Join us as our analysis of the semester’s auction results takes us to the Mediterranean. We look at the Provençal and Corsican bottles that have most made their mark on our auctions in the first six months of 2019. Red wines for cellaring, prestigious appellations and attentive methods of cultivation in the spotlight.

Provence

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General trend

The rankings for Provence show a bottle of 1985 white Château Simone in pole position at €158 and in 20^th position a 2015 Bandol from Domaine de Terrebrune at €25. This reflects an interest in the region’s wine that is slowly but surely on the rise.

As was the case last year, three white wines stand out. The 1985 vintage from Château Simone (€158, +13%) whose white wines are renowned and is now at the top of the ranking (last year it was in 6^th position). Following that, the 2008 Vino di Gio from Clos Saint-Vincent (€49). A rare cuvée produced in the micro-appellation that is Bellet. Finally the Abbaye de Lérins’ Chardonnay Grande Cuvée 2004 (€45, +48%), a cuvée that is no longer produced.

Mature provençal vintages

One of the stand-out observations of the first semester is the interest in the excellent aging potential of this region’s wines. This also explains the search for powerful red wines from the appellations of Bandol and Baux-de-Provence. The ranking thus includes vintages ranging from 1983 (Bandol La Tourtine from Domaine Tempier: €146, +71%) to 2015 (Bandol du Domaine de Terrebrune: €25).

An evolving leaderboard

There’s much more to wine than bottles: we’re talking magnums. A magnum of Bandol Collection 2012 from Château Sainte-Anne sold for €62 and a double magnum of 2000 Château de Pibarnon for €243 (+11%). This year has also seen new figures emerging, such as Clos Saint-Vincent (in eighth position), l’Abbaye de Lérins (9^th) and La Bastide Blanche (14^th).

An appetite for respectful viticulture

Given its proximity to the coast and its warm, dry climate, Provence is propitious to healthy viticulture. Many of the domains in our rankings are therefore biodynamic (Domaine Hauvette, Clos Saint-Vincent), organic (La Bégude) and natural (Henri Milan).

TOP 20 – Provence

Corsica

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This ranking also shows the prices of Corsican wines rising, again, slowly but surely. Just like in Provence, red wines are the most coveted, with only two white wines in the top 20: Muscat du Cap Corse Authentica from Domaine Gentile (€43, +77%) and the Ajaccio Cuvée Prestige 2015 from Clos d’Alzeto (€18). Given the relatively recent interest in Corsica wines, few mature vintages made it into the ranking.

The small region’s greats feature heavily, such as Antoine Arena (Patrimonio Carco 2011: €49, + 40%) and Clos Canarelli (Figari 2012: €38, +24%) and the less known U Stiliccionu (Ajaccio 2010: €35, 40%). Moreover, we can see a trend emerging of interest in wines for which producers have left the appellation system, whether they are Corsican wines (Muscat du Cap Corse 2009 from Domaine Leccia: €26, +40%/Oriu 2016 from Domaine Torraccia: €24) and Vins de France (Faustine Vieilles Vignes 2016 from Comte Abbatucci: €28).

The Mediterranean climate also make organic viticulture more easily achievable: 50% of the ranking is organic (including domains Torraccia and Leccia), 40% biodynamic (for instance Clos Canarelli and Antoine Arena) and U Stiliccionu is a natural winemaker.

TOP 10 – Corsica

Read our other auction rankings here:

– Champagne