What does successful distribution mean for fine wine? And what does it take to be -and remain- successful in fine wine distribution? Are the keys and measure of success different whether you are releasing your wine en primeur, or en livrables (as deliverables), through exclusive importers, or direct to consumers? And what are the main advantages and limitations of each system?  Listen in as host Pauline Vicard discusses distribution -in conjunction with her deep dive into La Place de...

How is the secondary market organized in Norway? And why are Fine Wines so much cheaper there? And how long do people have to queue to buy a bottle of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti?   In this episode, host Pauline Vicard sits down with Arnt Egil Nordlien, Product Manager of Fine Wine & Auctions at Vinmonopolet in Norway. Together they discuss the in’s and out’s of a very unique distribution system. How does Arnt choose what to buy at En Primeur week each year, and how are the wines...

It started in Bordeaux but has since become a major force in global fine wine. What’s next for La Place de Bordeaux? In this final episode of Inside La Place de Bordeaux, hosts Felicity Carter and Pauline Vicard consider where La Place came from — and where it’s going. They talk to some of the world’s most insightful experts, and look into their own crystal balls, to predict what’s likely to happen next. ·       Can En Primeur stay in its current form, or will it transform into something...

How old is La Place? How did the Bordelais create the most influential fine wine system in the world? Where did the 1855 Classification come from- and who decided? Did 1982 really change the fate of the Bordelais? In this sixth episode, hosts Felicity Carter and Pauline Vicard dive into the archives and talk to historians, to help them better understand the origins of La Place de Bordeaux. And what they find is unexpected. Whether it’s the hard-nosed commercial decisions, or the quest for...

What does it mean for a fine wine to be a brand? How do fine wine brands define and measure success? How much does it cost to be a successful brand? What’s the role of the secondary market in building successful brands? If you’ve been listening to the previous episodes of this series, you would have heard it: La Place doesn’t build brands. But then, who does? And how do they successfully do it? In this fifth episode, hosts Felicity Carter and Pauline Vicard explore the concept of branding...

Why do estates from around the world want to work with a historic institution in Bordeaux? What impact have these wines had on La Place and beyond? And should fine wine producers look to La Place for distribution?   In the small world of La Place, no other change has had as many impacts as the recent growth of the Beyond Bordeaux wines category. From Almaviva to Opus One, from Penfolds to Masseto, the international icons have transformed the way the Place works, and the way we understand...

Faced with declining consumption and a threatening regulatory environment, are we good enough at talking or writing about wine? Why? What could be the levers of a new narrative for wine? And what could be the risks of not improving our game? In this episode, hosts Pauline Vicard goes to Napa to meet author, speaker, consultant and all-round wine communicator Karen MacNeil. Karen has won every major wine communication award in the English language, including the James Beard award for Wine...

How does a bottle of Bordeaux end up on a collector's table? What will its journey be, from the châteaux to the world? Who decides who gets access to highly allocated wines? And the most fascinating question of all: who is currently making money (or not) in the fine wine supply chain? Are current margins enough to sustain a complex system? In this third episode, hosts Felicity Carter and Pauline Vicard look at the behind the scenes of La Place de Bordeaux and consider the opportunities and...

What does an En-Primeur campaign look like? How is it organized? The on-going campaign is supposed to be a crucial one for the survival of the whole ecosystem. How much of that is true? What would la Place be without En Primeur? In this second episode, hosts Felicity Carter and Pauline Vicard tell the tale of the En Primeur campaign, through speaking to producers, négociants, courtiers, buyers and critics. Get ready for an in-depth exploration, bringing in diverse and layered opinions...

What does the global wine world need to understand about modern China and what will China’s role be in the future of fine wine? About Simon Tam: Simon Tam grew up in Australia. He worked in his parents' restaurant which is how he first came into contact with fine wines. After studying at a wine college, Tam worked as a wine consultant for the South Australian government and he even worked as a winemaker for a few years. He eventually moved to Hong Kong, where he opened the first wine...

What is La Place de Bordeaux? Does la Place only deal with fine wines? What’s the relationship between la Place and the En-Primeur system? How transparent is the Place? In this first episode of Inside La Place de Bordeaux, hosts Felicity Carter and Pauline Vicard sit down to discuss their understanding of La Place and challenge their own preconceptions of the system. We speak to leading experts to understand their perspectives on La Place: Jane Anson, Mathieu Chadronnier, Tom Portet,...

If you've ever wonder what La Place de Bordeaux is all about, how it works, and maybe most importantly why - and for whom- it works, then this podcast is for you. In this seven episodes series, Areni Global top duo Pauline Vicard and Felicity Carter tackle all the hard questions, meet key players -many of them going public for the first time - and analyze the role and place of the Place de Bordeaux in the future of fine wine distribution. Follow them as they enter the Place, and discover...

What does one of the world’s top Bordeaux expert think about La Place? As one of the world's top wine critic, how does she prepare for the upcoming En-Primeur week? And how is it likely to be influenced by the current social and economical context in Bordeaux? To answer these questions and more we sat down with Jane Anson, wine critic, writer and journalist. About Jane Anson: Jane is without a doubt one of the most influential fine wine critics globally, respected and praised around the...

What role can wine investment play in the future of fine wine? Host Pauline Vicard delves into the intriguing world of wine investment with guests Rosti Petrov and Matthew Small, of Cru Wine. Together they discuss the different opinions about investing in wine, from concerns about rising prices, to assertions that it's a safe investment with steady returns and tax benefits. Pauline also highlights the question about whether there really are people who simply invest just to invest rather...

What are the processes, resources, the wine knowledge and skills needed to equip a vast team like Southern Glazers? Tune in and hear Eric Hemer MS, MW give his insights on what it takes. Eric Hemer, MS MW is Senior Vice President, Product Education overseeing wine, spirits and related production education and certification in 45 US markets, Canada, and the Caribbean for Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits. Eric has been with the company for 35 years; prior to his current role he held...

Can you scale up fine wine? What are the practicalities of scaling up and the main obstacle and challenge that wineries face along the way? Join our panel discussion to hear more... Vianney Gravereaux, Sales & Marketing Director, Ornellaia & Masseto, Italy After starting his career at Arthur Andersen, Vianney Gravereaux has gained a vast international experience in fine wine while working for globally renowned estates such as Champagne Philipponnat and Champagne Salon. He studied...

Welcome to the Areni Global podcast. Today’s episode is called “Teaching for Tomorrow: In Conversation with Pascaline Lepeltier”. In this engaging conversation your host, Pauline Vicard delves into the importance of learning wine facts, despite the ubiquity of Google. Together they emphasize the need to contextualize factual knowledge for those building careers in the wine industry. The discussion also touches on Pascaline's unique approach to wine tasting, challenging conventional methods....

Welcome to the Areni Global podcast and today’s episode, Our Trends For The Year. From the AI boom to shaky international politics to the banking crisis, there are domino effects that could create consequences for this industry we know and love. Tune in as Pauline Vicard, Felicity Carter, Polly Hammond and Sarah Phillips McCartan discuss their thoughts, fears and hopes for 2024. About Pauline Vicard:  Pauline Vicard is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Areni Global. She was born...

Welcome to the Areni Global podcast. Today’s episode is part of our Insight Series, and it is called, “Can You Scale Up Fine Wine? In Conversation with Vianney Gravereaux, Ivan Massonnat, Dan Petroski & Joao Silva”. This discussion tackles how to drive profitability and achieve financial sustainability within the realm of fine wine. Let’s talk about the problems and reasons behind the necessity to scale up in the fine wine industry, and secondly, determine the ideal scale for fine wine...

Welcome to the Areni Global podcast. Today’s episode is entitled “How To Be Extraordinary”. Host Pauline Vicard speaks with Dr. Kiko Thiel to discuss her search on the extraordinary and what makes people do extraordinary things. Her research distinguishes between excellence and the extraordinary, and between incremental innovation vs. the outer reaches of radical innovation - paradigm creation. Dr. Thiel focuses in particular on the mindsets and behaviors that enable the creation of the...

Welcome to the Areni Global podcast. Today’s episode is entitled “From Australia to the Place de Bordeaux”. Host Pauline Vicard sits down with Tom Portet to talk about the wines included in the Place de Bordeaux. Tom plays a pivotal role in curating top-tier wines, ensuring they meet stringent quality standards before representation on the Place de Bordeaux and subsequent distribution. He emphasizes scrutinizing estates, assessing their essence in Bordeaux and their global presentation in the...

Welcome the second episode of The Responsibilities Series, where we explore the specific responsibilities of those who work in fine wine, an Areni Global podcast brought to you in association with Moët Hennessy and their programme Living Soils, Living Together. Today we are talking about one of the most serious issues facing wine, which is the question of wine and health, and the growing movement challenging even the moderate consumption of wine and alcohol. Could wine lose its social...

Welcome to the Areni Global podcast. Today’s episode is entitled “Marketing, Pleasure, and Responsible Choices: In Conversation with Professor Pierre Chandon”. Host Pauline Vicard and Professor Chandon spend some time discussing how to promote healthier consumption choices using the notion of pleasure. Dr. Chandon’s research deals with understanding how marketers can continue to grow their businesses without contributing to the negative effects of over eating & drinking, his latest...

Welcome to the Areni Global podcast. Today’s episode is entitled “Tastemakers and Palate Education: In Conversation With Evan Goldstein MS”. Host Pauline Vicard and Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein talk about wine education and how it has changed over time. They discuss tasting and the changes in certain wines due in part to climate change; they look ahead, rethinking wine education, analysing how the trade is taught, as well as the type of knowledge and skills that will be needed for wine...