely present in Bordeaux.
The Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae 2021, Mendoza, Argentina, is a rare pearl, a 100% Malbec planted on a 1.4-hectare plot. The soils of this plot are dotted with limestone and marine deposits, remnants of millions of years, at an altitude of 1500 meters. It is a rare, unique wine, and a must for great Malbec lovers. James Suckling awarded it 99 points and The Wine Advocate 98, highly deserved marks for this exceptional and unique Malbec.
Among the French wines we sell is the exceptional Château Beaucastel, Hommage à Jacques Perrin 2022. We will soon publish an interview with Charles Perrin, representative of the5th generation of the family to grow and vinify wines, and one of the seven cousins who own. It was in 1989 that the family created this cuvée as a tribute to their grandfather. The cuvée is only produced in exceptional vintages, and what makes it unique is the predominance of Mourvèdre in the blend. Production is very limited each year, around 10,000 bottles, and this wine is one of the greatest in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
This year, for the first time, we are pleased to offer you three new wines in our selection outside Bordeaux:
Domaine Chapuis 2022, Burgundy : This magnificent family estate of 17 hectares has been in the hands of the Chapuis family for more than 170 years. The eight crus of the 2022 vintage that we will offer on September 19 are: Savigny-lès-Beaune Village, Chorey-lès-Beaune Village, Aloxe-Corton Village, Aloxe-Corton 1er Cru, Corton Languettes Grand Cru, Corton Perrières Grand Cru, Corton Chaumes Grand Cru, and the exceptional Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2022.
Beaulieu Vineyard, Georges Latour Private Reserve 2021, Napa. It’s a French story in Rutherford in the Napa Valley that began in 1900. In 2015 Tresury Wine Estate became the owner and had the excellent idea to hire a year later, in 2016, the talented winemaker Trevor Durling to continue producing one of the greatest wines in Napa Valley. As the Americans say “a Cult Cab”.
Zuccardi, Canal Uco 2021, Mendoza Argentina, is under the direction of Sebastián Zuccardi, a member of the3rd generation of the founding family. The estate is recognized for its dedication to innovation and the faithful expression of the terroir of the Uco Valley.
Considered among the highest vineyards in the world. Highland plots that benefit from an optimal climate for various grape varieties, including Malbec and Chardonnay. Their rigorous approach to viticulture is reflected in a state-of-the-art winery and the constant search for perfection that earned Zuccardi the title of “World’s Best Vineyards” in 2019, 2020 and 2021, consolidating its international reputation.
And, there is no better way to finish the tasting of these great wines of the world, with a glass of Domäne Serrig, Grosse Lage 2021 and Kabinett 2021, Serriger Vogelsang Mosel that I savored at the end of the evening while chatting with its owner Markus Molitor. A memorable moment surrounded by these captivating Rieslings, where the balance between sweetness, complexity, bright freshness and length in the mouth leaves an indelible impression. Unfortunately, allocations will be limited this year, as much of Germany’s vineyards were devastated by frost in April. The Domäne Serrig was also heavily affected. As Markus said: “We can hardly fight against the will of Mother Nature.”
Gerda BEZIADE has an incredible passion for wine, and has a perfect knowledge of Bordeaux acquired within prestigious merchants for 25 years. Gerda joins Roland Coiffe & Associésto bring you more information about the properties we market with “Inside La PLACE“.
