Domaine Tariquet is in Trouble

A significant sales decline of 2.5m bottles has necessitated a strategic realignment for the company.

Reading time: 1m 15s

Gascony's most important winery wants to realign itself after sales difficulties. (Photo: Stefan Pegatzky)
Gascony's most important winery wants to realign itself after sales difficulties. (Photo: Stefan Pegatzky)

On January 17th, the Commercial Court of Auch (Gers department) initiated a six-month safeguard procedure for Domaine Tariquet, the leading wine estate in the Côtes de Gascogne. Unlike insolvency proceedings in Germany, this is a preventative measure for companies experiencing financial difficulty, but which are not yet insolvent. The primary goal is to preserve the business.

In a statement, the company explained that after four consecutive poor harvests due to unfavorable weather conditions, and in response to evolving local and international market dynamics, they have decided to undertake a strategic reorganization project. This prompted them to seek the safeguard procedure from the Commercial Court of Auch. The winery stated that this step allows them to "act rather than suffer." By the end of the anticipated six-month observation period, a new business plan is expected, "adapted to both the economic climate and structural capacities."

In a statement, the company explained that after four consecutive poor harvests due to unfavorable weather conditions, and in response to evolving local and international market dynamics, they have decided to undertake a strategic reorganization project. This prompted them to seek the safeguard procedure from the Commercial Court of Auch. The winery stated that this step allows them to "act rather than suffer. "By the end of the anticipated six-month observation period, a new business plan is expected," adapted to both the economic climate and structural capacities."

Rooted in Armagnac production

The estate, one of the largest in France with 1,125 ha/2,800 ac of vineyards, produces around 8m bottles of IGP Côte de Gascogne white wine and 120,000 bottles of AOC Bas-Armagnac annually. However, between 2021 and 2023, 2.5m fewer bottles were sold, a decrease of 31%. Domaine Tariquet's roots actually lie in Armagnac production. It wasn't until 1982 that the then-owners, Yves and Maitié Grassa, began to vinify a portion of the grape harvest as white wine instead of distilling it, in order to cross-finance Armagnac production. This developed into an unprecedented success story in southwestern France, making the Grassa family the largest private wine producer in France. Today, the winery is managed by Armin and Rémy Grassa, with their aunt Maïté still overseeing the company. SP

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