Alliance hones in on France with three additions

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 02 August, 2021

Alliance Wine has become the sole UK agent for three French wineries, strengthening their offering from Burgundy, Provence and Madiran.

Each demonstrates a “deep-rooted commitment to the natural world”, the company said. The first, Chateau de l’Escarelle, a new Provençal winery for the UK market, has achieved the Haute Valeur Environnementale certification level 3, France’s strictest environmental certification scheme.

Maison Chanzy, divided between Côte Chalonnaise, Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits, has also achieved the certification, while Domaine Capmartin is one of the most progressive producers in Gascony. At the helm, Simon Capmartin produces modern, approachable Madiran wines from Tannat and is currently converting his entire vineyard holding to biodynamic agriculture.

“These estates have adopted the highest disciplines of sustainable production, in the vineyard and in the winery,” said Liz Donnelly, Alliance buyer for France. “They are leaders of sustainability in France, not merely in their respective appellations.”

“With the addition of these estates, from three corners of France, we are strengthening our French offering for our customers,” Ned Llewellyn, off-trade sales director, added. “These producers are making world class wines. They also mirror the values we uphold at Alliance.”

Now in its 37th year, Alliance Wine imports over 200 producers from 21 countries, with a focus on “individual and inspirational” winemakers.

As they re-focus on France, the new additions highlight a desire move to towards producers which prioritise sustainable winemaking.

Owner of Chateau de l’Escarelle, Yann Pineau, said of his vineyard: “As someone who loves the natural world and the possibilities of sustainable development, I immediately fell in love with the stunning location, which boasts a diversity of wildlife that has few rivals in Provence.”

Alliance is also a producer in its own right making wine in three continents around the world. It has created and invested in wineries such as Thistledown Wines based in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia and de Alto Rioja y Mas in Spain.

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