The Geneva-based fine wine auctioning company Baghera Wines was founded in 2015 by wine expert Michael Ganne. Bringing an unrivalled level of knowledge and experience to the table, the company has proved perfectly positioned to connect global wine buyers with the finest vintages around.
The company is also an innovator in the world of wine auctioning, mixing traditional room auctions with online sales, or Wine o’clock as they call them. In the process, they have enabled collectors and connoisseurs to buy the wines they adore more conveniently than ever.
Moreover, Baghera Wines has built this forward-thinking strategy upon strong foundations. Auctioneering is a field where trust and expertise are all-important, and that’s just what Baghera Wines provides. Motivated by an unquenchable passion for the wines they sell, the firm’s team foreground four key values or excellence, sensitivity, closeness to clients and expertise.
By keeping those values in mind at all times, they manage to excel in wine selection, sales and authentication. They maintain high standards in wine storage and transportation, satisfy clients with their cellar valuation procedures, and offer in-depth support to buyers and sellers, whether they are enthusiasts seeking to stock their private collections or industry professionals. So, let’s get to know this creative company in a bit more depth.
The origins of Baghera Wines
Although Baghera’s corporate history dates back to 2015, the roots of the company lie far deeper. Michael Ganne, the mastermind behind the Baghera concept, served for years as the Head of Wine for Continental Europe for the auctions giant Christie’s.
From that position, he accumulated an unparalleled knowledge of the wine market and the auctioneering trade, making him ideally situated to create a house of his own. While he headed Christie’s Continental Wine section, he also had a chance to trade some incredibly rare wines, such as the world’s most expensive Bordeaux Cheval Blanc 1947. In the process, he developed his knowledge of the most precious vintages, transferring that experience into the DNA of Baghera Wines.
Since 2015, Baghera has specialized in fine wines, supporting buyers in their quest to create the wine collection of their dreams. Along with his partners, Ganne saw a huge gap in the market for a company which could provide this kind of assistance. In a trade full of complexity, choice and – on occasion – deception, Baghera Wines has prospered as a reliable partner for wine collectors and a place to purchase exceptional fine wines as easily as possible.
The company very quickly developed a reputation for honesty and expertise. Their first auction made a powerful statement, presenting 600 lots of exquisite Burgundy wines, representing one of the largest such auctions in European history. In their first year of operation, the firm’s turnover exceeded 10 million Swiss Francs, including some notable milestones, such as the most expensive wine ever sold via the internet in Switzerland (12 bottles of 1993 Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanée, if you were curious).
Behind the scenes: the talent behind Baghera Wine’s success
The basis for Baghera’s energy, innovation and reliability lies in the skills of its team. Wine auctioneering is a business which demands in-depth knowledge and trust, and Baghera’s senior leadership are instrumental in supplying both.
As CEO, Michael Ganne is at the heart of the company, and he has made fine wine the heart of his life. Having grown up in France’s Medoc region, he naturally has a passion for Bordeaux, but a Masters of Wine Management and his time with Christie’s have widened his passion to all of the world’s greatest wines.
Ganne is far from alone at Baghera Wines. His co-founder Julie Carpentier hails from the Loire region, bringing a different regional focus (as well as the experience of being married to a skilled wine-maker). Another alumnus of Christie’s European operations, Carpentier has an instinctive passion for fine tastes and unique creations, something which filters through into the lots on offer at the Baghera marketplace.
The company’s expertise today
The 2016 Baghera Wines auction provides a great example of the company’s expertise. That year’s master cellar auction took place on May 22nd in Geneva and brought together 1,407 bottles of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti certified vintage, along with a showcase of products from 34 great Bordeaux producers (not to mention spirits, cigars, and Champagnes). In fact, it fully merited Ganne’s description as “a dream come true for every lover of prestigious nectars.”
The sale realized over 6 million CHF, with buyers from all over the world participating in person or via phone and the web. In a sign of how high demand is for DRC Bourgognes and how trusted, Baghera Wines are among their clientele, every DRC-designated bottle sold on the day – allowing Baghera’s partners to add to their collections in style. And it also allowed the company to accurately claim to be Switzerland’s pre-eminent fine wine auctioneer.
Since then, Baghera Wine’s expertise and customer base have only expanded. It has benefited from close proximity to Geneva’s Freeport, making global consignment simple and hassle-free. And the firm has also benefited from its strategic decision to create a network of Asian wine experts, fostering strong connections in a thriving wine market.
Nowadays, the sales are also far from limited to big occasions like Master Cellar event. For instance, everyday buyers can take advantage of the occasional “first come, first served” Corner sales, which are up and running for two weeks from Thursday to Thursday. And their Wine o’clock events now have a cult following, enabling buyers to pick up dazzling wines at the click of a button.
All of this means that Baghera has built on their 2016 success. Not content to simply challenge the traditional fine wine auction houses in Geneva, they have introduced new ways to buy, attracting new types of customer. And all the indications suggest that the approach is proving a great success.
Author Bio: Meet Morakhiya is a content strategist, expert freelance writer, and online entrepreneur. He graduated from Ahmedabad University with a degree of Bachelor of computer application. He enjoys sharing information, inspiring people, and writing pretty much everything that helps small businesses, build brand awareness, engage their target audience and generate more leads. He is an intern at AndroidHeadlines and a Benzinga contributor. For more info you can drop him an email.