The estate, which comprises the Gimblett Gravels (Hawke’s Bay) and Te Muna Road (Martinborough) vineyards, will be represented at La Place by two of the oldest négociants, CVBG and Mähler-Besse, in both Europe and Asia.
The 2020 vintage of Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah and Craggy Range Aroha Pinot Noir will join the ranks of some of the world’s most renowned wines.
La Place ‘made sense’ for Craggy with the estate focused on expanding its distribution reach within the world of fine wine, said David Peabody, marketing manager at Craggy Range.
‘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 négociants to look at New Zealand fine wine more seriously,’ he said.
‘We believe Gimblett Gravels and Te Muna Road produce world-class Syrah and Pinot Noir respectively. The fact that the response from the négociants network within La Place has been so strong is a wonderful acknowledgement of that,’ added Peabody.
La Place has been the main trading hub for Bordeaux’s most famous wines since the 17th century.
The historic network first opened its doors to New World wines with Almaviva in 1996 and Opus One in 2004, both partnerships with Château Mouton 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 within France.
Tom Portet and Emma Thienpont of International First Growths said they first approached Craggy Range due to the ‘quality of their wines, but also their international relevance’.
They added: ’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 New Zealand into the mix.’
Founded by the Peabody Family in 1998, Craggy Range has focused on becoming one of New Zealand’s great wine producers and a producer that can comfortably sit alongside the great wineries of the world.