More than two decades ago, Destiny Bay’s Spratt family set out with one humble ambition: to create a wine they would be proud to serve to their friends.  Twenty-two years later, they have achieved this and more.  They are not only proud to share these wines with their friends but also the rest of the world through the exclusive and time-honoured distribution network La Place de Bordeaux.

Destiny Bay has a loyal following around the globe. Producing an average of 1,500 cases a year, the wines are scarce and staunchly guarded by sommeliers. The respect these wines enjoy is in no small part due to their uncompromising commitment to quality. In 2017, they produced not a single bottle due to excessive rain which impacted the quality of the grapes.  As Sean Spratt, owner and winemaker of Destiny Bay says, “quality only matters if you stick to it when it’s inconvenient. At Destiny Bay, a wine wears the comet only when it is worthy.”

In 2021, Destiny Bay was named New Zealand’s Winery of the Year by Bob Campbell MW and The Real Review. Their most acclaimed Cabernet blend, Magna Praemia 2019, was recently awarded a score of 98 from Vinous.  Unlike others, Destiny Bay values customer feedback above all.  “While we love to hear from esteemed wine writers and critics who praise our wines, our primary focus is creating a memorable wine drinking experience for our loyal Patrons,” says Mike Spratt, owner and founder.

With limited production, Destiny Bay has typically avoided traditional distribution agents, preferring a high-touch direct-to-consumer approach. “We know our Patron’s names, their children’s names, and sometimes even their pet’s names. They have become part of the Destiny Bay story, woven into the fabric of the brand. However, Tom Portet from International First Growths made a compelling argument for expanding our global reach by using one of the oldest and most respected distribution systems in the world,” added Mike. A tasting with Andrew Caillard MW and the team at International First Growths confirmed that Magna Praemia was the perfect wine to lead New Zealand wines into La Place de Bordeaux.

“Excellence in distribution is as important to us as excellence in winemaking and nobody does distribution better than La Place de Bordeaux,” says Tom Morton, Director of International Sales and Distribution for Destiny Bay.

From September 2022, Destiny Bay’s flagship wine, Magna Praemia, will be sold through La Place de Bordeaux. This will be the first time that New Zealand wines are distributed through a system whose origins stretch back 800 years.  La Place de Bordeaux only began accepting a few non-Bordeaux wines in 1998 with Almaviva from Chile and then in 2004 with Opus One from Napa Valley.

Destiny Bay’s Patron Club will remain their direct-to-consumer channel with limited subscriptions available.