I just got the press release through from the brilliant team at AXA Millésimes that they’ve gone all “West Coast” and bought themselves Outpost Wines from Napa Valley. Has MD Christian Seely been watching too much Baywatch? Or is there real method here behind this splash of the cash?
Well of course there’s method to it all. AXA’s wines are based firmly around terroir and the grapes. Everywhere they own, be it in Bordeaux (Pichon Baron, Suduiraut, Petit Village), Burgundy (Domaine L’Arlot), Hungary (Disznoko), or Portugal (Quinta Do Noval), it’s true.
Christian and his team have already proved themselves pretty handy with Cabernet Sauvignon, turning Pichon Baron into arguably the top 2ndGrowth in Bordeaux. Taking this reputation to Cab’s holiday home the other side of the pond is exciting times. And it’ll be fun to have a pop at the Zinfandel and Grenache too.
And buying a winery in Napa’s first ever sub region of Howell Mountain AVA, with distinct volcanic soil, and cooling altitude is really on message for AXA. Thomas Brown, the winemaker for many vintages, is staying on to continue to impress up here.
One down side is Mr Seely’s carbon footprint. We might be out back of Pichon planting trees after the marathon next month.
Cheers
Lovely post Mike. Many thanks & much appreciated
Love F
Pleasure Fiona, got a Napa dinner in early 2019 at the restaurant…timing couldn’t be better 🙂
We are huge fans of Outpost and are concerned what this news means for the product. Happy to hear TRB is staying on!
Worry not, Christian is very good at this, it’ll go from strength to strength 🙂