59 successful international families of wine • winemakers for generations •the perfect match between tradition and innovation • inside stories abouttheir passion for wines and vines

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Design meets wine

www.rastal.com

Harmony 72

Harmony 53

families of wine 03

The family company is the bedrock of the worldwide wine

industry. This isn’t to say that big companies and small

startups aren’t also important, or that only family com-

panies can make good wine. Clearly, this isn’t the case.

But it’s the family companies that hold wine regions together

and keep them thriving, through their relationships with

growers, workers, suppliers and other members of their local

communities. Families pull together in tough times and do

everything they can to keep going, which keeps communities

going as well.

And, of course, families have long memories. This is a key

asset in a business like wine, where memories of how the land,

the weather and the market behaved in previous times will

help steer a company through the coming years.

Finally, when a family puts its own name on a winery, or a

bottle, they’re going to do everything to ensure that name

maintains a good reputaton. This is why family-owned wine-

ries typically stand for quality.

This book celebrates the family. Inside you’ll find stories of

notable families, up-and-coming families, and even families

that have passed into history, whose memory is being honou-

red by new family owners. It’s a refreshing reminder that good

business isn’t solely about the bottom line and profitability –

of course, those things are important too – but about people,

reputation and a commitment to quality.

In a world where those fundamental values seem constantly

under threat, it’s good to know that there is one industry, at

least, where family values are alive and thriving.

Best wishes,Felicity Carter

Editorial

03 ......Editorial 06...... Aveleda SA

A family passion

applied to wine

08...... Boisset

Dynamism from the heart

of Burgundy

10...... Bouvet Ladoubay

The gem of the Loire

12...... Casa Bianchi Writing wine history

14...... Champagne Boizel In the tradition of the

greatest Champagnes

16...... De Bortoli An Italian-Australian

dynasty

18...... Marchesi di Barolo

Out of love for Barolo

20...... Weingut Baumgartner

Work of generations

04 families of wine

22...... Cantine Capetta

Terroir plus grit and

determination

24...... Carpene Malvolti

Five generations of fine spar-

kling wine and distillates

25...... Cecchi A love affair with wine

26...... Cavino

Open to innovation

28...... Château de Minière

A complete wine experience

29...... J. Chivite Family Estates

Spanish export pioneer

30...... Concha y Toro

An ambassador for Chile

32...... Marchesi De’ Frescobaldi Rooted in Tuscany,

internationally significant

33...... Endrizzi The lawyer of Trentino

34...... Ferrari F. LLI Lunelli Life at Italy’s pinnacle

35...... Gruppo Viniculo

Fantinel A dedication to service

36...... Greek Wine Cellars D. Kourtakis

More than just retsina

38...... Grant Burge

The baron of the Barossa

40...... González Byass

Five generations strong

41...... Hoffmann & Rathbone

A sparkling new English

venture

42...... Jaboulet Aîné

The greatness of la Chapelle

44...... Les Grands Chais des France

An Alsace family business

46...... Littore Family Wines

Sicilian pioneers in

Victoria, Australia

Contents

families of wine 05

47...... Lurton

A family of fine wines

48...... Laurent Miquel Revolution in the Languedoc

50...... Montes SA

Wines at the pinnacle of Chile

52...... Bodegas Muga

A great tradition from Rioja

54...... Marques de Murrieta

Historic greatness from

Spain

56...... Meerlust Estate

A South African flagship

producer

58...... Weingut Georg Müller Stiftung

Drink wine and contribute to

a charitable cause

60...... Ômina Romana

Bringing an ancient region

to life

62...... José Pariente

When persistence pays off

63...... Paladin Spa

Elegant wines from tough

soils

64...... p&f Wineries

Refreshing wines from

Slovenia

66...... Quinta da Plansel Head over heels in love

with Portugal

68...... Bodega Ruca Malen

Nectar of the gods

69...... Roqueta Origen

Roqueta: Committed to the

territory since 1199

70...... Cantine Luigi Sgarzi In the heart of

Emilia-Romagna

71...... Rodriguez Sanzo

A successful husband and

wife team

72...... Schenk

Swiss Europeans

74...... Schug Estate

German craftsmanship

with California flair

76...... Sileni Estates

A business that anticipates

tomorrow

78...... Félix Solís avantis

Spain’s modest giant

80...... Cantine Tinazzi A very modern Italian

company

81...... Champagne Thiénot

A remarkable rise in

Champagne

82...... Evangelos Tsantalis

Determined visionary

84...... Miguel Torres

A Spanish family

86...... Valdo Spumanti An early pioneer of Prosecco

88...... Sektmanufaktur Schloss Vaux

Unique sparkling wine

production

90...... Villa Maria

A New Zealand pioneer

91...... Velenosi Vini Revolution through tradition

92...... Avelino Vegas

One big family

93...... Weingut Weegmüller

Palatinate roots

94...... Holz-Weisbrodt

Where you and your taste

feel at home

95...... De Wetshof Champions for South Africa

96...... Casa Vinicola Zonin

Vintners since 1821

98...... Masthead

Every family business has its

founder: The man or wom-

an who produced and sold the

very first bottles of its wine. In

the case of Aveleda, those initial steps

were taken way back in the late 1800s,

when Manoel Pedro Guedes de Silva da

Fonseca, tired of living in Lisbon decid-

ed to move back to the Aveleda estate

that had been in his family since 1671.

Situated in Penafiel, in part of the coun-

try now known as Vinho Verde, it was,

as the name suggests, an ideal place

to produce fresh, characterful wines.

Manoel da Fonseca devoted his life to

the wine business, preparing the land,

buying and planting vines, and build-

ing a cellar with a capacity for what was

then a huge volume of 300 barrels. The

earliest sale of Aveleda wines for which

records still exist was in 1870 and the

first evidence of their quality is provided

by the gold medals they won in interna-

tional competitions in Berlin in 1888,

and Paris the following year.

The estate passed from Manoel Pedro

Guedes de Silva da Fonseca to his son,

Fernando Guedes, who further devel-

oped the wine business, including

launching Casal Garcia in 1939, one of

the world’s first successful wine brands.

The story of Casal Garcia, which has just

celebrated its 75th anniversary, reveals

an openness of mind on the part of the

Guedes family that was rare at the time.

That year, an eminent French oenologist

called Eugène Hélisse, who had been

working on a Port vintage in the Douro,

was particularly struck by the Quinta da

Aveleda vineyards that he saw through

the window of his train on the way back

to Oporto. What he noticed was the care

that had been taken of the land and the

efforts that had been given to separating

the vines by grape variety, as was then

common in France, but not in Portugal.

Eugène Hélisse persuaded the Guedes

family to let him help with the vinification

of that harvest and the innovative methods

he introduced helped to produce a fresher,

fruitier, finer white wine than any that had

even been seen at the estate. This became

the first vintage of Casal Garcia.

Aveleda SA A family passion applied to wine

Successive generations of the same family are at the heart of Aveleda, along with architectural follies and vineyards kept in such striking condition that they inspired the travellers who saw them.

Guedes Family

06 families of wine

On Fernando Guedes’s death in 1946,

management of the estate passed to his

son Roberto, who had long taken an

interest in winemaking and had begun

to work with his father as soon as he fin-

ished his military service.

Today, the Aveleda business is in the hands

of the fifth generation of the Guedes fam-

ily, with António Azevedo Guedes acting

as CEO and Martim Guedes as Manag-

ing Director. Important investments were

made in the vines, equipments and human

resources in order to produce wines with

the best quality. Echoing the openness of

their ancestor, the current members of

the family turned to a Frenchman, Denis

Dubourdieu, one of the world’s top wine

experts, for winemaking advice, and were

gratified to see the 2013 Quinta da Aveleda

distinguished as #1 of the 2014 Best Buys

ranking by the Wine Enthusiast magazine.

While Quinta da Aveleda and Casal

Garcia Vinho Verde are among the com-

pany’s best-known wines, a broad range

is produced on the estate and from its

vineyards in other wine regions. So any-

one wanting to compare a Vinho Verde

made from a blend of grapes with one

produced exclusively from the Alvarinho

can try one, while expansion into oth-

er regions of Portugal enable Aveleda to

offer wines from areas such as the Douro

and Bairrada, as well as its homeland of

Vinho Verde.

The architectural follies, and the

award-winning gardens (distinguished

with the International Award Best of

Wine Tourism) in which they stand, con-

tribute to make the Quinta da Aveleda

one of the most beautiful and renowned

tourist attractions in Portugal. Visitors to

the cellars are invited to see every aspect

of the winemaking process, including

the final bottling and labelling, and to

taste the wines and cheese produced

at the state. But the cheese and wine

are only part of the appeal of a visit to

Quinta da Aveleda. Among the roman-

tic buildings they can visit there are the

Manuelino-style Window (a Nation-

al Monument), the Tea House and the

Four Sisters Fountain. They can see the

old coach house and the kitchen where

the old equipment has been lovingly pre-

served. Wandering through these build-

ings and gardens it is very easy to see what

seduced Manoel Pedro Guedes de Silva

da Fonseca back from the city over two

centuries ago.

INFOAveleda, SARua da Aveleda, nº2 4560-570 Penafiel - PortugalT +351 255 718 200F +351 255 711 139www.aveleda.pt

The barrel cellar of Quinta da Aveleda

António Azevedo Guedes

families of wine 07

The story of JC Boisset and Boisset

La Famille des Grands Vins is one

of the most extraordinary in the

wine world. It all began in 1961,

when Jean-Claude Boisset decided to go

into the wine business. This would not

have been an unusual step, given that he

had grown up in the heart of Burgundy,

except that he was only 18 years old and

had no wine trade background; his parents

were schoolteachers, not vignerons. But

Boisset was insistent and, despite his youth

and inexperience, proved remarkably

successful at buying good wine in barrels

from small producers and selling it in bot-

tle, initially to his parents’ friends. A few

years later, with his father’s help, he went

further, buying his first vineyard, a fine

plot in Gevrey-Chambertin.

At the time, most of the trade in

Burgundy was handled by a small

number of well-established negociants,

or merchants. Boisset, however, suc-

ceeded in finding new customers for

his wines, both in France and, more

especially in overseas markets such as

the UK and US. Indeed, by the mid

1970s, his business was one of the

biggest exporters to North America.

Understanding the need both to

own good vineyards and the value

of branding, Boisset – subsequent-

ly with the help of son Jean-Charles,

and daughter Nathalie – created the

top class Domaine de la Vougeraie

estate, and purchased well-established

historical houses, such Bouchard Aîné

& Fils, Jaffelin, Ropiteau Frères, J.

Moreau & Fils in Chablis, Mommessin

in Beaujolais and Bonpas in the Rhône.

More recently, Languedoc Roussillon

has been added to the portfolio with

the purchase of Skalli and Fortant.

While Boisset senior had an instinctive

skill at marketing which was very rare

in the French wine industry, especially

in the 1970s and 1980s, a spell in the

US at an early age gave son Jean-Charles

even greater understanding of the global

wine business, and of the potential for

winemaking in California. Acquisitions

there have included DeLoach Vineyards,

Raymond Vineyards in Napa and Bue-

na Vista, the oldest premium winery in

Sonoma, as well as Lockwood and Lyeth.

Boisset Junior, whose showman-like per-

sonality and taste for innovative spectacle

might have made him a highly successful

Boisset Dynamism from the heart of Burgundy

From the beginning, the Boisset name has stood for doing things diffe-rently and taking daring risks that have paid off, even when others said they couldn’t be done.

08 families of wine

Jean-Claude Boisset

theatrical impresario in another life, has

surprised observers on both sides of the

Atlantic with his readiness to embrace

ultra-modern packaging, such as bag-in-

box-in-a-barrel concepts for restaurants,

Tetra Pak cartons, and PET bottles and

cans, while also introducing organic and

biodynamic farming in his best US and

French vineyards.

Today, the Boisset French business-

es are among the biggest wine export-

ers in France, while the Californian

estates and a dynamic distribution

business make Boisset a name to be

reckoned with in the highly compet-

itive US market. Competitors and

observers alike struggle to keep up with

new Boisset initiatives, ranging from

the introduction of a super- premium

Pinot Noir made from a blend of Bur-

gundy and Californian wine, to a spar-

kling wine range called JCB, to the

introduction of ‘make-your- own-blend’

features where visitors can create their

own Napa and Sonoma wines, and the

creation of an ‘Ambassador’ programme

that allows consumers to sell Boisset

wines to their friends, in an echo of the

activities with which Jean-Claude Bois-

set began his business over 50 years ago.

Jean-Claude Boisset is still very active in

the French business, where his daughter

Nathalie is responsible for communica-

tions. Jean-Charles is very active in both

the US and France, though he resides

most often in the US with his wife Gina

Gallo and their twin daughters, over-

looking the Napa Valley. It is impossi-

ble to predict what new elements might

be added to the Boisset Collection,

but it’s certain that none of them will

be undertaken lightly. Behind the

flamboyant façade and genuinely warm

personality, competitors have discov-

ered that Jean-Charles Boisset, like his

father, has a very fine head for business.

People who questioned the wisdom

of some of the purchases and the – to

some Napa traditionalists – shockingly

daring design decisions at the Raymond

winery, for example, have learned that

almost all have paid off handsomely

and are continuing to do so.

The Burgundy of the first decades of the

21st century is a very different place to

the sleepy region in which Jean-Claude

Boisset first entered the wine business.

Its current dynamism, owes much to

the ambition and enthusiasm he helped

to introduce.

INFO5 Quai Dumorey21700 Nuits-Saint-GeorgeFranceTel: +33 380 62 61 61www.boisset.comwww.boissetcollection.comwww.jcbwines.com

Gina and Jean-Charles Boisset

Buena Vista Winery

PH

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O:

DA

VID

WA

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LY

families of wine 09

10 families of wine

Trésor’, ‘Saphir’ or ‘Taille Prin-

cesse’ are beautiful-sounding

names in the world of Crémants.

With these gems, Bouvet

Ladubay has conquered the world. Their

success is the achievement of the Mon-

mousseau family over many generations.

In 1875, the family began by setting up

their wine company. A major era began in

1902, when Justin-Marcel Monmousseau,

the nephew of the company‘s founder,

joined the company. He had made contacts

in London before joining the company,

enabling it to start exporting. Even more

important was his decision to produce spar-

kling wine by the méthode traditionelle.

In 1932, Justin-Marcel reached anoth-

er milestone when he purchased Bouvet

Ladubay, founded in 1851. Even then,

Bouvet Ladubay was one of the foremost

producers of sparkling wine in the world,

but was unfortunately in financial difficulty.

After the Second World War, Jean

Monmousseau, the son of Justin- Marcel,

took over the management of Bouvet

Ladubay, which subsequently operated

independently of the Monmousseau parent

company. Jean Monmousseau succeeded in

restoring the reputation of Bouvet Ladubay

by focussing on the high quality of the wines.

In the 1970s, Bouvet Ladubay was lucky

on two counts. First, Jean Monmous-

seau had involved his sons Armand and

Patrice in the company early on. And sec-

ond, the company came under the own-

ership of Champagne family Taittinger.

Patrice Monmousseau was already CEO

of Bouvet Ladubay, and Taittinger realised

how valuable the connection was between

the Monmousseau Family and Bouvet

Ladubay – a connection that continues to

this day and herealded a new era.

He benefited from the efforts made by

his father to increase the quality and the

independence granted to him by Claude

Taittinger. Between 1970 and 2006, pro-

duction increased from 370,000 to 3.2

million bottles a year.

Another change of ownership came in

2006, when Starwood Capital took over the

Taittinger Group. They had such respect for

Patrice Monmousseau’s achievements that,

during the resale, he was allowed to decide

for himself who became the new owner.

There was plenty of interest, but Dr Vijay

Mallya, Chairman of Indian company UB

Group, stood out.

When the magnate visited Bouvet

Ladubay, he was immediately enthralled

by the magic of this gem. He made the

decision to purchase immediately, and

Patrice Monmousseau also immediately

realised he had found the right partner,

someone for whom Bouvet Ladubay was

a passion and not just an investment.

Vijay Mallya also understood how ben-

eficial the connection was between Bou-

vet Ladubay and the Monmousseau

family and placed his trust in the fam-

ily management. The modern winery,

which opened in 2008 with the nick-

name ‘Full Metal’, brought the next

impetus, increasing production to 5.8

million bottles.

For Patrice Monmousseau, this success is

based on the art of blending, which he

learned from his father and is now pass-

ing on to his daughter Juliette, an art

which, like a gene, can only be passed

down through the family. As Patrice says:

“Taste is a question of ancestry.”

Bouvet Ladubay The gem of the Loire

When you think of sparkling wine from the Loire, Bouvet Ladubay comes to mind almost immediately as the epitome of high-quality winemaking.

INFOBouvet LadubaySaint Hilaire – Saint-Florent49400 SaumurFranceTel. +33 241 838383Fax +33 241 502432www.bouvetladubay.comcontact@bouvet-ladubay.fr

Patrice Monmousseau

and his daughter Juliette

12 families of wine

Argentina’s Mendoza Province,

in the eastern foothills of the

Andes Mountains, is home to

some of the highest-altitude

vineyards in the world. It is the heart of

the Argentine winemaking industry, with

the majority of the country’s wineries,

where nearly two-thirds of the country’s

wine production takes place. It was in

Mendoza’s southern winegrowing mecca,

San Rafael, where Don Valentín Bianchi

bought a small vineyard and opened his

winery in 1928.

Born in Fasano, Italy, in 1887, Don

Valentín emigrated with his family to

Argentina in 1910. The next 18 years

saw him tackle just about every job

he could find in his effort to establish

himself. He worked for the Argentine

national railway and a French bank; he

was an auctioneer, and then certified as

a master builder; he represented man-

ufacturers of agricultural machines,

trucks and cars; he was a pioneer in

the wood industry; he founded a bus

company for travel between San Rafael

and General Alvear; and he served as a

councilman for the city of San Rafael.

Owning a winery was not only a long-

held dream, it was about the only thing

he hadn’t done.

The name of this small winery that

he purchased in 1928 was El Chiche,

where he produced a Riesling and a

fine red wine known as Super Medoc.

In 1934 his wines were declared the

‘Maximum Exponent of Quality’ at

the renowned Mendoza Official Wine

Exhibition and Contest, and word of

Bianchi’s wines spread to Buenos Aires

and beyond.

Don Valentín’s son Enzo soon fol-

lowed his father into the business. In

1951 the company became known as

Valentín Bianchi; today it’s known as

Casa Bianchi. Enzo Bianchi, with his

brother-in-law Aurelio Stradella, man-

aged the company through a period of

steady growth, in which they developed

new wines: of particular note is Don

Valentín Lacrado, a classic blend intro-

Casa BianchiWriting wine history

The vineyards of San Rafael, Mendoza, enjoy a lofty position – and not only because of their proximity to the Andes. The hard work and determination of the Bianchi family has helped shape and promote this entire region.

Valentin Bianchi, Raul Bianchi,

Sylvia Bianchi, Carla Bianchi,

Ricardo Stradella Bianchi and

Eduardo Stradella Bianchi

families of wine 13

duced in 1965 in honor of the founder.

Don Valentin’s third-generation heirs

continue the tradition of excellence. His

grandchildren – Valentín, Sylvia, Raúl

and Ricardo Stradella Bianchi – contin-

ue his legacy. Just as Enzo had released a

namesake wine in honor of his father in

1965, so has Valentin done for his father,

with the ultra-premium Enzo Bianchi

Gran Cru, released in 1994. In 2012,

Raúl released the ultra-premium María

Carmen, to honor their mother.

The personality of the terroir is reflected

in the wine they produce. Even at about

700 metres above sea level, the vineyards

are still towered over by the Andean foot-

hills, which act as a barrier from the damp

winds coming off the Pacific Ocean. This

unique landscape creates an ideal micro-

climate, with moderately warm summers

with warm days and cool nights. This

area of Argentina gets little rainfall, but

the vineyards are naturally irrigated with

water from the melting snow from the

Andes. Two rivers, the Diamante and the

Atuel, also irrigate the region and lend

alluvial soil to the vineyards.

The three vineyards – Asti, Las Paredes

and Doña Elsa – are planted over more

than 350 hectares. The rootstock is from

Valentín’s native Italy, along with vines

from France, adapted to climatic condi-

tions and regional soils to find the best

relationship between the site and variety to

highlight the virtues of the combinations.

Varieties include: Malbec, Chardonnay,

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir

(mainly used for highly awarded tradition-

al method sparkling wine), Syrah, Viognier

and Petit Verdot. Enzo Bianchi, Francisco

Martinez and currently Facundo Pereira

were and are head wine makers. The work

with the vines, terroir and conditions is

made more efficient and exact with the use

of cutting-edge technology, resulting in

wines that have received praise and awards

both in Argentina and abroad.

Today, Casa Bianchi’s wines are export-

ed to more than 40 countries. Some of

the more recognisable wines are Enzo

Bianchi, Particular Bianchi, Famiglia

Bianchi, Bianchi Extra Brut, Don

Valentín Lacrado and New Age, a pop-

ular lightly frizzante wine launched in

1995, which remains a big success, espe-

cially in Argentina and the USA.

An interesting project of note is the recent-

ly launched LEO wine, a joint develop-

ment between Casa Bianchi and the Leo

Messi Foundation, which works to devel-

op projects on education and health care

for children with social disadvantages. A

portion of the proceeds from the sale of

the wines – one of which is outfitted rather

sharply in a football jersey label – contrib-

utes to the Foundation’s cause.

The Bianchi family has a long been

involved in community outreach. From

the beginning, Don Valentín insisted

that the work of his team did not end in

the vineyards or the cellar — they were

to contribute to works of public good

throughout San Rafael, investing time

and energy in endeavours to better the

region. The Valentin Bianchi Foundation,

headed by Sylvia Bianchi, grand-daugh-

ter of the founder, is very active in this

regard. It’s one of the reasons why Casa

Bianchi is looked upon as a true ambas-

sador for San Rafael; they’ve attracted

attention to the region through their suc-

cess, and have given back to the region

through their actions.

Three generations later, with the fourth

one getting ready, the spirit, passion and

personality of Don Valentín Bianchi

courses through Casa Bianchi. It’s unlike-

ly that someone would have predicted

nearly a century ago that an industrious

jack-of-all-trades would be responsible for

bringing much of the world’s attention to

the now-famous vineyards of San Rafael,

Mendoza. The Bianchis probably couldn’t

see it any other way than how it happened,

of course. As the family likes to say — the

best part about history, is writing it.

INFOCasa Bianchi (Valentin Bianchi Sacif)Ruta 143 y Valentín Bianchi Street Alto Las Paredes - San Rafael Mendoza - Argentina Phone: + 54 260 444 9600www.casabianchi.com.ar

14 families of wine

It is an odd and often unremarked

fact that, while the wine world has

long been very much a male pre-

serve, one region has stood apart.

The history of Champagne has been

largely built by a number of high-

ly dynamic women, including a num-

ber of illustrious widows. Unlike those

formidable ladies, Evelyne Roques-

Boizel, who with her husband Christo-

phe Roques-Boizel now runs the fam-

ily Champagne house of Boizel, was

not married to the owner of a Cham-

pagne house. She was the daughter of

Rene Boizel, whose family had been

involved in grape growing and wine-

making around the villages of Ay and

Avize for centuries.

The company her father ran was origi-

nally founded in 1834 by Auguste Boizel

and, as a child, Evelyne was reminded

of its history by the array of old bottles

that were lovingly stored in the deep

underground chalk cellars of the win-

ery on Epernay’s prestigious Avenue de

Champagne.

Even today, the Boizel collection is the

most impressive of its kind in the region

and still includes 11 bottles of 180-year-

old Champagne from 1834, the year the

House first opened its doors for business.

Despite her immersion in the world of

wine, and a childhood that included

helping with the tasks in the vineyards

and cellars and relishing the aromas of

the fermenting juice, Evelyne Boizel’s

first instincts were to follow a quite dif-

ferent professional career. At universi-

ty in nearby Reims, she studied history

and archeology before moving to Paris to

take a course in museum curation.

While in the capital, she met and fell in

love with Christophe Roques, the son

of an academic family in Clermont-

Ferrand in the heart of France, who had

recently earned a first class engineering

degree. Within a year of their marriage,

however, the Roques-Boizels’ lives took

an unexpected turn when the death of

Rene Boizel and the serious illness of

Evelyne’s brother Eric left the business

without anyone at its head.

Champagne BoizelIn the tradition of the greatest Champagnes

The wines from the Champagne house of Boizel are recognised for their delicacy and finesse of touch. The house was established in 1834, with deep roots in the Champagne region that date back centuries.

Florent, Evelyne, Christophe

and Lionel Roques-Boizel

families of wine 15

Returning to Epernay, the couple had to

learn every facet of producing and sell-

ing Champagne. Fortunately, for their

first year, they had a skilled teacher at

hand in the shape of Marcel Carré, who

had been the head cellarmaster for over

50 years.

From the outset, Evelyne and Christo-

phe Roques-Boizel divided the essen-

tial tasks involved in running the busi-

ness. As general manager, Christophe

is in charge of sourcing the best grapes

– which come from as many as 50 of

the most prestigious villages (essential-

ly Grand and Premier Crus) – signing

long term contracts with growers, and

managing every aspect of production,

bottling and shipping. Evelyne, for

her part, is company president, enthu-

siastically representing the company in

France and overseas and building sales

to the best restaurants around the world,

along with setting up a dynamic direct

marketing business in France.

All the Boizel Champagnes spend at

least 36 months on their lees and only

the purest juice from the first pressing is

used in the blends. Finesse and balance

are key to the delicate Boizel style. The

Blanc de Blancs is well known for its

fresh zestiness, while the rosés are often

praised for their fullness of flavour. In

his book, Hugh Johnson once described

the Boizel Champagnes as one of Cham-

pagne’s surest values and the Blanc de

Blancs as brilliantly aged.

The jewel in the Boizel range is the well

named Joyau de France, created by René

Boizel in 1961, a legendary vintage. It

is only produced in the years with great

ageing potential and always released after

a minimum of 10 years ageing on lees.

The composition is around 60% Pinot

Noir and 40% Chardonnay, depending

on the vintage.

Today, a sixth generation of the family

is now involved in the winery. Lionel

Roques-Boizel manages the French

market, while Florent Roques-Boizel

represents the House overseas. As

Evelyne Roques-Boizel says, “We are

proud to have always put the quality

of the Champagnes first in all deci-

sions… We are very proud of the

continuity in the family involvement

to produce the best Champagnes.

Boizel is one of the rare family house

where the owners are responsible for

the blending and winemaking of all

the range”. As a true Champenoise,

Evelyne Roques-Boizel is not only an

ambassador for her wines, but also for

the whole Champagne region. There is

no question that she is a very worthy

follower in the honorable line of great

ladies of Champagne.

Boizel Grand Cru vineyards in Avize

planted with Chardonnay

INFOChampagne Boizel46 Avenue de Champagne51200 Epernay - FranceTel +33 (0)3 26 55 21 51www.boizel.comboizelinfo@boizel.frFacebook: www.facebook.com/ champagneboizel

16 families of wine

The year 2014 marks the 90th

anniversary of the momentous

voyage Vittorio De Bortoli took

across the world to Australia,

from his mountain village in the foot-

hills of the Italian Alps, near the historic

town of Asolo.

Four years later, he started a wine busi-

ness in the small town of Bilbul, 15km

from Griffith in the sunny Riverina

region of New South Wales, where his

wife Giuseppina was finally able to join

him. Most customers purchased their

wine in bulk, in wooden barrels or large

glass demijohns.

It was Vittorio’s son, Deen, born in

1936, who built the family business into

one of Australia’s top six wine companies

– despite the fact that he left school at

the age of 15 and had no formal win-

emaking education. His son Darren,

however, gained a Bachelor of Applied

Science winemaking degree at the pres-

tigious Roseworthy Agricultural College

in South Australia and used his knowl-

edge to improve the quality and reputa-

tion of the family’s wines significantly.

Darren De Bortoli was interested in the

sweet wines of Europe and, with the

encouragement of his father, decided to

try his hand at making a botrytis wine,

believing that the long dry autumn days

of the Riverina, interspersed with show-

ers, would be the right place to try it.

Unfortunately he reckoned without

grower resistance to allowing mould on

their grapes. Fortunately, there was a sur-

plus of Semillon grapes that year, so he

was able to buy what he needed – and

then he had to use family members to

pick them, as the pickers had all gone

home.

De Bortoli skillfully fermented the

grapes in oak barrels, applying the same

techniques as the top estates in Sau-

ternes. Everything went so well in 1982

that his first vintage beat some of the

finest examples from France in interna-

tional competitions and established itself

as an icon wine. Since its release Noble

One has been awarded no fewer than

130 trophies and 406 gold medals – a

De Bortoli An Italian-Australian dynasty

When Vittorio De Bortoli headed for Australia in 1924, he was seeking a better life for his family. Ninety years later, his descendants are part of one of Australia’s most renowned wine dynasties

Kevin, Emeri, Darren, Leanne

and Victor De Bortoli

families of wine 17

level of global success that has helped to

put De Bortoli on the map.

Today, Darren is Managing Director,

working alongside his sister Leanne and

her husband, winemaker Steve Webber,

one of Australia’s best-known wine per-

sonalities. It was Webber – 2007 winner

of Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine’s

Winemaker of the Year Award – who

helped to launch De Bortoli’s move

into the cool climate Yarra Valley in ear-

ly 1987. The creation of a new estate in

this premium region of Victoria, and

the access to finer quality grapes that

the move provided, entirely changed the

company’s fortunes. Soon the company

was producing stylish Chardonnay and

Pinot Noir that would have been impos-

sible in the warmer conditions of New

South Wales. Within a decade of open-

ing the Yarra Valley winery, De Bortoli

was awarded the Jimmy Watson Trophy

– Australia’s leading wine prize – for its

1996 Yarra Valley Gulf Station Reserve

Shiraz. This was just one of a long list

of medals and trophies the company has

won over the decades.

Over the last 25 years, De Bortoli has

expanded into many of Australia’s most

sought-after areas. It still produces wines

in the Riverina, where the company has

300 ha of vines, as well as at proper-

ties in the Hunter Valley in New South

Wales and in the Yarra and King Valleys.

The company also sources grapes from

premium sites in Heathcote and Morn-

ington in Victoria, in the Barossa and

McLaren Vale in South Australia, and

at Marlborough in New Zealand. Being

able to use top quality grapes from all

these regions enables the winemakers to

showcase some very diverse styles of the

same grapes. The DBHV Lower Hunter

Valley Shiraz, for example is a very dif-

ferent wine to the elegant Estate Grown

Shiraz from the Yarra Valley.

The De Bortolis also stay close to their

Italian heritage, producing wines that

showcase the flavours of Italy’s clas-

sic grape varieties, with a distinctive

Australian twist. There are varietals like

Moscato, Pinot Grigio, Vermentino,

Sangiovese and even, under the Melba

label, blends of Sangiovese and Cabernet

Sauvignon that pay homage to the Super

Tuscans.

Understanding the dangers of confus-

ing customers with all these styles, De

Bortoli has grouped them under an

array of labels including the Rococo

and Emeri sparkling wines; 3 Tales New

Zealand Sauvignon Blanc; and Vinoque

experimental wines that allow the win-

emakers to try out what they call more

‘artisan’ styles.

One of Australia’s largest family-held

companies, De Bortoli has long pur-

sued a sustainable strategy, including

biological farming, reducing their car-

bon footprint and recapturing and

cleaning water. Their stated goal of

being ‘The Zero Waste Wine Company’

and of leaving a legacy for future gen-

erations was recognised when the com-

pany won the Drinks Business Green

Awards International Sustainability

Award in 2011.

Most of these behind-the-scence efforts

and activities will, of course, go unno-

ticed by De Bortoli’s many fans. But the

results are there to taste, which is why

thousands of visitors flock to the com-

pany’s cellar door operations, complete

with a cheese shop and the award-win-

ning Yarra Valley restaurant, Locale – as

well as a view over some of Australia’s

most beautiful wine country.

Steve Webber, chief winemaker at Yarra

Valley, husband of Leanne De Bortoli

INFODe Bortoli WinesDe Bortoli Road, PO Box 21Bilbul NSW 2680AustraliaTel: +61 2 69660100www.debortoli.com.au

18 families of wine

After her marriage to the

Marchese di Barolo, Juliette

Colbert de Maulévrier fell in

love again – but her husband

had no reason to be jealous, as the object

of her passion was the Nebbiolo vine. It

was Juliette Colbert de Maulévrier who

recognised the potential of the vines on

the soils of lime, clay, marl and tufa in

the Piedmont microclimate. She set up

the wine cellar and named the wine

after its place of origin, according to the

French tradition.

She thus brought Italy’s most prestig-

ious wine to the world – Barolo. Many

other vintners and even more wine lov-

ers have also fallen in love with the wine.

The Marchese di Barolo, and also his

wife, were both very committed to the

welfare of their fellow men. They built

several schools, a home for young moth-

ers, used parts of the Palazzo di Barolo in

Turin as a home for workers’ children,

and founded a monastery.

However, in 1864, the Marchesa,

now called Giulia di Barolo Falletti,

died childless, thus ending the line of

the Marchesi di Barolo. Her material

inheritance was put into the Opera Pia

Barolo Foundation which was set up to

continue her charitable work. She also

left behind her love of Barolo as a legacy

that is accessible to everyone.

Pietro Abbona received a great deal from

this intangible legacy. In 1895, he began

working in his father‘s winery, but his

dream was the Marchesi di Barolo win-

ery. He wanted to go to the place where

Barolo had started out and from where it

began its triumphal advance to become

the wine of kings. In 1929, Pietro

Abbona finally achieved his dream

and, together with his brother Ernesto

and their sisters Celestina and Marina,

acquired the winery.

His arrival not only brought a new lus-

tre to the famous producer, it also ush-

ered in a new era for Barolo. For prov-

en Barolo-specialists such as Massimo

Marchesi di Barolo Out of love for Barolo

The story of Marchesi di Barolo is a love story that has been going on for more than 200 years. It began in 1807, when the Marchese di Barolo, Carlo Tancredi Falletti, fell in love with the French aristocrat Juliette Colbert de Maulévrier.

Barolo ambassadors backed by tradition:

Ernesto, Valentina, Anna and Davide Abbona

families of wine 19

Martinelli, Pietro Abbona is the first

of the pioneers of Barolo. He succeed-

ed in spreading the reputation of Baro-

lo far beyond its Piedmont home.

He dealt reverently with the lega-

cy that he was now able to continue.

His great respect for the creators of

Barolo is especially evident in the cellar.

Pietro Abbona kept and cherished the

wine barrels in which Marchesa Giulia

created Barolo from Nebbiolo gapes.

This legacy has been preserved to this

day. Five of the winery‘s very first barrels

are still used for ageing the wines. It is

as though the Barolo held by the ‘botti

della marchesa’ for two centuries had

given them something of its longevity.

The love of Barolo has been passed on

within the Abbona family from one gen-

eration to the next. Anna and Ernesto

Abbona are the fifth generation to man-

age the winery. While Ernesto takes care

of the production and management,

Anna is a tireless ambassador for Barolo

and represents the wines on numerous

trips. Their children are also ready to con-

tinue the family history. Their son Davide

is taking his winemaking education fur-

ther at university, while their daughter

Valentina is now fully involved in market-

ing the estate. She previously spent a year

in Asia in order to gain a better under-

standing of the local market.

The Abbonas are proud of their heritage

and the fact that the wines of Marchesi

di Barolo are still among the best exam-

ples from the region and are highly sought

after around the world. Their motto is

to combine tradition and evolution. As

Pietro Abbona was, they are committed to

the traditional methods but, at the same

time, they want to present Barolo in a con-

temporary way. A beautiful way for visi-

tors to the winery to enjoy it is to spend

time in the restaurant created by Anna

Abbona. The winery is a tourist magnet in

Piedmont, attracting 40,000 visitors each

year who then take their love of Barolo,

fostered here, back home with them.

The family’s bond with Barolo starts

with the vines. The aim is to promote

the biodiversity of the vineyard. This will

give the soil vitality and fertility, bene-

fiting the vines and ultimately the wine.

A particular challenge for the wine-

grower are the historic crus. It is a vocation

for the vintner to transfer the uniqueness

of these sites into the wine. This requires

a close familiarity with the land and a lot

of flexibility in the cellar in order to be

able to respond to each of the crus – and

Marchesi di Barolo boasts some of the

most prestigious crus in the Barolo area:

Cannubi is a site characterised by lime,

which is protected from extreme weath-

er conditions by the surrounding hills.

Coste di Rose is a very steep site with a

high quartzite content. Sarmassa faces

south-east and has very stony soil.

The wines originating from these sites

have an extremely long life. The fam-

ily is especially proud of this longevity

of Barolo. Here too, the family is main-

taining its traditional heritage, keeping

in its cellar several bottles from the 19th

century. At special tasting events, these

antique wines radiate the magic of Baro-

lo to wine lovers.

INFOCantine dei Marchesi di Barolo S.P.A.Via Alba, 1212060 Barolo CNItalyTel: +39 0173 564400Fax: +39 0173 564444

One of the best

places for Barolo

20 families of wine

The Baumgartner vineyard is a

happy family concern, and this is

something which is often by no

means a given. Unfortunately,

generational conflicts are, after all, a very

normal occurrence in family businesses.

Often, one generation prevails and sup-

presses the other. This is not the case with

the Baumgartners! Their success story is

based on the collaboration between father

Wolfgang and son Wieland Baumgartner.

The two are united by their goals and

visions, and they complement each other

perfectly with their respective skills.

The history of the Baumgartner vine-

yard goes back a lot further, however.

References to the family vineyard can be

found as far back as 1648. Prior to this,

records and any trace of it were lost in

the confusion of the 30 Year War. It is

certain, however, that the Baumgartner

family has been engaged in wine grow-

ing in Untermarkersdorf in the Wein-

viertel wine-growing area for 11 gen-

erations. Since then, the family has set

itself the task of embodying the creativi-

ty and undisturbed nature of this beauti-

ful landscape in its wines. Traditions and

experience have been passed on from

generation to generation and combined

with innovation to produce wines with

a special character. This exchange is a

feature of the collaboration between

Wolfgang and Wieland Baumgartner.

Despite the centuries-old tradition,

there was nothing to hint in 1968, when

Wolfgang Baumgartner joined the busi-

ness, that the Baumgartner vineyard

would become Austriaʼs biggest vine-

yard less than 50 years later. In 1968, the

Baumgartners had barely three hectares

of wine-growing land. Wolfgang extend-

ed the vineyard to include wine trading

and grape processing for other businesses.

He was one of the first in Austria to install

large, modern tanks in the wine cellar.

Wolfgang Baumgartner quickly recog-

nised that it was only possible to pro-

duce quality wines in high volumes just

by combining in-house grape processing

with an increase in the land available for

wine growing. Wolfgang found the per-

fect partner for this plan when his son

Wieland started at the vineyard in 1987.

Today, the storage tank capacity is

approximately 12 million litres, with 46

tanks with a capacity of 100,000 litres

each available for cold fermentation. Up

to 6,000 litres per hour can be bottled

in the bottling hall. Just as Wolfgang

planned, the wine-growing area has also

grown in size. The Baumgartner win-

ery cultivates 175 hectares of vineyard.

As a result of the ever-increasing invest-

ment in technology, the Baumgartners

have also become more interesting as a

wine-producing operation and, amongst

Baumgartner Work of generations

Anyone visiting the Baumgartner family’s vineyard has to take their hat off to what has been achieved here. Austria’s largest winery is an enterprise which has developed through the collaboration of generations.

The youngest generations

of the Baumgartner family

families of wine 21

other things, now produce wine from

the grapes of the 300-member Winzer

Pulkautal wine cooperative

The cellar is the realm of Wieland,

who also assumed overall responsibil-

ity for the company in 2000. “Wine

is fruit in a bottle,” is his motto and

he follows it meticulously. Thanks to

this philosophy, the Baumgartners are

held in high regard by retailers - not

least because they produce the neces-

sary volume. With an average volume

of 1.5m litres, they are the largest pro-

ducer of Weinviertel-DAC wines. But

the Baumgartners are not pure volume

producers, as evidenced by the numer-

ous awards they receive - for example,

the title of “Austrian Winery of the

Year” at the New York Wine Challenge

2013, where their 2011 Portugieser also

received the very rarely bestowed Dou-

ble Gold award.

Of course, the basis for this is provided

by the vineyards, for which Wolfgang

Baumgartner possesses a special intu-

ition. His experience tells him exact-

ly which vines are suitable for any one

location. For the Baumgartners, the typ-

ical Grüner Veltliner and Zweigelt grape

varieties are key, but some other special-

ities are also welcome. Their Pulka val-

ley origin works in their favour, and not

just because they know the area well.

The extensive landscape offers excellent

opportunities for expansion. Additionally,

the clay and loess soil make it possible to

produce the typical Grüner Veltliner and

full-bodied, velvety red wines.

It is a special privilege for visitors to the

vineyard if the Baumgartners invite them

to go underground with them. This is

because here, buried 25 metres under

the ground, is their vinothèque, which is

more like a library of their own works. It

is home to 140,000 bottles from the last

28 years. Perfect storage conditions at a

temperature of 8° Celsius and a humid-

ity level of 80 per cent are designed to

preserve the wines and provide later gen-

erations with an impression of the wine

of our times. Of course, not every wine

is suitable for such long storage periods,

and this is why the Baumgartners select

which wines are kept according to strict

criteria, having already established that

the excellent micro-climate ensures the

wines retain the respective grape variety’s

typical fruity aromas.

The vinothèque fits perfectly with the

Baumgartners’ philosophy of passing on

their tradition from generation to gener-

ation. Wielandʼs daughter Katharina also

fits in perfectly here. Currently she is

studying at the federal college for wine

and fruit growing in Klosterneuburg –

just as her father and grandfather did

previously. They are probably both look-

ing forward more than anyone to seeing

how she fulfils the second part of the

philosophy – improving the vineyard

through innovation.

Their own experience of this benefi-

cial cooperation between the genera-

tions will surely help them to remain

open to innovation. However, it will

be important for them to retain their

traditional values so that they remain a

reliable partner who can convince oth-

ers through their personal involvement

and enjoy the trust that makes it possi-

ble to do business based on the shake of

a hand – something that is becoming

ever rarer.

12 million litres of tank capacity are a visible

sign of Baumgartner’s professionalism

INFOBaumgartner Vineyard and WineryUntermarkersdorf 1982061 UntermarkersdorfAustriaTel: +43 (0)2943-2590Fax: +43 (0)2943-3402weinkellerei@wein- baumgartner.atwww.wein-baumgartner.at

When Francesco Capetta

decided to give up farm-

ing to open a wine shop in

Mondovi, in the foothills

of the Alps, at the end of the Second

World War, he could not have imagined

that 70 years later, his name would be

on the labels of one of the world’s most

popular sparkling wines. If he had real-

ly developed a taste for shopkeeping, the

Capetta, Balbi Soprani and Duchessa

Lia wine brands would never have been

born. But in his soul, Capetta was a

farmer, as his father had been, and as he

sold bottles produced by other people,

he began to dream of growing his own

vines, and of making his own wine.

In 1953, he finally decided that it was

time to stop dreaming. He closed his

shop and headed back to the area of

Piedmont where he was born and had

grown up. After searching for a while,

he found what he was looking for: A

tiny wine estate in Santo Stefano Belbo,

home of the famous Italian writer, Cesare

Pavese. He began to produce red wine,

which he sold to local inns and shops.

In those early years, Capetta’s business

was a very small affair, with just a couple

of tanks and a press. All of the work was

done by the family, with the two old-

est daughters lending a hand when they

Cantine Capetta Terroir plus grit and determination

When disaster struck their well-known winery in 1994, the Capetta family all pitched in to make sure they could fulfil their Christmas orders. It’s that determination that has made them a world-famous winery in just two generations.

22 families of wine

In the front: Gabriella Capetta (left)

and Carla Capetta (right)

In the back: Maria Teresa Capetta

and Riccardo Capetta

got back from school. But he appreci-

ated the potential of the vineyards by

which he was surrounded. Situated

in the heart of Piedmont between the

regions of Langhe and Monferrato, his

winery was close to the homes of such

illustrious wines as Moscato d’Asti, Asti,

Barbera d’Asti, Dolcetto d’Alba,

Nebbiolo d’Alba, Barolo, Barbaresco

and Brachetto d’Acqui. In the 1950s,

many of these wines – and Piedmont as a

region – were well known in Italy, but

it would take time before many of

them developed a following overseas.

From that time until his death in 1999,

Capetta grew his business to become one

of the most successful in the area.

This steady progress almost came to a

halt, however, on 5 November 1994,

when the winery was the victim of a

flood that left it full of water and mud

that in some places rose to almost two

metres in height. Smaller tanks were

knocked over and none of the equipment

could be used again. Capetta’s children

looked at the devastation and felt defeat-

ed, but their father refused to give in. He

knew that the survival of everything he

had created depended on being able to

supply orders for the all-important

Christmas market, due to begin less than

a month later. For 20 days, the family

and the Capetta employees worked day

and night to get the winery working

again. They were rewarded by the sight

of the sparkling wine line efficiently pro-

ducing beautifully-packaged bottles that

would make their way onto thousands of

tables during the holiday season.

Today, nine members of the Capet-

ta family share the responsibilities of

running a company whose winery now

covers 22,000 square metres, and boasts

nearly 120,000 hL of storage capacity. Ric-

cardo, Capetta’s son is president, while his

sisters, Maria Teresa, Carla and Gabriel-

la are, respectively, managing director,

credit manager and vineyard manager.

Visitors to the winery are greeted by Ric-

cardo’s wife Gloria who runs the front

of house, while Maria Teresa’s husband

Germano Bosio, the company’s oenol-

ogist presides over professional tastings.

Carla’s husband, Mario Del Tufo takes

care of sales, their daughter Chiara takes

care of marketing and her cousin, Sara

Bosio – Maria Teresa’s daughter – has the

role of chief controller.

Where other wine companies might have

board meetings in soulless offices, at the

Capetta winery the family can have their

discussions around a big table laden with

great Piedmontese food and bottles of

their delicious red, white, pink, still and

sparkling wines that are now recognised as

symbols of quality and excellence, both in

Italy and abroad. The current generation

has developed the business enormously

over the last 15 years, but they never for-

get that everything they have today is the

result of their father’s hard work, imagina-

tion and teaching, their employees’ passion

and abilities, and their own commitment

to follow in Francesco Capetta’s footsteps.

INFOCorso Piave, 14012058 SANTO STEFANO BELBO CNTel: +39 0141841611Fax.: +39 0141843277www.cantinecapetta.it

Cantine Capetta in the heart of Piedmont

families of wine 23

24 families of wine

One of the characteristics of many

family-run wine companies has

been the way in which they

have both helped to increase the

prestige of their regions and generously

shared their knowledge and expertise with

others. A fine example of this is offered by

Carpenè Malvolti, whose founder, Antonio

Carpenè, was one of the pioneers of quality

sparkling wines and distillates production.

After introducing the art of Champagne

and charmat-method sparkling wine

production to Italy with the launch of his

business in 1868, he also set up his country’s

first winemaking school, and wrote and

published several seminal practical and

theoretical essays on the subject.

In 1924, Carpenè’s son Etile pioneered the

notion of a regionally labelled ‘Prosecco

Amabile dei Colli di Conegliano’ and

cannily began to sell his grappa in a

distinctively shaped bottle that was based

on the vineyard workers’ tradition of

transporting a grappa-and-water drink in

a hollowed-out summer squash known as

a ‘tromboncino’ or ‘zucchetta’. Today, the

company’s range of grappas are among the

most respected in Italy.

Antonio Carpenè, the third generation of

the family, who took over the reins in 1934,

maintained the tradition of innovation

and regional leadership. Among the

technical innovations he introduced was

temperature control in the winery, which

did much to improve quality and con-

sistency. Neighbouring producers were

encouraged to focus on improving and

maintaining the reputation of the heart-

land of Prosecco with Carpenè’s foun-

dation of the Consorzio Tutela Prosecco

Conegliano Valdobbiadene.

Today, the business is run by the fourth and

fifth generations of the Carpenè family:

Etile and his daughter Rosanna, who have

worked hard to build global awareness of

the brand to the point at which it is now

sold in no fewer than 48 countries. The

range now has something for everyone,

from the 1868 Cartizze of the very fin-

est vineyards of Valdobbiadene and the

1868 Prosecco Superiore D.O.C.G., to

the distinctive Pinot Noir-Raboso Rosé

and the Millesimato Classic Method, to

continue with the fresh, Stelvin-sealed

Prosecco Frizzante and the distillates.

The enthusiasm to try new things has not

come at the expense of quality, and over

the years Carpenè Malvolti has amassed

an enviable collection of silver and gold

medals from respected competitions. To

encourage others, the company has also

created and sponsored a number of its own

awards.

These are exciting times for Prosecco

Superiore, one of the world’s fastest

growing wine styles. Recent years have

seen the tightening of the regulations

over the use of the region’s name, and

a much greater focus on the D.O.C.G.

super- regional sub-region of Conegliano

and Valdobbiadene, home to Carpenè

Malvolti. This trend towards higher quality

and prestige is very much in line with the

ambitions Antonio Carpenè revealed

when he launched his company and with

everything his family has achieved over the

last a century and a half.

Carpenè Malvolti Five generations of fine sparkling wine and distillates

Antonio Carpenè, founder of Carpenè Malvolti, is one of Italian winemaking’s historical heroes, being responsible for the country’s first winemaking school. He was also a Prosecco pioneer.

INFOCarpenè Malvolti S.p.a.Via A. Carperie 131015 ConeglianoTreviso, ItalyTel: +39 438364611export@carpene-malvolti.comwww.carpene-malvolti.com

Etile Carpenè Rosanna Carpenè

families of wine 25

The love story of Luigi and Anita

Cecchi began in Poggibonsi,

Tuscany in the 1950s, when

Luigi saw Anita whizz past on

her motor scooter. Intrigued by such an

adventurous woman, he pursued and

married her. Together, they poured their

hearts and souls into the Cecchi Winery

in Tuscany.

The story of Cecchi actually dates back

to 1893, when Luigi’s grandfather – also

Luigi – took his experience from working

at some of the most famous agricultural

companies in Tuscany and set out on his

own as a wine merchant and wine taster,

an uncommon profession in Italy at the

time. Luigi Cecchi, however, had the

foresight to see the potential of Italian

winemaking, and he believed it would to

soar to the apex of world oenology once

the quality of the wines was recognized.

In the early 1900s, his son Cesare helped

him to develop the wine label ‘Cecchi’,

and they began exploring international

markets. Cesare is remembered as a man

full of optimism and creativity, vision and

ambition, always striving for progress and

innovation — values he inherited from

his father, and instilled in his son.

Grandson Luigi’s intuition for

business and inspired introduction of

technological innovations helped dis-

tinguish Cecchi in the domestic wine

industry, and he and wife Anita worked

tirelessly to develop new territories in

the Americas and Australia. In 1962

they added the 120-ha Villa Cerna

property to their portfolio, both to pro-

duce Chianti Classico of elegance and

character, and also to give their sons a

wonderful setting in which to be raised.

It is Luigi’s and Anita’s two sons, Cesare

and Andrea, who are now at the company’s

helm, as the commercial director and

the production and technical director,

respectively. Inheriting the same enthu-

siasm and entrepreneurial know-how of

their predecessors, they are focused on

sustainability and their wine’s ability to

express its territory of origin.

In addition to Cecchi’s headquarters

in Castellina in Chianti and the Villa

Cerna estate in the heart of Chianti

Classico, they also hold Castello

Montauto in San Gimignano, where

they have been producing Vernaccia

di San Gimignano since the late

1980s; the Val delle Rose winery in

the Maremma area, where they pro-

duce Vermentino, as well as Merlot,

Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon

and Colorino, and the estate’s flag-

ship Morellino di Scansano DOCG

and Morellino di Scansano Riserva

DOCG; and the Tenuta Alzatura

winery in Montefalco, Umbria, where

they produce Montefalco Sagrantino

DOCG and Montefalco Rosso DOC.

More than a century after Luigi Cecchi

took the plunge into wine, his risk taking

has taken off. Not only is Italian wine

recognized the world over for its quality,

but the name ‘Cecchi’ itself, worthily

synthesized by its award- winning iconic

wine COEVO, stands for some of the

finest wines being produced in the world

today.

Cecchi A love affair with wine

A girl on a motor scooter, a first date that begins as a bet and ends with dancing in front of an orchestra, and a Tuscan winery — the Cecchi story has all the elements of an Italian romance.

INFOCecchiLocalità Casina dei Ponti, 5653011 Castellina in Chianti – Siena, ItalyTel: +39 0577 54311www.cecchi.net

Cesare and Andrea Cecchi.

26 families of wine

It seems that there has always been a

distinct division of responsibilities

between Jiannis and Theodoros.

Jiannis is CEO of Cavino and The-

odoros is the company‘s president. Jian-

nis is responsible for export and Theo-

doros for the domestic market. Jiannis

is studying oenology and Theodoros,

business. Their father, Constantinos

Anastasiou, must have been very pleased

to see the two of them complement each

other so well and master every facet of

the business he built up.

The Anastasious have been wine grow-

ers for many generations, exactly like

many other families. They had a close

association with their home in Aigion

in the north of the Peloponnese region,

and harvested raisins and grapes. It was

Constantinos Anastasiou who took the

next step and founded the Cavino win-

ery in 1958. CA represented his initials,

and VINO was clear to all.

It was perhaps his openness more than

anything that set the plucky business-

man apart from the rest, and his vision

stretched way beyond his own sphere

of activity. He observed international

developments with interest and respond-

ed to trends. He recognised that Ger-

man consumers liked to drink sweet

wine and developed Imiglykos especial-

ly for them. Consequently, Cavino was

one of the first Greek wineries to sell

wine in Germany. The company has

been exporting to Germany since 1970.

The wines came into their own in the

increasingly popular Greek restaurants

in Germany.

Sometimes it seems that the image of

Greece has changed radically in recent

years. In view of the financial crisis,

respect for the philosophical and cul-

tural achievements of ancient times

and enthusiasm for the Greek way of

life have taken a back seat. When the

Anastasiou family sees this, it must be

with a heavy heart as they have been

heavily involved in the export market

for a long time and played an important

part in promoting positive emotions for

Greece throughout the world.

Their open approach to other countries has

also helped the family during the finan-

cial crisis. Because Cavino’s business was

already focused on export, it has been hit

less hard by the fall in demand in Greece.

Its good contacts abroad have even made it

possible for Cavino to continue its growth

on a sound economic basis. Seventy-five

per cent of its production is exported. Ger-

many is still by far the biggest market, but

meanwhile Cavino wines can be found in

41 countries, including in the USA and

China, as well as in markets such as Brazil

and Nigeria.

Constantinos Anastasiou could, of

course, not have predicted this suc-

cess at the outset. He concentrated on

producing typical Greek wines. His high

level of quality awareness enabled him

to build an internationally competitive

company for Jiannis and Thoedoros to

grow into.

A milestone in the company’s develop-

ment was the establishment, in 1999,

Cavino Open to innovation

When Constantinos Anastasiou handed over Cavino to his sons Jiannis and Theodoros in 2002, it was already one of the most modern wineries in Greece. Now the pair are carrying on their father’s good work.

Jiannis and Theodoros Anastasiou

are on target for Cavinoʼs expansion

families of wine 27

of the Domaine Mega Spileo in the

historical vineyard of the monastery of

the same name which, when translated,

means the great cave. Whilst the mon-

astery, which is built on a steep hillside,

can only be reached with difficulty, Cav-

ino saw to it that the wines were again

available. Wine lovers can be very hap-

py about this, since the 800m high vines

produce outstanding wines. The gravel

and clay soil give them a special terroir.

In former times, donkeys transported the

grapes to the poorly accessible monastery

cellar, but Cavino brought the vineyards

abandoned in the late 1980s into the

present. And so Cabernet Sauvignon,

Merlot, Syrah and Riesling were plant-

ed in the vineyard alongside the indige-

nous varieties. In the cellar, the wines are

given time to mature. Following macer-

ation, the red wines mature for 16 to 24

months in the barrel. Subsequently, they

are allowed to spend a further two years

in the bottle. The wine producer has

received many awards at international

wine contests. The 2007 Cabernet Sau-

vignon was given the title of Best Greek

Red Wine at Mundus Vini 2013.

Cavinoʼs growth was not limited to

Mega Spileo. A large number of classical

Greek wines are produced in the high-

ly efficient winery in Aigion, including

Retsina, Imiglykos, Imixiros and Ionos.

In addition to these are wines where the

emphasis is placed on where they come

from, whether it be Nemea, Naoussa or

Patras. Cavinoʼs commitment to the dif-

fusion of Greek food and drink culture is

also reflected in some of the companyʼs other products. Olives from the Aigion

region and olive oil are produced under

the Oliana brand name. Moreover, Ouzo

and the pomace brandy Tsipouro are pro-

duced under the brand name of Romios.

Cavino’s power of innovation is demon-

strated by the Deus line. Here, both

indigenous and international grape vari-

eties come into their own, as does the

Anastasiousʼ love of experimentation,

which is breaking new ground with the

Deus white and rosé sparkling wines.

Their willingness to be open to new ide-

as and determination to continuously

change and improve are the characteris-

tics that set the Anastasiou family apart.

Cavino benefits from this enthusiasm

for innovation, just as it does from the

fact that the Anastasious are interested

in the long-term development of their

family business. This has an impact not

only on their employees, some of whom

have been with Cavino for more than 30

years, but also on their long-term rela-

tionships with customers. Awards for

‘Best Winery in Greece’ from the Wine

and Spirits Magazine 2009, Best Red

Wine in Greece at Mundus Vini (Cab-

ernet Sauvignon Domaine Mega Spileo

in 2013 and Domaine Mega Spileo in

2014) and National Champion at the

European Business Awards 2013/14 are

the reward for continuity and the best

proof that the company is also well-

equipped for succeeding generations.

Domaine Mega Spileo

is the figurehead

INFOCavino S.A.Gefyra Maganiti25100 AigionGreeceTel: +30 26910 72003Fax: +30 26910 71201cavino@otenet.grwww.cavino.gr

28 families of wine

When Belgian couple

Kathleen Van den Berghe

and Sigurd Mareels first

saw Château de Minière,

it was love at first sight. Nestled among

the vineyards in France’s Loire Valley,

Château de Minière looks like a build-

ing from a fairytale.

The property so captivated them that

Van den Berghe and Mareels bought it as

much for its charm as for its winegrow-

ing abilities. With 18 hectares under

vine – some of which are more than a

century old – spread over three of the

seven municipalities of the appellation

(Ingrandes de Touraine, Restigné and

Benais), they – along with winegrower

Eric Goujat – produce a range of

award-winning light- to full-bodied red

wines that are 100% Cabernet Franc and

100% certified hand-harvested organic.

Promoting their organic practices, they

believe that healthy soil is not only better

for the environment, but it also ensures

superior quality and flavour of the wine.

Weeding between rows, adding organic

materials, excluding chemical fertilizers,

and ploughing under the rows are all

practices employed.

From the moment Van den Berghe

and Mareels took ownership, every

step of the restoration has been con-

ducted with a modern touch, but with

careful consideration for tradition and

historic preservation. And there’s a lot

to preserve — through the centuries the

estate has served as a fortified farm, a

mansion and the Château. It has been

handed down through a line of wom-

en for two centuries, beginning when

Marie- Genevieve d’Espinay married

Martial du Soulier in 1767, bringing

him the property in her dowry.

The grounds offer a dynamic variety

of plants from all over the world, from

giant sequoias that are 150- to 200-years

old, to the ‘tree of heaven’, a member of

the Simaroubaceae family from China.

Self-guided walks around the grounds

are popular, as they are around the rest

of the Château and vineyard. The bou-

tique offers artisanal, wine-based prod-

ucts such as pieces of art, jam, fruit on

wine, gifts around wine, unique pieces of

furniture, and more. And special activi-

ties such as meals with assorted wines,

wine tasting, vineyard activities, profes-

sional seminars in the historic building,

and even life coaching in the park are

tailor-made for guests.

They are now experimenting with new

styles of wines – in particular, ‘sparkling/

pétillant naturel’ wines – becoming one

of the first wineries to offer a 100%

Cabernet Franc sparkling dry red.

This effort, as with everything else at

Château de Minière, will be focused on

how it complements the complete wine

experience, as their goal is to leave guests

with a strong connection to not only the

Château’s wine, but to its environment

and the conservation of its unique history.

Château de MinièreA complete wine experience

A château with a storied past and a couple with some progressive ideas have found each other in France’s Loire Valley. The Complete Wine Experience serves up fresh ideas in a fairytale setting.

INFOChâteau de Minière23 rue de Minière37140 Ingrandes-de- Touraine, FranceTel: +33 2 47 96 94 30www.chateaudeminiere.com

Kathleen Van den Berghe with Sofie Mareels, Sigurd Mareels and Simon Mareels

families of wine 29

This wine has a special story to

tell. When it was created in

1985, Chivite was not, as the

name suggests, celebrating 125

years in existence, as the Chivite fam-

ily have been winegrowers since 1647,

spanning 11 generations. The wine is

dedicated to a different family anniver-

sary – the first export of wine in 1860.

At that time, Chivite exported wine to

France because there was a wine short-

age there as a result of the oidium crisis.

Chivite’s pioneering role in the Spanish

export trade is demonstrated by the

fact that it has an ID number of 120 in

Spain’s general export register.

During its history, the family always

managed to identify and seize oppor-

tunities. Thus, in 1872, Claudio

Chivite, great-grandfather of the current

Chairman Julian Chivite, acquired a

cave in a quarry, where he established his

wine cellar, rather than building a new

one from scratch. It was his son Felix

who, in 1877, created the company’s

first wine brand, Felix Chivite.

Despite their own long tradition and

extensive experience of winegrowing, the

family also calls on external expertise.

The world-renowned wine expert Denis

Dubordieu has been advising the fami-

ly exclusively in Spain for over 20 years.

The aim of the collaboration is to give the

wines more finesse and longevity.

Each of the 11 generations of the family

has given the company a new impetus. The

current CEO Julian Chivite and his father

Julian Chivite Sr. set the company onto a

new growth trajectory. Julian Chivite Sr.

was an innovator who set the focus on

quality and introduced new marketing

ideas. He and his son expanded the fam-

ily portfolio to include wines from with-

in and from outside their home region of

Navarre. Viña Salceda in Rioja Alavesa was

added, as was Señorio de Arinzano, which

was designed by leading architect Rafael

Moneo. The vineyards of this winery in

the north of Navarre are of such quality,

they were only the fifth Spanish vineyard

to be granted the Vino de Pago status of an

estate wine. In Ribera del Duero, Chivite

also acquired 45 hectares of vineyards in

La Horra. Gran Feudo Verdejo from D.O.

Rueda and Gran Feudo Rioja have been

added to the Group range, as well.

It was Julian Chivite Sr. who, with his

talent and his unique charisma, suc-

cessfully took on the role of a Spanish

wine merchant and thereby gained the

best contacts in the wine industry. The

brand Gran Feudo, created by him in

1975, is also the most well-known rosé

wine from Navarre worldwide thanks

to Chivite’s export history. He was an

upright, widely-skilled man with spe-

cial charisma. He was an outstanding

person.

Multi-award-winning Chivite wines are

served at important occasions, such as

the meeting of the heads of state of the

NATO countries and the royal wedding.

The fame and popularity of these wines is

undiminished, even after 11 generations.

The name of Chivite will be around in the

wine world for a long time to come.

J. Chivite Family Estates Spanish export pioneer

Chivite is more than just a wine family – Chivite is a wine dynasty. It is very fitting, then, that Chivite Coleccion 125 was served at the wedding of King Felipe VI of Spain to Queen Letizia.

INFOJ. Chivite Family Estates, S.L.Road NA-132 Km. 3.131264 Aberin, NavarreTel: +34 948 555 285www.chivite.cominfo@bodegaschivite.com

Julian Chivite and

consultant Denis Dubordieu

form a strong team

Concha y Toro is such a huge

international company that it

comes as a surprise to many that

it is still family controlled. The

saga began in 1883 when a politician

and businessman called Don Melchor

Concha y Toro imported both French

cuttings from Bordeaux to plant at

Pirque in the Maipo Valley, and an

expert French oenologist whose task it

was to grow them and turn their grapes

into high quality wine. This was a rev-

olutionary step at a time when most

Chilean wine was produced from undis-

tinguished local Pais grapes and drunk

locally within a year or so of the harvest.

Following the death of Don Melchor

in 1892, his son, Juan Enrique Concha

Subercaseaux, took over and continued

to build up the company and its repu-

tation. In 1933 it sent its first shipment

of wine to Europe – to Rotterdam in

Holland.

Twenty-four years later, another dynam-

ic family arrived at Concha y Toro in the

shape of Eduardo Guilisasti Tagle, who

is credited with driving a programme of

innovation and expansion whose impact

is still felt today. Among the steps he

took was the purchase of the top qual-

ity Puente Alto vineyard, and the crea-

tion of a new brand called Casillero del

Diablo, which exploited an old legend

about the cellar being protected by the

devil. This became Chile’s first premium

wine brand, with sales of more than 4

million cases today.

The 1980s were a time for further

improvement in winemaking, includ-

ing the introduction of French oak

barrels for the ageing of top wines.

One of these was Don Melchor from

Puente Alto, which was first produced

in 1987 with the aspiration to be

Chile’s leading Cabernet Sauvignon As

had happened nearly a century earli-

er, French expertise was brought in to

help achieve the levels of finesse and

complexity the winemaking team were

looking for.

Concha y ToroAn ambassador for Chile

Concha y Toro is a mighty company with properties around the world, whose name is a byword for quality. But however influential the company grows, it stays firmly in family hands.

Rafael and Eduardo Guilisasti Isabel Guilisasti

30 families of wine

In 1993, Concha y Toro decided that it

was time to create a new brand for some of

its more innovative wines, and Cono Sur

was born. Three years later, the company

crossed the Andes to launch an Argentine

brand called Trivento, which has grown to

become Argentina’s second biggest exporter.

While making inroads into the popular

segments of overseas markets, howev-

er, the company retained the ambition to

produce truly world-class wines alongside

Don Melchor. In 1997, Eduardo Guilisasti

Tagle signed a joint venture with the late

Baroness Philippine de Rothschild to cre-

ate Viña Almaviva, as Chile’s first Primer

Orden – the equivalent of a Bordeaux

Premier Grand Cru Classé.

The efforts of these years paid off

handsomely, with a long list of awards

and official recognitions. In 1999,

Wine Spectator named Concha y Toro

the most important producer in Chile

and Argentina; in 2005, that same pub-

lication named the 2001 Don Melchor

as fourth in its Top 100 wines and in

2006 and 2007 the Wine Spectator

and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

respectively gave Concha y Toro reds

the highest marks either had ever

awarded to a Chilean wine. The sec-

ond of these ratings was especially

welcomed by the company because it

was for the Carmín de Peumo 2003,

Concha y Toro’s flagship Carménère,

which came from one of the oldest

vineyards of the company located in

Peumo, Cachapoal Valley.

As Concha y Toro entered the second

decade of the 21st century, its own wines

found new markets across the globe.

These wines included Terrunyo, the

Marques de Casa Concha and Gravas del

Maipo and the award-winning Amelia

Chardonnay; and a range of associ-

ated brands including Viña Maipo,

Canepa, Viña Palo Alto, Trivento

and Fetzer, the Californian winery

in acquired in 2011. An understand-

ing of the importance of distribution

has always been treated with the same

seriousness as the company’s focus

on quality. So, after building its pres-

ence in the crucial market of the UK,

efforts have been made to become a

leading exporter to Scandinavia and

Brazil and various parts of Asia, includ-

ing Korea and mainland China. It was

Concha y Toro’s understanding of the

Asian market that led the company to

sign a ground-breaking sponsorship

agreement with Manchester United,

bringing together the ‘Red Devil’ soc-

cer team with the fiery devil that is the

internationally familiar Casillero del

Diablo image.

Today, the Guilisasti family still holds

the reins at Concha y Toro, with Eduardo

Guilisasti Gana – winner of the 2011

Meininger’s International Wine Entre-

preneur of the Year award – following

in the footsteps of his father, Eduardo

Guilisasti Tagle. Rafael Guilisasti Gana,

Eduardo’s brother, is vice chairman and

Isabel Guilisasti Gana has the role of

marketing manager for specific origin

wines. But there is a clear link to the

past, as Mariano Fontecilla de Santia-

go Concha, a descendent of the origi-

nal Don Melchor and former Chilean

ambassador to Norway, Spain, Italy and

the Vatican, still serves on the company

board.

INFOVina Concha y ToroAvda. Nueva Tajamar 481,Torre Norte, Piso 15, Las Condes, Santiago, ChileTel: (+562) 224765000 www.conchaytoro.com

families of wine 31

32 families of wine

Some wine companies can take

pride in having been under the

control of the same family for

two or three hundred years.

Very, very few can look back over

seven centuries. As long ago as 1300, a

Frescobaldi could stand on the terrace of

his Tenuta di Castiglioni home in Val di

Pesa, to the south west of Florence, look

out across his vineyards and consider the

differences in the flavours of the wines

that came from each part of the estate.

We know that these individual charac-

teristics and the general quality of their

wines mattered to the Frescobaldi family

all those years ago, because they kept

records that can still be read today.

The family had already been a distin-

guished banking dynasty since the ear-

ly days of the city-state of Florence,

commissioning architectural marvels

such as the Church of Santo Spirito and

the Santa Trinità bridge across the riv-

er Arno. Among their friends were poets

and artists such as Dante Alighieri and

Donatello, a regular buyer of wine from

their Nipozzano estate. Another historic

fan was the English king Henry VIII,

who served Frescobaldi at his sixteenth

century court.

In more recent times, the Frescobaldi

name has been synonymous in wine

circles with both quality and innovation.

In 1855, they were the first in Tuscany to

plant Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot

Nero and Chardonnay, at Nipozzano

and at their Pomino domaine. This last

estate was also the place where, in 1894,

they built Italy’s first gravity-fed cellars.

Always on the lookout for unu-

sually fine vineyards, they bought

Castelgiocondo in Montalcino in 1989

where, six years later, they created the

Luce della Vite Estate. Since then,

they have also acquired the Estate of

Conti Attems in Friuli, taken over the

management of the Ornellaia estate in

Bolgheri, and opened an ultra-modern

cellar – Tenuta dell’Ammiraglia - in

Maremma.

Proof of the quality of the Frescobaldi

wines has regularly been provided by

top critics in Italy and across the world.

There have been frequent awards

of scores of over 90 points by publi-

cations such as the Wine Advocate,

Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast,

and their Nipozzano wine frequently

features on lists of the world’s finest

100.

A notable recent initiative has been the

launch of a highly praised organic white

wine called Gorgona, which is produced

largely by the inmates of a prison on an

island around 30k off the Tuscan coast.

Working on every aspect of the wine is

helping the prisoners to reintegrate into

society after their release.

Another wine launched in 2014 is

Nipozzano Vecchie Viti, expression of an

ancient family tradition and of the soil

and climate of Nipozzano, the historical

family estate.

President of the company is – since June

2013 – Lamberto Frescobaldi, born

and brought up with a great passion

for wine: his aim, along with the other

family members, is to produce quality

Tuscan wine and care for the family busi-

ness their ancestors established so many

centuries ago

Marchesi De’Frescobaldi Rooted in Tuscany, internationally significant

The Frescobaldi family, originally from Florence, are a noble family who have been involved in the cultural, poli-tical and economic life of Tuscany since the Middle Ages.

INFOMarchesi de‘ FrescobaldiVia S. Spirito 11 50125 Filorence ItalyTel: +39 055 27141www.frescobaldi.it

The Frescobaldi Family: Cristiana, Leonardo, Vittorio, Ferdinando, Rosaria,

Diana, Lamberto, Stefano Benini, Diletta and Tiziana Frescobaldi

families of wine 33

For lawyer Paolo Endrici and his

wife German architect Christine,

continuing the family winery

– founded in 1885 – into the

fourth generation was a heartfelt endeav-

our. They had a dream of making

Endrizzi wines from Masetto well-

known throughout the world for their

elegance and quality.

Career-changers have a reputation for

bringing fresh air to a winery because

of their open-mindedness, and that

certainly applies to Paolo and Chris-

tine; however, others in the family were

the real revolutionaries. Right from the

outset when they set up the winery,

Francesco and Angelo Endrici broke the

rules by planting the Bordeaux grape

varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

and Cabernet Franc, a first for Trentino.

The brothers also thought far beyond

their immediate environment when

it came to distribution, establishing

branches in Prague, Belgrade, Vienna

and St. Magrethen in Switzerland before

World War One.

The Endricis still benefit from this

pioneering spirit today, enabling them to

produce a wide range of wines. Cabernet

in particular has proved to be an ideal

grape variety for the Masetto terroir,

which is characterised by its proximity

to Lake Garda, its Mediterranean tem-

peratures and a fresh breeze from the

Dolomites. Masetto DUE, a blend of the

indigenous grape variety Teroldego and

globetrotter Cabernet Sauvignon, cap-

tures the diversity of the Endricis. And

the fifth generation has also already left

its mark on the winery; Lisa Maria and

Daniele, Paolo and Christine’s children,

have been able to put into practice the

knowledge they gained studying in

Geisenheim and Bordeaux.

The Masetto wine range, named after

their home town, is a particular-

ly good example of how the Endricis

renew traditions, while at the same

time striving to bring progress to Tren-

tino. The flagship wine, Gran Masetto,

is traditionally made entirely from

Teroldego grapes. However, a new fea-

ture is that the grapes are now partially

dried, something no-one had ever

attempted before with Teroldego. This

innovative spirit has been rewarded with

numerous awards, including the Grand

Gold award for their 2007 vintage at the

MUNDUS VINI wine competition.

Today, the Endricis are an Italian/ German

family success story. Christine’s brother,

Thomas Kemmler, has also caught the

wine bug and plays a more important

role in the family business than simply

running the German branch. Just like

their pioneering predecessors, the fourth

and fifth generation also look beyond

their boundaries. In the year 2000, in

conjunction with Thomas Kemmler,

the Endricis acquired the Serpaia di

Endrizzi winery in Tuscany. They

breathed new life into the 30 hectares

of vines in Maremma by cultivating the

vineyards as naturally as possible and

producing typical Italian wines. What

boundaries will the family transcend

next?

Endrizzi The lawyer of Trentino

The Endricis have always been winemakers and lawyers. Paolo Endrici combines both of these family traditions. This makes him the ideal person to represent his home region of Trentino as president of the wine consortium’s marketing commission.

INFOEndrizzi38010 Michele all’AdigeLoc. Masetto (TN)ItalyTel: +39 0461 650129Fax: +39 0461 650043www.endrizzi.itinfo@endrizzi.it

Paolo, Lisa Maria, Christine, Daniele Endrici

and Christine’s brother Thomas Kemmler

34 families of wine

Ferrari was founded in Trento by

agronomist Giulio Ferrari. The

spectacular region is dominated

by lofty snow-capped moun-

tains, and green valleys formed by the

Adige river. Culturally the region is as

diverse as its terrain; it had been part

of the Austro-Hungarian empire, so

vineyards had both German and Italian

grape varieties. Ferrari had spent some

time in Champagne, however, which

convinced him that his home region

of Trentino was the perfect place for

Chardonnay. He became the first per-

son to plant it there, and Ferrari’s first

‘Champagne’ was released in 1902.

The business remained a relatively small

one and Ferrari himself had no heirs to

hand it on to, so he sold his business to

Bruno Lunelli, a wine merchant. Lunelli’s

sons took charge of the business in 1968,

and the next year one of them, Mauro,

created Italy’s first traditional method rosé.

Sparkling wine made using Champagne

techniques was still relatively rare in Italy.

Like Ferrari before him, Mauro Lunelli

also visited Champagne, returning to Ita-

ly fired with new ideas, and the realiza-

tion that bottle ageing the wine on lees for

longer would give it more complexity. In

1971 he put this new insight into action.

The company had moved to a new win-

ery and the first vintage bottling was put

on lees for five years. A year later, Lunelli

went further, bottling 5,000 bottles of

Chardonnay – which he hid from his

siblings, so he could age the wines for a full

eight years. These spectacular wines were

finally revealed in 1980 and named the

Giulio Ferrari Riserva del Fondatore, now

the flagship of the house.

It was a good time to launch a prestige

product, as the economy of northern Italy

was on the cusp of a long boom. Not

only that, but Italy’s president Alessandro

Pertini decided in 1978 that it was time to

serve Italian wine at state functions, and

Ferrari was the natural choice to replace

Champagne. And then, of course, came

the spectacular Italian win against Spain

at the World Cup in 1982, which sealed

Ferrari’s place in the heart of Italians.

Today, the family baton has passed to

Matteo Lunelli, now chairman, and his

three cousins: Marcello Lunelli, Camilla

Lunelli and Alessandro Lunelli, who are all

actively involved in the business.

The Lunelli family have done their utmost

to respect the memory of their founder,

Giulio Ferrari. Not only have they placed

his name on their flagship wine, but every

tour through their facilities begins with the

tale of Ferrari and his first wine. Ferrari

chose his successor well; the Lunelli family

have proved not just superb winemakers,

but also a dynamic dynasty.

In 1982 they bought the Segnana grappa

brand, and then later acquired Surgiva bot-

tled water, which they so revitalized that it

has become the chosen water of the Ital-

ian Sommelier Association. Later on, their

wine holdings spread to include properties

in Umbria, Trentino and Tuscany, under the

name Tenute Lunelli. In 2014 the company

announced that it had acquired a 50% stake

in premium Prosecco producer Bisol, to give

them access to the growing Prosecco market.

They also have a close relationship to the

terroir of Trento, adopting organic agri-

culture, and spearheading the move into

higher altitudes to protect grape acidity

as the climate warms and snow disappears

from the Dolomite mountains.

It’s this ability to preserve the best of the

past and present, while preparing for the

future, that has put the Lunelli family at

the pinnacle of Italian winemaking.

Ferrari F. LLI Lunelli Life at Italy’s pinnacle

When Italy won the World Cup in 1982, player Paolo Rossi celebrated the astonishing victory by raising a magnum of sparkling wine towards his mouth. Viewers took note of the name on the bottle: Ferrari. Overnight, the respected Italian producer became a national icon.

INFOCantine Ferrari Via Del Ponte1538123 TrentoTel: +39 (0461) 972311info@ferraritrento.itwww.ferraritrento.it

Marcello, Camilla, Matteo

and Alessandro Lunelli

families of wine 35

In 1969, when hotelier and restaura-

teur Mario Fantinel set out to pro-

vide his clientele with a top-notch

wine list, he went to greater lengths

than normal – he bought his own vine-

yard. His purchase of the well-regard-

ed land near Dolegna del Collio in the

Carnia region in northeastern Italy was

a remarkable display of customer service

and hospitality, that also launched the

Fantinel family wine business.

In a few quick years ‘Paron’ Mario’s pas-

sion and entrepreneurial enthusiasm

drew in his three sons, Luciano, Gianfran-

co and Loris, and in 1973 they set out to

expand the family’s land assets. Through

meticulous selection, they bought

hectare after hectare of the best vineyards

in the Collio, Grave and, eventually, the

Colli Orientali zones, all to solidify

the foundation of a business created to

produce quality wines.

The vinification of exclusive, proprie-

tary grapes, such as Refosco – to which

Mario was particularly devoted – at the

La Roncaia estate in Cergneu di Nimis,

has led to the production of wines of

superior quality. The wines have struck

a delicate balance between the histor-

ic winegrowing tradition of Friuli and

the perpetual innovation of the family,

which has seen numerous partnerships

spun in interesting ways.

In 1994, Fantinel set up a partnership

with Collio wines in Canada. In 1994

they took a bold step to launch the first

joint venture of its kind to produce

wines for the Cuban market.

Pane, Vino e San Daniele is probably the

most visible example of the family’s inno-

vation. An assortment of upscale wine

bars that can be found throughout Italy,

Pane, Vino e San Daniele – the first of

which opened in San Daniele del Friuli in

1998 – promotes the slow food philoso-

phy and the enjoyment of local products

with family and friends, with an empha-

sis on the wines of Fantinel and the hams

that are produced in conjunction with

the Testa e Molinaro company.

The third Fantinel generation of Marco,

Stefano and Marielena have become

involved, and are now following the family

tradition of leading the company in new

directions with interesting projects.

One notable project is the work done

for the Convention for the Use of Food

Micro-Algae, Intergovernmental Institu-

tional Spirulina Program (IIMSAM) – for

whom Marco Fantinel serves as a Good-

will Ambassador – dedicated to promoting

the use of spirulina to improve the lives of

children in third-world nations who suf-

fer from hunger. For the project, Fantinel

released the Celebrate Life Merlot in 2008,

and contributes $1.00 to IIMSAM for

each bottle sold.

Marco is also part of a joint venture that

has recently launched I-Spirit Vodka,

“obtained from the skilled distillation of

the finest cereals and selection of excellent

white wines.”

Fantinel’s innovation continues through

interesting partnerships and projects, but it

can be argued that the family has achieved

so much success in such a short amount of

time because of the founding principles set

down Mario Fantinel when he purchased

the vineyard in Friuli back in 1969 –

everything is done to provide the highest

quality for their customers.

Fantinel A dedication to service

Founder Mario Fantinel was so dedicated to customer service that he decided to produce his own wines, so he could get the quality he wanted. That decision launched a multi-generation company.

INFOGruppo Vinicolo Fantinel spaVia Tesis n° 8, 33097 Spilimbergo (PN) - ItalyTel: +39 0427 591 511Fax: +39 0427 591 529www.fantinel.com

Luciano, Loris and Gianfranco Fantinel

Stefano and Marco Fantinel

Vassili Kourtakis

Angelos Rouvalis and Tassos Drosiadis,

winemaking team at Oenoforos

36 families of wine

It started out as a small business

for the production and quali-

ty control of wine in Athens.

In 1905, Vassili Kourtakis

established his first small winery in the

Mesogeia region, located approximate-

ly 30 kilometres east of Athens, then

one of the most important wine-grow-

ing regions in Greece. The wine was

brought to Athens and to the nearby

islands in casks. The most popular was

the long-lasting, aromatic retsina. The

tradition of resinated wine dates back

to ancient Greece. Wine was stored

with resin in sealed tubes or ampho-

rae, giving it its characteristic flavour.

Nowadays, small pieces of resin are

added to the wine during fermentation

to achieve a similar flavour. The retsi-

na produced by Vassili Kourtakis, the

first qualified winemaker in modern

Greece, gained an excellent reputation

due to its consistently high quality.

Vassili’s son Dimitri (1908-2005) stud-

ied winemaking in France in the 1930s

and brought back several ideas with him.

Dimitri Kourtakis introduced marketing

into the Greek wine industry and began

bottling the wine instead of supplying it

in casks. In 1963, the first filling line was

installed in the winery in Markopoulo.

By the early 1960s, Kourtakis retsina

was sold throughout Greece. Even back

then, the amount produced was so great

that Charles De Gaulle, then President

of France and a friend of the cosmopol-

itan Dimitri, said, “The amount of wine

Kourtakis vinifies is so large, the entire

French fleet could float in it.”

At the end of the 1960s, Dimitri’s son

Vassili (*1937) took over the helm. As

well as studying winemaking in Dijon

and business administration in Oxford,

he also brought back seven years of

winemaking experience in Burgundy,

along with the vision to open up new

markets outside Greece. In 1972, the

company became a public limited com-

pany. Revenues from Kourtaki Retsina

were increasing constantly, with sales

exceeding 10,000 bottles a day. After

1980, 60 million bottles were sold each

year. The first exports were made – not

only did members of the Greek diaspora

worldwide not want to go without their

cherished retsina, but many tourists to

Greece also wanted an enjoyable way to

revive their holiday memories.

In the mid-1980s, Vassili Kourtakis

built an ultra-modern winery,

Greek Wine Cellars, in Ritsona,

Viotia (around 75 kilometres north of

Athens). One reason for this was that

the grapes from the Mesogeia region

were no longer sufficient to support the

huge increase in retsina production. In

1986, sales exceeded 60 million bot-

tles. The production facility in Ritsona

When Vassili Kourtakis (1865-1946) founded the company which now bears the name: Greek Wine Cellars D. Kourtakis S.A., in central Athens in 1895, he surely never imagined that his grandson would one day head one of the largest family-owned companies in the international wine industry.

Greek Wine Cellars D. KourtakisMore than just retsina

families of wine 37

could vinify 30 million grapes a year,

which now also came from the Viotia

region. The winery not only produced

retsina, but also began bottling unres-

inated white, rosé and red wines. The

year 1985 saw the launch of the Apelia

brand. These clean everyday wines were

sold in 1.5 litre bottles. Ten years later,

the Apelia brand accounted for half of

all large bottles in Greek households.

A further expansion of the portfo-

lio took place in 1992 as a result of

collaboration with the Calliga winery,

owned by famous winemaker Jianni

Calliga. Production and distribu-

tion were taken over by Greek Wine

Cellars. Exports were then being made

to 32 countries. In 1999, a series of

regional wineries were built, in Man-

tineia, Heraklion, Crete, Nemea and

Patras, which secured their supply from

regional grape production. At the start

of the new millennium, for the first

time, exports accounted for half of

sales. The company changed its name to

Greek Wine Cellars D. Kourtakis S.A.

In 2004, another product line was

added: Greek Wine Cellars took over a

50% stake in Oenoforos S.A. owned by

winemaker Angelos Rouvalis in Aegion,

thus taking on the sales and marketing

of exclusive wines like Asprolithi and

new creations such as Mikros Vorias and

Ianos.

At the end of 2009, another deal was

signed. Greek Wine Cellars became the

sole distributor in Greece of the wines

of Les Grands Chais de France, France‘s

largest wine company. Les Grands

Chais de France owns, among others,

the biggest French wine brand, J.P.

Chenet. With more than 400 million

bottles produced annually, the company

is one of the largest wine producers in

the world. This collaboration enabled

new product lines to be added to the

portfolio, such as sparkling wines.

In March 2010, the company became

the sole distributor, both nationally

and internationally, of the high-quality

wines and spirits made by the northern

Greek winery and distillery Babatzim.

Anestis Babamitzopoulos is an ambitious

organic winemaker and distiller in

Ossa, near Thessaloniki. He produces

exceptional ouzos, tsipouros and pom-

ace brandies, which have earned him

the nickname the ‘master of distilla-

tion’. A fantastic asset to the Kourtakis

company.

From the one-man operation of an Athe-

nian with a love of retsina to one of the

largest family-operated internationally

active players in the wine industry

within three generations – still with

a love of retsina and of all the other

products in its broad portfolio: Greek

Wine Cellars D. Kourtakis S.A.

INFOGreek Wine CellarsD. Kourtakis S.A.Anapafseos 2019003 Markopoulo, AttikaGreeceTel: +30 22990 222314Fax: +30 22990 23301www.greek-wine-cellars.com

Grant and Helen Burge

38 families of wine

Grant Burge always knew he was

going to be a winemaker. “I’m

honoured to be a fifth generation

member of a great winemaking

and grape growing dynasty,” he says.

Burge’s ancestors settled in the Barossa

Valley, South Australia, in 1855 when

John Burge – a tailor from Wiltshire, Eng-

land – migrated to the region with his wife

Eliza and their two sons. “John worked as

a winemaker at Hillside Vineyards and his

love of viticulture was passed on to his son

Meschach, who continued the tradition,”

explains Burge. Meschach, who made his

first wine in 1865, became a prominent

local leader, and his son Percival, one of

eight children, established the Wilsford

Winery near Lyndoch in 1928.

Burge grew up helping his father Colin and

grandfather Percival make wine, so it was

only natural that he would become a wine-

maker; Burge created the Meschach Shiraz,

now the flagship of Grant Burge Wine,

in honour of his pioneering ancestor.But

while Burge has carried on the family tra-

dition, he has also helped to develop the

modern Barossa Valley wine industry.

After learning winemaking, Burge teamed

up with winemaking partner Ian Wilson.

In 1972, aged just 26, he and Wilson

bought a run-down Barossa winery called

Krondorf. In only a decade, they trans-

formed Krondorf into a winery whose

wines were some of the most anticipat-

ed upon release, and which won multi-

ple awards, including the Jimmy Watson

Trophy, Australia’s highest award.

Krondorf attracted so much attention that

Mildara Blass, which later became part of

Foster’s (now Treasury), bought the winery

in a hostile takeover in 1986. Undaunted,

Grant and his wife Helen founded Grant

Burge Wines in 1988.

The early 1980s was such a difficult time in

the Barossa that the government of the day

paid growers to pull out vines and leave the

land vacant, rather than produce unwant-

ed grapes. Unfortunately, some of the

uprooted vines included pre-phylloxera

vines. Alarmed, a small group of local

winemakers that included Grant Burge,

set out to save the vines by creating wines

made from old vine material, to showcase

While Grant Burge has a great winemaking heritage behind him, he became a pioneer of modern Australian winemaking in his own right, helping to forge the worldwide reputation of the Barossa Valley.

Grant Burge The baron of the Barossa

families of wine 39

what the vines could do. Not only did they

save many vines, but the old vine wines

helped to propel Australia’s dramatic wine

export boom of the 1990s and 2000s.

Burge also bought top-quality vineyards

as they became available, making him the

largest individual vineyard owner in the

Barossa Valley. He also acquired the his-

toric Basedow winery at Tanunda, As he

grew, the accolades, trophies and medals

kept coming. In 1990 and 1997, respec-

tively, Grant Burge and wife Helen, were

made Barons of the Barossa. An invitation

to the Barons of the Barossa, founded in

1974, is only extended to people who have

made an outstanding contribution to the

region. Membership is for life.

Then Burge enjoyed what might have been

the sweetest triumph of all – in 2000, he

bought back the Krondorf winery from

Foster’s (now Treasury) though not the

brand name. The winery is just 50 metres

from his Barossa home, which apparently

caused some problems for the family dog.

“After Mildara bought the winery, I trained

all the kids not to go in there,” he told the

Australian media at the time, adding that

when the family finally returned, “my dog

looked at me rather intently. I could tell he

was thinking that we weren’t supposed to

be going inside!”

Today, the old Krondorf winery (named

Grant Burge @ Krondorf ) is used for

making whites, while the Tanunda

winery produces the reds. While Burge

continues to make a major contribution

to the region – most recently founding

the Colin Burge Vineyard Sustainabili-

ty Project – his reputation has ultimately

been made by the quality of his wines.

These include iconic old vine Shiraz,

along with the Holy Trinity Grenache

Shiraz Mourvedre blend, which is

so good that legend has it that the

Archbishop of York blessed it.

Today, the wines are made by Grant and

Craig Stansborough, who in 2014 was

declared Winemaker of the Year by the

Barons of the Barossa. Meanwhile, Helen

Burge remains managing director, eldest

son Toby is the company’s vineyard tech-

nical officer, youngest son Trent, part of

winery operations and promotions and

daughter Amelia is on the board.

When asked what he’s proudest of,

Burge says “the numerous interna-

tional awards, including winning the

Decanter World Wine Awards Fortified

Trophy for the 20 Year Old Tawny,” over

several years, pointing out that it’s almost

unheard of for a non-Portuguese produc-

er to win such an award. Another point

of pride is “seeing my children develop-

ing a passion for the business, indus-

try and region like I have.” The family

business is in good hands.

INFOGrant Burge Wines Pty LtdKrondorf RoadTanundaSouth AustraliaTel: +61 8 8563 3700Fax: +61 8 8563 2807www.grantburgewines.com.auadmin@grantburgewines.com.au

Toby, Amelia and

Trent Burge

40 families of wine

When Manuel María

González Gordon decided

to dedicate his life to

the wine industry back

in 1835, he could not have believed

that his passion would have inspired

his descendants to such an extent

that they would now be overseeing a

growing business, with world-famous

brands like Tio Pepe Fino, represented

in over 100 countries globally.

Very much a family business, González

Byass is owned and run by the fifth gen-

eration of the González family; a fam-

ily that is committed to ensuring that

this renowned Jerez-based business

thrives for a further five generations.

Their dedication to the wine and

spirits business and a strong belief that

what is taken out must be put back in,

means that Mauricio González Gordon

and his team are constantly thinking

about the legacy they will pass on to

the next generation. Indeed, the com-

pany’s sustainability programme is

called “5+5”, after the five previous

generation and those to come, is a

clear indication of the long-term view

the González family have.

Part of the success of the company from

the outset has been its emphasis on

export, and whilst strong in the Spanish

market, the company has always looked

outside its own boundaries. Exporting

first to the UK, in the year of the com-

pany’s foundation, the drive to sell its

brands internationally has lead to set-

ting up offices in the UK and Mexico

and to the recent purchase of a new dis-

tribution arm in the USA, VinDivino.

Other markets are also key to future

growth with ambassadors in China and

the Far East and in Germany, where

this year, González Byass will be enlarg-

ing its team considerably.

But Gonzalez Byass is so much more

than just Sherry today. Whilst its

roots are firmly in Jerez, the company

diversified into other leading Spanish

wine regions in the 1980’s starting with

the acquisition of Bodegas Beronia in

Rioja, quickly followed by purchase

of Cavas Vilarnau in Penedés. During

the start of the 21st century the com-

pany further expanded its interests by

building a single-estate winery from

scratch, close to Toledo, called Finca

Constancia, and also a smaller single-

estate in Cádiz, Finca Moncloa, around

50 kms from Jerez. The year 2008 saw

the latest member of the Family of

Wine, Viñas del Vero in Somontano,

join the fold, showing that the González

Byass ‘Family of Wine’ extends not just

from the most southerly wine produc-

ing regions in Spain to one of the most

northerly, but across the globe.

González Byass Five generations strong

Jerez-based González Byass is not just an important wine company, it’s the living legacy of the González family, which has made an outsized contribution to Spain.

INFOCalle de Manuel María González12, 11403 Jerez de la FronteraCádiz, Spainwww.gonzalezbyass.com

Mauricio González Gordon

families of wine 41

Until recently, the notion of

making fine wine in England

would not have been seriously

considered. Yet a combination

of increased localized expertise and a

little global warming have lead to the

creation of a number of Sussex-born

sparkling wines that regularly beat top

Champagnes in blind tastings. There

is a tangible buzz in the industry and

a feeling that the region has found its

identity in producing top-quality, high-

end sparkling wines.

Now Ansty – a little village in the rolling

hills of Sussex, to the north of Brighton,

that boasts a pub and a cricket team –

sees Hoffmann and Rathbone’s small,

family-run business hand-producing

sparkling wine in much the same way

as countless estates in the villages of the

Champagne region.

Hoffmann, a skilled wine consultant

who represents half of the Hoffmann

& Rathbone business, has been

making wine for 15 years. His career

includes spells at the Rolf-Willy estate

in Baden-Württemberg in his native

Germany, Chateaux de Fieuzal and

Haut-Gardére in Bordeaux, Artadi in

Navarra, and Cain Vineyards in Napa

Valley. One of the wines he crafted in

England was served on the Royal Barge

as part of the Queens’ Diamond Jubilee

Celebration in 2012, while another

was described by Jancis Robinson MW

as “probably the best English red” she

had ever tasted.

Hoffmann might have continued on

his travels had he not fallen in love with

both the Sussex countryside and his

now wife, Birgit Rathbone.

Together they have created a small

business that is exclusively focused on

quality. The grapes are drawn from the

local region, whose cool climate is per-

fectly suited to growing the traditional

Champagne varietals of Pinot Noir,

Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

The first release was a 2010 blend

of Pinot Noir and barrel-fermented

Chardonnay, of which only 1,500

individually-numbered bottles were

produced. Leading UK critic Jamie

Goode, who gave it 91 points out of

100, said that it had: “Lovely purity

and freshness… distinctive personality

and real finesse.”

A Classic Cuvée was released soon after-

wards and a Blanc de Blancs is set to

follow. All wines are traditionally bottle

fermented and aged on the lees for at

least three to four years with an addi-

tional six to twelve-month maturing on

cork before release.

Hoffmann’s wine consultancies afford

him the luxury of patience and abso-

lute insistence on quality: nothing is

released until it is ready to be sold and

unless it is unquestionably worthy of

the brand. Handling the tiny volumes

that are currently being produced is

simple: everything is sold by allocation.

And to judge by the reception of the

first releases, if you want to enjoy these

delicious fruits of the English wine

revolution, you’d be well advised to do

that before everybody else does.

Hoffmann and Rathbone A sparkling new English venture

Ulrich Hoffmann and Birgit

Rathbone are taking part

in one of the wine world’s

quiet revolutions. While

new vineyards are being

planted in exotic locations

like Argentina and Brazil,

a small group of people

have focused their

attentions on the chalky

slopes of the southern

regions of Great Britain.

INFOHoffmann & Rathbone Moonhill Farm,Burgess Hill Road , Ansty West Sussex RH17 5AHUnited KingdomTel: +44 1444 454615 winery@ hoffmannandrathbone.co.ukwww.hoffmannandrathbone.co.uk

Birgit Rathbone and

Ulrich Hoffmann

When one considers some of

the world’s most success-

ful and most famous winer-

ies, it is striking how many

have passed from one family to anoth-

er. And how often those transitions have

been responsible for a dramatic improve-

ment in the quality of their wine. There

are few better examples of that happen-

ing than Paul Jaboulet Aîné, owners of

the iconic la Chapelle vineyard, and a

name that has long been synonymous

with the red wines of the Rhône Val-

ley. As a result of earlier records having

been lost, nobody knows precisely how

many generations of the Jaboulet family

were making wine in this region before

an ambitious 27-year-old called Antoine

started his company in 1834. It is known,

however, that when he died 30 years

later, a successful business passed into the

hands of his twin sons, Paul and Henri,

and that it was Paul, the eldest – l’aîné-

after whom it would then be known.

The year 1864 was, coincidentally, also

when La Chapelle (or the Chapel of St

Christopher as it is properly known),

was built on the site of a tiny church

that had originally been constructed in

1235 by a wounded knight, who became

a hermit on his return from the crusades.

And it was, of course, that hermit after

whom the entire Hermitage hill on

which it stands is named. Hermitage is

undeniably among the finest places to

grow grapes and make wine anywhere

on earth. It was described by the Roman

writers Martial and Pliny 2,000 years

ago and the wine it produced was often

used to add body to top Bordeaux until

the late 19th century.

No part of the Hermitage hill produces

better wine than the vertiginously steep

collection of vineyards – a set of plots

including les Bessards, les Greffieux,

le Méal and les Rocoules – that collec-

tively provide the grapes for Hermitage

la Chapelle. The Jaboulet family had

been buying vineyards in the area for a

long time, and then in 1919 acquired

the historic La Chapelle itself. Over

Jaboulet AînéThe greatness of la Chapelle

The iconic la Chapelle vineyard was already recognized by the Roman writers Martial and Pliny as one of the great wine soils of the world. Today, the company which owns that important piece of land has been renewed.

Caroline Frey

42 families of wine

the following seven decades

they produced wines that often

outclassed the finest efforts of

Bordeaux. Indeed the 1961 is

arguably an even more legendary

example of that vintage than any

first growth.

Although 1990 was another

great historic vintage, during the

ensuing decade the family busi-

ness suffered an enormous blow.

In 1997, Gérard Jaboulet one of

the best-known, most generous

and most widely-travelled mem-

bers of the wine world suffered

a fatal heart attack at the age of

just 55. After Gérard Jaboulet’s

death, as many influential critics

noted, the company seemed to

lack leadership and the wines

failed to live up to expectations.

The purchase in January 2006 of

Paul Jaboulet Aîné by Jean Jacques

Frey, a businessman whose wine

roots lay in Champagne, came

as a relief to many lovers of its

wines. The Freys may have been

newcomers to the region, but the

highly talented Caroline Frey had

already shown how quickly she

could get to grips with a combi-

nation of unfamiliar vines and winery at

Château la Lagune, which her family had

bought in 1999.

Robert Parker spoke for many when he

wrote a few years later that: “One needs

no further evidence of the extraordinary

turn around in the quality of the Jaboulet

wines than what proprietress Caroline

Frey has accomplished in 2009 as well as

2010. As I indicated last year, this is one

of the great qualitative turn arounds in

the wine world.”

While pointing out that both La Chapelle

and La Lagune stand on the 45th par-

allel, “the parallel of great wines”, Frey

herself clearly relishes comparing and

contrasting the two estates’ very differ-

ent terroirs and grapes. Indeed, in a

nod to 19th century tradition, she has

even blended Syrah from the Rhône

with Cabernet Sauvignon grown on the

white and pink pebbles of the Medoc.

Ten thousand bottles were produced

in 2010, labelled as ‘Evidence par

Caroline’ and legally designated as a Vin

de France. As she explains : “This idea

came naturally from my frequent travels

between our two family wine estates and

my own curiosity about the outcome of

the blend, hence its my own story. And

I am so pleased to see [it] is successful

with wine lovers and the wine trade.”

Apart from conducting

fascinating experiments like

this and confronting the

annual challenge of ensur-

ing that 2,000 cases or so of

la Chapelle now fulfil their

potential, Frey is at pains

to remind listeners about

the range of other wines she

is responsible for at Paul

Jaboulet Aîné. “In the Rhône

Valley, Syrah, Marsanne and

Roussanne not only find joy

on the slopes of the Hermitage

but also on the slopes of St.

Joseph, Cornas, Côte Rôtie,

Saint Péray and in the stony

slopes of Crozes Hermitage. On

the granite slopes of Condrieu,

Viognier is king. Further south,

we grow old vine Grenache and

Mourvêdre for example on

the stones of Châteauneuf du

Pape….”

Understanding that the key

to all great wines lies in the

vineyards rather than the win-

ery, Frey has begun to convert

all of the viticulture to organic

and biodynamic methods. Full

certification is expected for the

2015 vintage and it is a pro-

ject of which Frey is particularly proud:

“This is a big move that has been made

for these historic estates. This brings…

much expression of the terroir, the well-

being of the vines and our winemak-

ers”. There may no longer be Jaboulets

at the helm of Paul Jaboulet Aîné, but

the business is still very much a fami-

ly concern and very definitely in very

good hands.

INFODomaines Paul Jaboulet Aine Château La LaguneTel : +33 4 75 84 68 93 Fax : +33 4 75 84 56 14www.jaboulet.com

La Chapelle

Caroline and

Jean Jacques Frey

families of wine 43

44 families of wine

Joseph Helfrich with Laurence Helfrich

and their children, Frédéric und Anne-

Laure.

The Les Grands Chais de France

Group, with annual sales of

around 400 million litres of wine

and 35 million bottles of spir-

its in 160 countries around the world,

is undoubtedly one of the biggest in the

industry. But at its core, it is an Alsa-

tian family company – based in the tran-

quil Northern Vosges region of France.

“The management of day-to-day oper-

ations and the definition of strategy are

carried out by the Helfrich family,” says

Joseph Helfrich, adding, “The family has

been Alsatian for generations and is very

proud of its heritage and culture.” This

culture is evident within the company

to this day. In 2014, the Helfrich family

received a Meininger “Excellence in Wine

& Spirits” award for Family Business

of the Year. This is very fitting, because

wine and spirits are the core business

of this family company, which has its

headquarters in Petersbach.

It all began with spirits. Alsace is

renowned for producing wonderful

eaux-de-vie brandies. When Joseph

Helfrich founded the Les Grands Chais

de France winery in 1979 at the age of

23, with just 5000 francs in his pocket,

the direction was already set. A passion

for good spirits was in his blood on his

father’s side as his father, René Helfrich,

owned a small distillery. The decision

to sell Cognac and brandy beyond the

French borders – Germany was right

next door and even East Germany was

a good market for the bilingual Joseph

Helfrich – proved very astute, despite

the fact that Cognac was seen as rather

exotic by Alsatians. The first brand to

be introduced was the Cognac Comte

Joseph. Wine followed soon after. The

idea of putting the wine into curved

bottles originally intended for spirits

made the J.P. Chenet brand famous

overnight (1984). And speaking of

night: At that time, bottling was carried

out at night, with visits to customers

taking place during the day. Capacities

had to be expanded constantly. Intro-

duced in 2000, the Grand Sud brand,

Les Grands Chais de FranceAn Alsace family business

We often like to imagine that the big players are all anonymous, global corporations controlled by unapproachable ma-nagers, probably with an address in the Cayman Islands. But this is not the case with Les Grands Chais de France.

families of wine 45

with its striking litre bottle, was another

success. J.P. Chenet and Grand Sud are

now two of the most important wine

brands in the food retailing sector. J.P.

Chenet is the best-selling French wine

in the world. Around 76% of the com-

pany’s revenue (2012: €841 million) is

generated from exports.

The ability to offer good quality – as

demonstrated by numerous awards – at

reasonable prices sums up the core idea

of the Helfrich family, for whom food

culture and the French way of life are

virtually a daily pastime. Joseph Helfrich

describes himself as cosmopolitan, and it

is indeed essential to bear in mind that

consumer habits and preferences vary

throughout the world. The Alsatians are

reaching more and more consumers with

their wines. Not forgetting their spirits.

For example, the Jelzin vodka brand is

one of the top sellers in Germany, with

16 million bottles sold.

To offer quality, above all you need

good raw materials. It is therefore stra-

tegically wise to establish collaborations

with good grape producers – prefer-

ably on a long-term basis, creating a

solid relationship based on trust, as is

often the case with family companies.

It is therefore no surprise that the Les

Grands Chais de France group is one

of the largest vineyard owners in the

world. The group currently owns 33

wineries in many wine-growing areas

of France and 1,500 hectares of vines,

including the leading Crémant and

wine producer Arthur Metz and the

Domaine viticole de la Ville de Colmar

in Alsace, Lacheteau in the Loire,

Pasquier des Vignes in Beaujolais, Mai-

son du Vigneron in the Jura region,

Caves Carod (Clairette de Die, Rhône)

and Domaine de la Baume near Béziers

(Languedoc). The group also owns an

ultramodern winery in Landiras in the

Bordeaux region which, with a capaci-

ty of 170 million bottles, is almost that

of the Petersbach headquarters (181

million bottles). Incidentally, at these

two production and logistics sites of

Landiras and Petersbach alone, GCF,

as the company is abbreviated, provides

employment for almost 1,100 people,

with around 2,000 employees through-

out the world. Other trading companies

have gradually been added to the port-

folio, such as the renowned Bordeaux

wine trading company Calvet (2007).

In 2001, the group gained a staff team

with excellent expertise and prime con-

tacts in the premium Bordeaux wines

segment when it acquired the company

Crus et Domaines de France. The group

now distributes a wide range of its own

and other brands, its customers includ-

ing most of the large food retail chains,

for example in Germany, Edeka, Metro,

Rewe, Kaufland Tegut, Netto and other

discounters.

Too big for one family? Of course this

success would not be possible without

dedicated, qualified employees. A large

team of winemakers is responsible for

ensuring that the high quality stand-

ards are maintained. Naturally, the

company has all the relevant certi-

fications, such as the International

Food Standard (IFS). However, the

company‘s fate still lies in the hands

of the family. As Marketing Director,

Laurence Helfrich is responsible for

the distinctive bottle shapes and

designs. Frédéric Helfrich is follow-

ing in his father’s footsteps as Export

Director, while his sister Anne Laure

has taken over as Product Manager in

the important area of communication.

The family and staff all work togeth-

er towards a common goal. This is

something the Helfrichs are especially

proud of. Justifiably so.

INFOGroupe Les Grands Chais de France1, rue de la Division Leclerc67290 PetersbachFranceTel: +33 388 70 79 79www.gcfplanet.com

46 families of wine

The historic Australian win-

ery Idyll sits in the picturesque

Moorabool Valley, an hour

southwest of Melbourne. The

winery overlooks the first vineyard

planted (in the 1960s) since a Phylloxera

outbreak decimated the region in 1875,

at which time were more than one hun-

dred vineyards in the area. It took almost

a century before new pioneers rediscov-

ered the region and started planting

again. Idyll is where you’ll find one such

pioneering family – the Littores.

Mario and Aurora Littore emigrated in

1953 from the Mediterranean island of

Lipari, off the north coast of Sicily, where

vineyards cover the landscape and wine

is a way of life. In the 1970s, after many

years in Melbourne, the couple and their

four sons re-settled in Mildura in southern

New South Wales. There, on the rich earth

of the area, they founded Jindalee, a small

vineyard and citrus holding with views

over the Murray River.

Mario and Aurora’s sons Vince and David

went on to create Jindalee Estate Wines

after purchasing Idyll in 1998. The two

brothers, who serve as co-managing direc-

tors, increased holdings and production,

and, since 2008, have conducted opera-

tions as Littore Family Wines, a business

that reflects the strong family values and

ethics of the family.

Today, Vince, based in the Moorabool

Valley, manages winery operations and

exports, while David and his wife Sharyn

run the family’s vineyard operations, an area

covering more than 1,800 ha, from the heart

of the Murray Darling growing region.

The company produces a number of wine

brands, including Idyll, named for the

winery, and Jindalee, named for the first

vineyard; it’s an aboriginal word, meaning

‘bare hill’. As well as producing their own

brands, the company offers contract

bottling, thanks to a state-of-the-art bot-

tling line that can bottle up to 10,000

bottles per hour, along with bulk wine,

private label and logistics services, includ-

ing a ‘winery to wharf ’ program.

Yet, while business has experienced

significant growth – storage capacity is

now at 18m litres, and the crushing and

winemaking facilities can handle 15,000

tonnes per year – it is still very much a

family operation.

Today, a number of family members are

involved in the day-to-day running of the

company: Sharyn is Vineyard Adminis-

trator; Ant is Cellar Hand; Tom manages

Accounting and Pip handles Reception.

Yet while the Littore name is on the

letterhead, the ethos is that everyone who

works for the company is part of the fam-

ily. Many of the key staff have been with

the company since its inception, and as

an extension, their families have been

involved with the company as well.

The Littores joke that they spend almost

as much time discussing the results of

their children’s weekend sporting events

as they do planning for the business

week ahead. Wherever they are headed,

it’s important to them that they’re family

first.

Littore Family Wines Sicilian pioneers in Victoria, Australia

In less than 40 years, the Littore family have transformed a corner of Victoria into a thriving wine area, and built a flourishing, international business.

INFOLittore Family Wines265 Ballan RdGeelong VIC 3219AustraliaTel: +61 3 5228 4888www.littorewines.com.au

Vince and David Littore

families of wine 47

One of the oldest and greatest dynasties

operating in the world’s most famous

winegrowing region, Bordeaux, the

Lurtons have also branched out interna-

tionally, with the forays of various family

members into other regions throughout

Europe and the southern hemisphere.

The Lurton flag flies over more than

30 vineyards worldwide, accounting for

1,300 hectares of viticultural land.

You won’t find a group like ours

anywhere else. We’re the only family in

the world to have so many of its members

all working in the wine industry.

While each has their own individual

business, synergies between these

different branches of the family tree

naturally occur from time to time.

We appreciate that the Lurton fam-

ily name is now a recognisable brand.

That’s why we’re so keen to promote and

cherish it, even if alongside this each

individual family member is nurturing

and developing their own message under

their own first name.

By working together like this, we like

to think we’re giving those within our

industry (buyers, the press, opinion

leaders, etc.) a clearer insight into our

individual differences in terms of who

we are and what we do.

Our family’s involvement in such a

high calibre range of business activities

makes us extremely proud of what we

produce. We’re delighted to be able to

share our passion for wine with you, so

relax and browse away!

Lurton A family of fine wines

The Lurton wine group comprises all members of the extensive Lurton family working in the wine industry, of which there are currently thirteen. Vinexpo 2009 saw the clan become a single marketing entity, presented in detail online at: www.lurton.com

INFO

office@jacqueslurton.comwww.lurton.com

QR-

Code

Château Climens1er Grand Cru Classé 1855

Château de Camarsac

Château Reynier

Château Marjosse

The Islander Estate Kangaroo Island, South Australia

Domaines François LurtonFrance, Spain, Argentina, Chile

Château Brane-Cantenac2nd Grand Cru Classé 1855

Château Desmirail3ème Grand Cru Classé 1855

Château Durfort Vivens2nd Grand Cru Classé 1855

Château BouscautCru Classé des Graves

Vignobles André Lurton Vignobles Marie-Laure Lurton

QRQR

CodCodCodoC eee

When the Romans arrived

in the Saint Chinian

region in the south of

France 2000 years ago,

they started a historic revolution by

planting vines and making the region’s

first wine. Today, the Miquel family

whose Château Cazal Viel vineyards

still boasts ruins left by those Roman

settlers, is helping to kickstart a

modern revolution of their own.

The Miquels established their estate in

1791, after the French revolution had

driven out the monks of the Abbey de

Fontcaude, who had produced wine

since 1202. But it wasn‘t until the

1970s, when Henri and Christiane

Miquel took over, that the estate truly

showed its potential.

Although he was fully employed as

a bank manager, Henri Miquel, the

seventh generation of his family to

own the estate, loved Rhône wines and

passionately believed in the possibility

of making a similar style and quality in

this region. Working in his spare time

at night and weekends, he began to

plant new Syrah vines and rejuvenated

old ones. Encouraged by the results, he

went full time and produced his first

vintage in 1980. Two years later, his

efforts were rewarded by the official

recognition of the Saint- Chinian AOC.

“We have observed a revolution in the

past 30 years, both qualitatively and

quantitatively,” says Laurent, Henri’s

son, who joined the family business

in 1996 and is now its head. “Major

improvements in terms of quality pro-

duction have led to the region gaining

worldwide recognition for its struc-

tured and expressive wines.”

It wasn’t a given that Laurent Miquel

would be a winemaker: At university,

he studied engineering and then did

post-graduate studies in quality assur-

ance from the University of Leeds. “I

worked in the automobile industry

in England, far away from the family

Laurent Miquel Revolution in the Languedoc

The Languedoc appellation of France, which runs along the Mediterranean coast from Provence to the Spanish border, has become one of Europe’s most exciting and diverse wine areas, thanks to winemakers like Laurent Miquel, that have transformed the region.

Neasa, Sean and Laurent Miquel, with

Henri and Christiane Miquel.

48 families of wine

vineyards.” But his heart was still in the

region, so returned to France to study

oenology in Montpellier. “In 1996,

inspired and encouraged by my father,

I created my first vintage – more than

two centuries after my forefather!”

Understanding the precise combination

of soils and microclimates enabled the

Miquels in 1992 to choose ideal plots

in which to plant Viognier vines. They

now have more than 40 ha and are

recognized as champions of the variety,

having accumulated numerous inter-

national awards, including twice win-

ning the International Wine Challenge

trophy for Best French Viognier.

“Our understanding of the land

and the unique wines it can produce

has been handed down through the

generations,” says Miquel, adding that

his life is dedicated to elevating the

region’s reputation to its rightful place

among the great classic wine regions

of France. “By concentrating on the

noble varieties of Syrah and Viognier

I, and my father before me, have been

champions for a new revolution in the

Languedoc, the drive towards excep-

tional quality. In the process we have

produced wines of great depth and

character, with a strong local accent.”

Their work with Viognier proved that

the Languedoc can produce genuine-

ly great aromatic white wines with the

kind of acidity that gives great ageing

potential. In 2009, the family acquired

the Les Auzines estate in Corbiéres.

Isolated on a rocky plateau at an alti-

tude of 350 m, between the Alar-

ic Mountains and the Alzou gorge,

overlooking the village of Lagrasse,

because it offers ideal conditions

for aromatic whites. After careful

soil studies, the Miquel family plant-

ed 32 ha of high altitude vineyards,

17 ha of which have been planted to

the Spanish grape Albariño. Miquel

says that the 2013 vintage, their

first for the variety, has been a huge

success. Which is not surprising,

because the Albariño is perfect for the

modern palate, being fresh, lively and

food friendly, with excellent acidity.

Introducing varieties like the Albariño

is where the revolutionary spirit of

the Miquels and their region comes

into play. Miquel says the winery is

successful precisely because it doesn’t

conform to expectations. “Langue-

doc and its inhabitants have always

had a rebellious reputation amongst

our fellow country-men,” he says.

“I am adding to this by questioning

the establishment ‘rules’ and produc-

ing innovative, exciting and flavour-

some new wines to delight the palate.”

Miquel says he’s fortunate that he has

the expertise of some of the great revo-

lutionary winemakers of the region to

draw upon, not least of whom is his

father Henri. “They provide me with

support and advice as well as informa-

tion and knowledge gained from years

of experience.”

Today, the entire Miquel family is

involved in wine, with Henri and

Laurent the vignerons, and Laurent’s

Irish-born wife Neasa Miquel the sales

and marketing director. Their three year

old son, Sean, is already showing an

interest.

Les Auzines is now home for the

current generations of Miquels, No

doubt it’s also the base from which

future revolutions will almost certainly

be born.

INFOLaurent MiquelHameau Cazal Viel34 460 Cessenon sur OrbFranceneasa@laurent-miquel.comwww.laurent-miquel.com

Château les Auzines

families of wine 49

In every New World wine produc-

ing country, there are inevitably

a few pioneers who have played a

crucial role in its evolution. Back in

1988, a small band of overseas visitors

had already recognized the quality of

Chile’s Cabernet Sauvignons and the

potential of the country’s vineyards to

produce world-beating wines, but the

number of good producers was small.

There were some large, family-owned

companies making fine reds and whites,

but there were also far too many exam-

ples of basic wines from badly-tended

vineyards, stored in unsuitable raulí

wooden barrels. So Aurelio Montes

and three partners bravely pooled their

limited resources to launch a small

business called Discover Wines, focused

on showing how good wines from Chile

could be.

Montes, who was born in 1948, had

discovered a taste for wine while young,

thanks to the Undurraga Cabernet that

his father used to drink. As a student

at agricultural college, Montes found

he preferred wine to the rum-and-Coke

favoured by his friends. Appropriately

enough, once he graduated, Montes went

on to become winemaker at Undurraga,

where he remained for 12 years before

taking the position of production man-

ager at Viña San Pedro, one of the

biggest wine companies in Chile.

Aged 39, he joined with friends Douglas

Murray, a colleague at San Pedro, and

Alfredo Vidaurre former financial

strategist at San Pedro, to make wine

from the grapes of a 30 ha plot of land,

on which he had conducted vinous

experiments while at the company. For

production facilities, the trio turned to

a fourth partner, Pedro Grand, owner

of a winery in Curicó.

At first, the team’s ambitions were

relatively modest: In the first year,

they would sell 10,000 cases of the

wine; in the second, 15,000; and in

the third, 20,000. These estimates

proved inaccurate. Thanks to Montes’s

winemaking skills and Murray’s mar-

keting know-how, sales rose over those

years to 50,000 cases. The quartet also

decided to rename their wines Montes,

in honour both of the winemaker and

the mountains that offer a backdrop to

Chile’s vineyards.

For many years, the four men contin-

ued to run the business, earning the

description by UK wine writer Oz

Clarke as “the most charming hosts –

generous with their time, generous with

their knowledge – that you could possi-

bly hope to meet.” Eventually, however,

Montes SAWines at the pinnacle of Chile

After Aurelio Montes had his life turned upside, he joined with colleagues to create a new wine venture. Today, Viña Montes is a flagship Chilean winery.

50 families of wine

Aurelio Montes

Montes, La Filca de Apalta Vineyard

The Montes family

Aurelio Montes and

wife Bernardita

Grand sold his shares. The Garcés and

Barros families joined as partners in

1999, bringing additional business

knowledge and experience to the com-

pany. Tragically, in 2008 and 2010,

Vidaurre and then Murray both died

while still in their 60s. Today, Aurelio

Montes manages the winery with the

help of a professional team.

Montes is now the seventh largest

Chilean exporter selling its wines in

110 countries, with own vineyards

in Chile’s premier regions. Part of the

success of Viña Montes has come from

the decision to plant the right grapes

in the most appropriate vineyard, with

the aim of producing premium wines.

Montes pioneered the planting of vine-

yards on steep slopes in the Apalta area of

the Colchagua Valley which he’d known

about since 1972, during his early years

as a winemaker looking for quality

grapes. A state-of-the-art winery built

using Feng Shui principles was inaugu-

rated here in 2004, where some 10,000

visitors per year are now made welcome.

The winery’s fame owes much to the

success of the Montes Alpha range of

wines. Back in 1988, the first real pre-

mium wines from Chile at that time

that showed the true potential of the

Chilean wine industry. Today Mon-

tes produces these wines under the

‘Sustainable Dry Farming’ philosophy,

developed after years of research into

using the precise amount of post-winter

irrigation for each vineyard sector and

grape variety. This has enabled the

winery to reduce its water usage by

65% as of vintage 2012.

Further groundbreaking wines include

Montes Alpha M, an elegant cuvée of

Bordeaux varieties from Apalta; Mon-

tes Folly, Chile’s first ultra-premi-

um Syrah; and the dual-region Pur-

ple Angel, an extraordinarily elegant

wine that unites the best Carménère

grapes from Apalta with the best Car-

ménère grapes from Marchigüe in the

Colchagya Valley. In 2013, Montes

released the first vintage of its first

super-icon wine, Taita 2007, a result

of more than three years of work;

After Chilean terroir expert Pedro Par-

ra, analysed the micro terroirs of the

Marchigue Vineyard, a glacial area was

found. As the glacier retreated, it left

behind a very small parcel of stones

and pebbles that has proven itself

‘golden’ terroir. It is from vines grown

here that the grapes for Taita – 90%

Cabernet Sauvignon, with Syrah and

Carménere – are grown. Taita excited

international attention and praise

immediately upon release.

It is wines like these that help both to

make Chile such an exciting country

today – and to make Montes such a

highly-respected member of not only

of Chile’s wine community, but of the

world of wine at large.

INFOAv. del Valle 945, of. 2611,Huechuraba, ChileTel: (56-2) 2248-4805 Fax: (56-2) 2248-4790www.monteswines.com

families of wine 51

Montes Feng Shui barrel room,

Apalta Estate

The Montes vineyards, Colchagua Valley

The town of Haro, home to

the Muga family for at least

300 years, lies at the heart of

Rioja. Mugas have been involved

in wine production for generations, but

the story of the bodega that bears their

name began relatively recently – in 1932.

That was the year when Isaac Muga

Martinez and his wife Aurora Caño,

whose family also had roots in the region’s

vineyards, decided to start their own wine

business. It was a courageous step to take

at a time when the world was at the low

point of the Great Depression and Spain

was going through its own period of

financial and political turmoil.

Despite these challenges, the couple

found underground cellars in the heart

of the town and established their bodega.

Over nearly four decades, they gradually

built up a successful business. And yet

every time he passed the old bodegas close

to the railway station on the outskirts of

Haro, Muga wistfully recalled that it had

always been his ambition to produce and

age his wine amongst them. Finally, in

1968, a fine 19th century building with

a picturesque tower became available,

and preparations were made to relocate

the business. Sadly, Muga did not live

to see how well the company would fit

into its new home, because he died in the

following year. The task of laying the

foundations for the company that exists

today passed to his sons Manuel and

Isacín (short for Isaac).

The new bodega included modern wine-

making facilities, barrel- and bottle-age-

ing areas and the cooperage, where three

professional barrel-makers and a ‘cubero’

(who specializes in larger casks) still pre-

pare the new oak barrels and regularly-re-

placed wooden vats that are part of the

hallmark of the Muga style. Once, it was

fairly commonplace for a Rioja bodega or

a Bordeaux merchant to make and repair

its own casks; today it is very rare, and

Muga is the only substantial company in

the region to do so.

As always, however splendid the winery,

the most important part of the Bodegas

Muga business lay – and still lies – in its

vineyards. These are located on the foot of

the Montes Obarenses range within the

high quality sub-region of Rioja Alta, where

the combined effects of Mediterranean,

Atlantic and continental climates and wide-

ly varied clay and limestone soils contribute

to the making of fine, complex wine.

The company actually has 250 ha of

its own vineyards and directly controls

another 150 ha that are under con-

tract with individual farmers. This being

Rioja, the majority of the vines are

Tempranillo, with plots of Garnacha

(Grenache), Mazuelo (Carignan) and

Graciano to add structure and complexity

to the reds. For the whites, the two vari-

eties are Viura and Malvasia. As for the

annual production, this depends entire-

ly on the quality of the weather, because

several of the Muga wines are only pro-

duced when conditions have been ideal.

For this reason the number of red bottles

in any vintage can vary from 800,000

bottles to nearly 1.5 million.

While best known for its reds, Muga

also produces a pair of very high qual-

Bodegas Muga A great tradition from Rioja

Although Isaac Muga Martinez had built an enviable Riojan wine business, he believed it wouldn’t be complete without the right building. When one became available, the family turned it into something remarkable.

Isaac and Jorge Muga Palacín, Isabel, Manuel and

Isacín Muga Caño, and Juan and Manuel Muga Peña

52 families of wine

ity Cava Conde de Haro sparkling

wines. The fresh, floral white is primari-

ly made from Viura grapes grown at rel-

atively high altitude, while the elegant,

peachy, pale-hued rosé shows how great

a potential Grenache grape can have for

this style when treated with care. The

cask-fermented white is also Viura-based,

but benefits from slow fermentation in

new French oak and three months on its

lees, making for fresh flavours that, while

dry, are reminiscent of ripe pineapple,

peaches and honey. The Muga Rosado

also contains some Viura, but the keynote

is of strawberry-and-cherryish Grenache,

with more than a sprinkling of the black

pepper that is associated with that variety.

Eneas follows the old Riojan – and north-

ern Rhône – tradition of co-fermenting

some white grapes, in this case 10%

Viura, with the red, Tempranillo. This is

the freshest and fruitest of the bodega’s

reds, but it is still a very serious wine. Its

characteristic fruitiness comes from a pro-

cess of natural carbonic maceration: 15kg

boxes of grapes are carefully carried down

to the bottom of wooden vats by ladder

and emptied by hand until the fruit

reaches a metre in height. After a week,

the juice and skins are drawn off and

fermentation is completed in small vats.

The Reserva and Reserva Selección

Especial, made in particularly fine vin-

tages, both exploit all of the region’s red

wine grapes – Tempranillo, Garnacha,

and Graciano – and spend around two

years in barrel, followed by at least a year

in bottle before being released. These

are classic, long-lived wines that are

very much of the same family as Prado

Enea, the incredibly complex, leath-

ery-spicy wine that, for many people,

is most closely associated with Muga.

The extra quality of the latter wine

comes from slightly later harvesting of

specially selected grapes and ageing in

16,000-litre oak vats for 12 months, fol-

lowed by at least 36 months in oak casks

and bottle respectively. In other words,

every bottle has had a minimum of seven

years “polishing and smoothing” before

its contents are ever poured into a glass.

The traditional Prado Enea style stands

in contrast to the more modern and

immediately intense Torre Muga and Aro

which both spend six months in vat, 18

in new French oak barrels and at least 12

in bottle. These are very, very impressive

wines that can both be enjoyed while rel-

atively young, despite the presence of the

vanilla oak, or allowed to develop myriad

layers of flavour.

Today, Muga is still very much a fami-

ly company, with Isaac Muga Caño, the

founders’ son and Manuel Muga Peña,

acting as president and vice president

respectively while the next generation,

is taking up the reins, with Juan Muga

Peña handling marketing and communi-

cations, Jorge Muga Palacín holding the

role of general manager and Isaac Muga

Palacín serving as technical director.

Eduardo Muga Peña has the essential role

of finance director.

Sit down with any of the youngest Mugas

in the family dining room and ask them

to name their favourite among the wines

in their portfolio, and they’ll almost cer-

tainly reply that it all depends on what

one is eating. Then they might well point

out that the delicious dish you are eat-

ing today is made from a recipe by their

grandmother Aurora Caño, the joint

founder of the bodega who was famous

for her skills as a taster and matcher of

wine and food as she was for the quality

of her cooking.

INFOBodegas Muga Barrio de la Estación s/n 26200 Haro (La Rioja) SpainTel: (0034) 941 311825www.bodegasmuga.com

The winery lies in the prized sub-region of Rioja Alta

families of wine 53

Unlike Bordeaux, Rioja has no

official classification table list-

ing its greatest estates, but if any-

one were to draw up that kind

of hierarchy, there is no question that

the Marques de Murrieta would occu-

py the same kind of place as Chateaux

Lafite, Mouton Rothschild and Margaux

do in the Médoc. The oldest of the Rioja

region’s top estates, Marques de Murrieta

was established close to the southern tip of

the Rioja Alta in 1852 by Luciano Francis-

co Ramón de Murrieta. A Peruvian-born,

unusually resourceful soldier, Murrieta had

gone into exile in London with Baldomero

Espartero, the former prime minister of

Spain, during the Civil War of the 1840s.

While in Britain he developed a taste for

Bordeaux and later travelled to that part

of France to discover how its wines were

made. At the time, despite the struggles

they were facing against a range of vine-

yard pests and diseases, French wine pro-

ducers had a greater understanding of fer-

mentation and the value of storing wine in

oak barrels.

The skills he learned enabled Murrie-

ta to improve the wines that being pro-

duced in vineyards belonging to Esparte-

ro, who had now returned to power with

the title Duque de la Victoria. Murrieta’s

wines were good enough to develop a

reputation for their quality in overseas

markets such as Cuba and Mexico, and

were the first Rioja wines to be exported

to other parts of the world. Armed with

this winemaking apprenticeship and the

reputation he had acquired as a winemak-

er, the Marquis of Murrieta launched his

own brand and, in 1852, established his

bodega and 300ha surrounding estate

called Finca Ygay, near Logroño. Royal

recognition of the quality of the wine

he made there and the contribution he

had made to the region came when the

king named him Marquis of Murrieta.

Following Murrieta’s death in 1911, the

estate remained in the Murrieta fami-

ly until its purchase in 1983 by another

family led by Vicente Cebrián-Sagarriga,

tenth Count of Creixell.

Vicente Cebrián-Sagarriga, who had

bought the Bodega at the age of 34,

died tragically young, 13 years later,

passing it to his 26 year-old eldest son

Vicente Dalmau, the winery’s owner

and president today, who had been

working in the winery since 1989. He

took over the project with an unusual

energy and determination. He decided

to build an energetic and young team

Marques de Murrieta Historic greatness from Spain

The wines of Marques de Murrieta are deeply entwined in Spanish history, and have not only helped to build the reputation of Rioja, but also Spain itself.

The bodega dates back to the 1850s

54 families of wine

in which the winemaker María Vargas

plays a relevant role.

In 1998 he launched Dalmau from the

excellent vintage 1994, a richer, more

full-bodied and earlier-bottled style of

single vineyard wine made with the inclu-

sion of some Cabernet Sauvignon, which

had been grown on the estate over the past

years, much before the creation of the Rioja

appellation.

If Dalmau was controversial with some

Riojan traditionalists, it won immediate

recognition for its quality overseas, echoing

the success Luciano Francisco Ramón de

Murrieta had had a century earlier. From

now on, there would be Reserva and – in

the rare, most excellent years when quality

permitted – Gran Reserva Especial. While

the traditional Rioja characteristics of

Tempranillo-based blends and careful bar-

rel-ageing were maintained, there was a

shift towards greater freshness of flavour.

This was particularly apparent in the white

which was renamed Capellanía. Tradition

was not abandoned however. The glorious

iconic labels were maintained and, while

the current Gran Reserva Especial vintages

age for 30 months in barrel rather than

the 312 months imposed on the 1970,

they remain one of the touchstones for the

region. Ironically, the longest barrel-aged

wine now is the Castillo Ygay Gran

Reserva Blanco which spends over 25 years

in wood and is one of the few examples of

this style that is still being produced.

Alongside these Rioja wines, Vicente

Dalmau Cebrián-Sagarriga, Count of

Creixell, also produces highly respected

Albariños from the Pazo Barrantes estate in

Rias Baixas, that has belonged to his fam-

ily since 1511. Here, too, modernisation

has been also introduced in the shape of a

skilfully wooden vat fermented and aged

white wine called La Comtesse de Pazo

Barrantes.

The family philosophy of combining

tradition and innovation is now revealed

to huge numbers of wine lovers who every

year visit the Castillo de Ygay from which

Murrieta’s top wine takes its name. Where

other bodegas have built ultra-modern

architectural marvels, Vicente Dalmau

Cebrián-Sagarriga has reconstructed the

original castle using sandstone that has

been specially treated to impart the impres-

sion of age. Seventy thousand bottles of

vintages stretching back to 1852 slum-

ber in a private library while the current

vintages can be sampled from enomatic

machines, and a luxurious private kitchen

led by the winery’s chef has been modelled

on the one at the El Bulli Restaurant.

In all of these efforts it is easy to see a

continuation of the blend of curiosity and

ambition established 162 years ago by

Luciano Francisco Ramón de Murrieta –

along with the will to retain the position of

one of Rioja’s leading ‘first growths’.

In this way, Vicente D. Cebrián-Sagarriga

becomes the perfect inheritor of Luciano’s

philosophy and vision. He is capable of

facing the XXI century with a more

solid and stronger Murrieta than ever.

A winery that does honour to its

legend and which continues playing a

vital role within the world of Riojan and

Spanish wine.

INFOMarques de MuriettaCarretera Logroño-Zaragoza km 526006, Logroño, La Rioja, Spainwww.marquesdemurrieta.com

The Ygay estate was established in 1852

Vicente D.

Cebrián-

Sagarriga

families of wine 55

56 families of wine

Growing fine wines on the

Meerlust Estate has been part

of the Myburgh family tradi-

tion since 1756. Long recog-

nized for producing world-class wines,

the Meerlust Estate is singularly rich

in charm and history. When, in 1988,

Hannes Myburgh succeeded his father

as the custodian of Meerlust, he was the

estate’s eleventh owner and represented

the eighth generation of his family to

preside over one of the Cape’s great esta-

tes. It has been his happy but exacting lot

to lead Meerlust into a new millennium

and to bring its operations in line with

the demanding requirements of a new

technological age. Under his guidance,

further modernization of the cellar took

place to ensure the meticulous handling

of grapes and, in particular, the vinifica-

tion of smaller parcels of grapes.

Sensitive redevelopment has enabled

a functioning modern winery to exist

within a historical national treasure. Both

time-honoured and modern techniques

are applied to achieve the potential of the

vineyards and soils, ensuring that each bot-

tle bears the hallmark of Meerlust Estate

wine. The wines are all made exclusively

from grapes grown on the Estate.

Hannes’ late father, Nico Myburgh, was

responsible for the introduction of what

is today the Estate’s flagship wine. Laun-

ched on the local wine market in 1984, the

aptly named Rubicon ushered in, not only

a significant, internationally recognized

new style of wine in South Africa, but one

that was to become a benchmark of local

red wine quality. It was one of only three

‘Bordeaux’ style blends made in the Cape

at the time. Rubicon itself was headed for

iconic status, revered here and worldwide

for its consistent, understated elegance and

refinement. As a product of a family and

farm with deep roots in the history of Cape

wine, it was then, and remains today, the

embodiment of the rich cultural heritage of

South Africa’s 350-year-old wine industry.

As the release of Nelson Mandela from pri-

son in 1990 and the advent of democracy

in South Africa in 1994 saw the country

welcomed back into the international fold,

connoisseurs the world over became even

more familiar with Meerlust Rubicon.

The farm’s 300th anniversary in 1993 was

celebrated, in part, with Meerlust wines’

debut in the United States, by which time

it was listed in top London establish-

ments. Today Rubicon, together with its

select classic single-varietal stable mates

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir

and Chardonnay, are found in over 30

markets, from New York to Beijing.

Visitors to the Estate have for centu-

ries anticipated seeing the cool, white

façade of the Manor House as they passed

through the gates and along the palm and

oak tree-lined drive. Not much has chan-

ged. Today, that sense of having arrived

at a most treasured home and estate is

enhanced by the knowledge – on seeing

the sweep of vineyards that flank the drive

– that here grow the grapes of the prized

Meerlust wines.

Meerlust Estate A South African flagship producer

Meerlust Estate is a storied name in South Africa, as it has produ-ced fine wines since the nineteenth century. The Myburgh family have further enhanced the re-putation of this national treasure.

INFOMeerlust Estate Baden Powell DriveStellenbosch7599South AfricaTel: +27 21 843 3587marketing@meerlust.co.za www.meerlust.co.za

Hannes Myburgh

families of wine 57

The village of Hattenheim, part

of the city of Eltville, is situ-

ated between Wiesbaden and

Rüdesheim and has a lot to

offer. Renovated timbered houses, a

luxury hotel, three top restaurants,

five top wineries, the ruins of a

castle and the large wine barrels of

the wine estate on the banks of the

Rhine are sights worth seeing in this

small community. In 1882 Georg

Müller – co-owner of the sparkling wine

producer Matheus Müller in Eltville –

founded a winery in Hattenheim which

was soon to become one of the best in

the Rheingau region. As he had no heirs,

he donated his renowned winery to the

town of Hattenheim in 1913. The only

condition was that the revenues were to

go the needy in the community, result-

ing in the winery becoming the Georg

Müller winery trust. After Hattenheim

merged with Eltville in 1972, the vine-

yard traded as „Weingut der Stadt Elt-

ville“ until 2003, when the town finally

decided to privatise it.

In businessman and wine expert Peter

Winter they found the ideal buyer to

enhance the estate’s prestige and upgrade

its image. Purchasing the Georg Müller

trust was the fulfilment of a professional

dream for Peter Winter. This allowed the

long-time chairman of the board at WIV

Wein International AG (the world’s larg-

est and highest-earning direct wine sales

organisation in 2002) to combine his

two passions: art and wine. He shares

the first of these passions with his wife

Elvira Mann-Winter, partner of the

Rother-Winter gallery in Wiesbaden.

Ultimately his second passion for wine

stopped him from retiring. Instead,

Peter Winter became a winery owner on

his 60th birthday and has thrown all of

his efforts and passion into producing

quality wines since then.

The 71-year old remarks, “With exten-

sive investment, I have made the win-

ery fit for the future. Our objectives are

to combine tradition with progress, to

create something that the community

of Hattenheim, the city of Eltville and

the entire Rheingau region can be proud

of and of course, to make a profit.”

Following the conclusion of extensive

renovation work, the winery has become

one of the most significant and out-

standing sights in the Rheingau region.

Peter Winter and his wife Elvira

Mann-Winter have devoted particular

care and attention to the vaulted cellar.

As if the 250-year old cellar with its

1,400 square metres and rare wines wasn’t

already fascinating enough, the works of

art displayed here will distract any wine

fanatic from the old wine bottles stored in

the treasure chamber. There are over 1,000

square metres available for art works,

giving the cellar a true museum character.

The art tours in the cellar are just one of

the many events to attract visitors to the

winery.

Some of the art installations fill entire

rooms; some of them illuminate their

surroundings with bright colours, while

others complement the patina of the

Weingut Georg Müller Stiftung Drink wine and contribute to a charitable cause

Anyone who drinks wine from the Georg Müller Stiftung winery is contributing to a charitable cause, as the town of Eltville donates the income it receives from the winery to local social service institutions.

Elvira Mann-Winter, Peter Winter and

their two children live for wine and art.

58 families of wine

old brickwork. There are art works by

the artists Armin Baumgarten, Ulli

Böhmelmann, Jacques Gassmann, José de

Guimarães, Kazuo Katase, Livia Kubach

& Michael Kropp, Philipp Fürhofer,

Timo Ohler, Karlheinz Oswald, Nina

Stoelting, Sofi Zezmer and Bernd Zim-

mer featured in the cellar. In most cas-

es the artists have been inspired by the

atmosphere of the cellar and have created

their art works – some of very large scale

– especially for the location in which they

are displayed. As a result, they have trans-

formed the winery’s cellar into an unfor-

gettable experience.

What pleases Peter Winter most is

when precious wines are created in the

wine cellar. His team – built around

winery manager Tim Lilienström and

export manager Andreas Stiep – has

already succeeded in obtaining many

awards for the high quality of the wines

at tastings and contests. Speaking as a

businessman and marketing profession-

al, Peter Winter says: “Awards such as

the Austrian Wine Challenge, the DLG,

the International Riesling Challenge

Canberra, Australia, and the MUNDUS

VINI are very important for market-

ing.” The marketing aspect is even

more important for export, which Peter

Winter is particularly committed to as

president of the Association of German

Wine Exporters.

Included in the vineyards of 14-hectares

are prestigious Rheingau sites: parcels in

Hattenheim’s prime areas of Schützen-

haus, Wisselbrunnen, Engelmannsberg,

Hassel and Nussbrunnen form part of

the heritage left by Georg Müller. It is

not surprising that the winery was a

founding member of the Association of

German Predicate Wine Estates (VDP)

back in 1910. Being a member means

that Peter Winter is committed to main-

taining the strictest quality standards.

Riesling is the main grape for the Georg

Müller trust wines: It represents 80

per cent of the grape varieties used. In

addition, there is Spätburgunder (15 per

cent) for the production of which new

barrique barrels are purchased annual-

ly, as well as Auxerrois, Müller-Thur-

gau, Ehrenfelser and Frühburgunder

(5 per cent all together). The vines

are cultivated in an environmentally

friendly way. The average yield in the

last decade was less than 50 hectoli-

tres per hectare. Of course the grapes

are picked by hand as well as thinned

and selectively harvested. This process

makes it possible to pay very precise

attention to the individual berries. To

avoid bad berries hidden on the inside

of the vines in difficult vintages, the

picker has to test the smell of each indi-

vidual vine that he cuts. This requires

a lot of work, but Peter Winter offers

the pickers a reward in giving them a

bonus for every award or medal won

for the quality of the wine, creating an

additional incentive for the employees

to produce their best work.

Not only the consumers and wine-

pickers benefit from the new increase

in quality, but also those in need in

the community who are helped by the

Georg Müller trust through the funds

donated to Eltville social service insti-

tutions. Of course, the town’s treasurers

are delighted with the lease revenue

from the vineyards and licence fees for

the Georg Müller trust name. And so, it

is well worth enjoying a fine wine from

the winery.

INFOWeingut Georg Müller StiftungEberbacher Strasse 7-965347 Hattenheim im RheingauGermanyTel. +49 6723 2020Fax +49 6723 2035info@georg-mueller-stiftung.dewww.georg-mueller-stiftung.de

A jewel on the Rhine: The Georg Müller

Stiftung in Hattenheim.

families of wine 59

Peter Winter

Artist: José de Guimaraes

Anton F. Börner and

his daughter Katharina

60 families of wine

When Anton F. Börner put

his hands into the soil of

Lazio, he said to his wife

that it was a pity people in

the area didn’t make premium wine – the

soil seemed perfect for top quality wine

grapes. At the time he was more interested

in looking for a house, so it was a throw-

away remark. But a man who overheard

him immediately offered him 55 ha of

vineyard land.

“I said ‘yes, why not?’” recalls Börner.

That was in 2004. Ten years later, his

wine business is thriving. His daughter

Katharina Börner is CEO of the com-

pany, while his wife Anna Maria Börner

is an investor, making Ômina Romana

a true family business. Best of all, when

Ômina Romana’s wine were launched into

the world, they picked up gold medals

almost immediately. And yet, prior to this

venture, none of the Börners had any wine

industry experience.

“It has happened the way things happen

in life,” says Börner. “We’ve always been

connoisseurs of wine, but I’m not a

professional.”

What the Börners did have, however, was

business expertise. Not only was Börner

an entrepreneur and manufacturer, he

was (and remains) the president of the

BGA, the Federation of Wholesalers, For-

eign Trade. The first thing he did was go

to Germany’s University of Geisenheim,

internationally renowned for its wine

school, and ask their experts to do due dil-

igence on the area. “The result was, I dis-

covered this is an area where you can pro-

duce top quality wine,” he says. “I started

in 2004.”

The next thing that happened was

neighbours came and offered land, so the

available area grew to 80 ha “all rectangular,

in one area”.

Today, Ômina Romana has a winery and its

own production line, and uses the services

of oenologist Claudio Gori and agronomist

Paula Pacheco. Situated in the Alban Hills,

it’s in the region of Lazio, close to Velletri

and just under 40 km southeast of Rome.

When a German-Italian family went on holiday in Italy, the last thing they expected was to find themselves buying a vineyard. But not only did the Börners buy land – they committed to bringing an ancient Roman region back to glory.

Ômina Romana Bringing an ancient region to life

“The location is in the community of

Velletri, an ancient city,” says Börner.

“The emperor Augustus was born in

this city.” This, he explains, is where

wine was born in the West. “Vines were

taken from here by Roman soldiers, to

France and Germany. So we are in the

nucleus of the western European wine

area.”

The wine trade collapsed after the fall

of the Roman Empire, and grape grow-

ing was abandoned until the end of

the nineteenth century, when Lazio

established a reputation for poor qual-

ity, high-yielding white varieties like

Trebbiano Toscano. Yet the Romans

were right to value Lazio, because the

region was once volcanic, and the soils

are fertile lava and potassium-rich

tufa. Sea breezes wafting in from the

Tyrrhenian Sea in the west moderate

the warmer climate. The Börner family

believe that it’s time to return the region

to glory.

“We asked ourselves what kind of

grapes we needed to cultivate,” says Mr

Börner. “We went back to Geisenheim

and did more due diligence and now

we do 70% red grapes, chosen to be

optimized for the soil and the climate.”

Planting by hand started in 2007, and

the vineyards are now growing 65%

international grape varities, including

the Bordeaux varieties of Cabernet Sau-

vignon, Cabernet France and Merlot,

along with Petit Menseng and Tannat.

Indigenous varieties include the white

Bellone and red Cesanese; altogeth-

er there are eleven red and seven white

varieties being grown on the proper-

ty. Ten hectares of the property is also

devoted to olive groves and the produc-

tion of high quality olive oil. “We are

completely independent,” says Börner.

“We have a team of 31 local people and

they’re all very keen.”

The team pay meticulous attention to

the soil, grapes and vinification. “We

are working in cooperation not just

with Geisenheim, but with the Univer-

sities of Florence and Parma.”

This is reflected in the winery’s motto:

Mens et Manus, or ‘mind and hand’. The

result is high quality wines, both single

varietals and cuvées named for Roman

gods, such as the Diana Nemorensis I,

a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and

Cabernet Sauvignon. Already, Ômina

Romana wines are appearing in fine

restaurants in Germany, Austria, Italy

and Switzerland – proof that hard work

and diligence, when combined with the

right terroir, pay off.

It sounds like the Börner family had a

dream run, from finding the right patch

of ground to working with the right

people. Except that they’ve had their

fair share of issues, too.

“The thing that I was really surprised

about was Italian bureaucracy – it is

impossible to understand!” says Börner,

groaning as he recalls the red tape he

had to wade through to make his dream

happen.

But happen it did, and Ômina

Romana wines are now heading to

the major markets of the world, the

phoenix on the label a symbol of

Lazio’s rejuvenation.

families of wine 61

INFOOmina RomanaS.A.F. La TorreVia Fontana Parata, 7500049 Velletri (RM)Tel/Fax: +39 06 96 43 01 93info@ominaromana.comwww.ominaromana.com

62 families of wine

It was José Pariente’s meticulous

approach to viticulture and his faith

in the region’s terroir that ensured

his wine would be an excellent

representation of the Verdejo variety.

Working in the 1960s, Pariente made

everything by hand, at home.

His energy and passion inspired his

daughter, Victoria Pariente, to take up

winemaking. Sadly, her father died in

1997, one year before she began produc-

tion of the José Pariente Verdejo in 1998.

His vision was fulfilled, however, because

the wine was instantly well received,

and José Pariente Verdejo became a top

Spanish wine within a decade. It wasn’t

always easy, as Victoria, one of the first

successful winemaking women in Spain,

can attest. “This is ‘man’s work’,” she

would often hear — from colleagues

who hadn’t yet realized they were dealing

with a woman. But much as the vines

of Rueda’s stony vineyards and harsh,

continental climate do, she persisted.

In 2008, Victoria opened the doors to a

new production facility between Rueda

and La Seca. Offering spectacular views

over the region, it’s a modern facility that

uses innovative techniques to produce

white wines of great elegance, freshness

and complexity.

The family has grown, but every member

remains true to their roots. Victoria’s

husband, Ignacio Prieto, oversees the

numbers as director of finance. Their

daughter, Martina Prieto Pariente, is the

sales director and technical winemaker,

following the passion and tradition of her

winemaking mother. And son Ignacio

Prieto Pariente is looking to the future

and new markets as the export manager.

The wine list has expanded as well, with

three Verdejo offerings and two Sauvignon

Blanc. José Pariente Varietal Verdejo

remains the flagship of the house, express-

ing the elegant crispness of the Verdejo

variety. José Pariente Barrel-Fermented is

produced with grapes from old Verdejo

vines and fermented in French oak bar-

rels to produce a remarkably nuanced

wine. José Pariente Special Cuvée makes

use of innovative, oval concrete-clay tanks,

resulting in a complex wine of impressive

smoothness and silky texture, and a min-

erality not previously found in a Verdejo.

José Pariente Varietal Sauvignon Blanc is

a clean, cool and distinguished wine with

a wide range of vegetal, tropical fruit and

mineral notes. And José Pariente Apasio-

nado is a sweet wine with a freshness that

both surprises and impresses.

Today, just barely a decade and a half

after José Pariente Verdejo’s first bottling,

José Pariente wines can be found in more

than 30 countries. It can be said that it’s

the passion and energy of José Pariente

that has provided the inspiration, but it’s

Victoria – who has poured her heart and

soul into the production of the wine and

creation of the winery – who is to credit

for the wines’ tremendous success.

What’s next? “Vineyard, winery, world:

a story of three generations,” they like

to say at José Pariente. Faith in their

soil, a sincere passion for winemaking,

and a deep respect for their craft, they

make high-quality wine they are proud

of — something this next generation

of Parientes is happy to share with the

world.

José Pariente When persistence pays off

Half a century has passed since José Pariente brought his artisanal touch to working with the Verdejo grapes of Spain’s Rueda appellation, crafting a white wine of exceptional quality.

INFOBodegas José ParienteCrta de Rueda Km 2.5 47491 La SecaValladolid, SpainTel: +34 983 816 600info@josepariente.comwww.josepariente.com

José Pariente

Martina and Ignacio

Prieto Pariente

Victoria Pariente

families of wine 63

W hen Valentino Paladin

founded Paladin Spa in

1962, he skilfully situated it

between Veneto and Friuli,

Italy. His talent in recognising terroir

has been inherited by his children, who

have gone on to develop the company,

acquiring three more estates.

Not only do Paladin wines regularly win

international awards, but the Castello

Bonomi Franciacorta Cuvée Lucrezia

Etichetta Nera 2004 won 3 Glasses, as

well as Best Sparkling Wine at the Italian

Sommelier Awards and the 5 Clusters,

making it the most awarded Franciacorta

wine in history.

Today it is Valentino’s children, Carlo,

Lucia and Roberto, who produce

regionally representative wines in the

Paladin family tradition. Their energy

and enthusiasm have helped to expand

the company’s reach and prestige.

Carlo started working with his father

as a young boy, and now supervis-

es the production cycle from vineyard

to winery. Dynamic yet measured, he

is responsible for the winery’s overall

direction, the viticultural and oenolog-

ical research, and the experimentation.

Lucia works to develop markets, helped

in Germany and Switzerland by a great

wine ambassador, the export director

Renato Dreussi. She also coordinates

finance and marketing, including

communicating the company’s image

across all media. Roberto manages the

domestic market, supervising 60 sales-

people who promote all the family’s

wines throughout the country’s best

restaurants, wine bars and wine shops.

The Paladin family practices “reasoned

viticulture”, putting every effort into

getting the best results with the least

waste, while working with the utmost

care for the quality of the wine, the

environment and for ethics. Projects

include reducing sulphites, maintaining

a responsible carbon footprint, taking

extra care in the vineyards – including

night harvesting to preserve the grapes’

aroma – and collaborating with Padua

University and Milan University.

The family, famous for producing fruity

wines like the red Salbanello, have also

acquired more vineyards. After they

founded the Bosco del Merlo estate

in 1977, the Paladin family rejuvenat-

ed the old estate vineyards and plant-

ed them with more desirable vines, as

determined in collaboration with the

Istituto Sperimentale per la Viticoltura

in Conegliano. The 100-ha Bosco del

Merlo is now renowned for the pro-

duction of great crus as Prosecco and

Sauvignon.

Another acquisition was the Premiata

Fattoria di Castelvecchi in Chianti estate

near Radda, in the very heart of Chianti

Classico. The setting is amazing, as the

vineyards range over some of the steepest

hills in Tuscany, at the foot of the millen-

nium-old Castelvecchi Castle.

And finally, there is Castello Bonomi,

a tiny chateau situated on the slopes of

Monte Orfano in Franciacorta, the Ital-

ian region considered best for the pro-

duction of Metodo Classico sparkling

wines. Franciacorta CruPerdu – a live-

ly sparkling that rests for more than 36

months on its yeasts in the bottle – is

Castello Bonomi’s signature offering.

The passion of Carlo, Lucia and

Roberto Paladin is fuelled by a commit-

ment to both tradition and innovation,

and is showcased in their picturesque

vineyards and award-winning wines.

Paladin Spa Elegant wines from tough soils

Passion, research, and respect for tradition and envi-

ronment — these are the values of the Paladin family.

INFOPALADIN SpAVia Postumia, 12Annone Veneto ItalyTel: +39 0422 768167Fax:+39 0422 768590

The Paladin family

It is fascinating to meet people who

have been totally bitten by the wine

bug. People who devote themselves

to wine with a passion, who focus

on every aspect and put an unimagina-

ble amount of energy into it. Martin

Puklavec must have been such a person.

As was often the case in Slovenia in former

times, the Puklavec family ran their vine-

yard as a sideline to their main occupation.

But it was only with Martin Puklavec that

the passion for wine really emerged with

any force. He became an oenologist and,

in 1934, took on the role of secretary for

the Jeruzalem-Ormož wine cooperative.

His main concerns were to improve coop-

eration amongst the vintners and increase

the quality of the wines.

History did not make Martin Puklavec’s

job an easy one by any means. After World

War Two, Slovenia became a communist

state. To go into the business of quali-

ty wine production at such a time, when

vineyards were nationalised, you had to be

very committed. But despite the difficul-

ties, Martin Puklavec managed to get his

philosophy accepted. As head of the wine

cooperative, he was responsible for the

construction of the seven-storey under-

ground cellar which extended to 25 metres

below the surface. To allow the journey of

the grapes in the cellar to be determined

by gravity is the dream of many quality-

oriented vintners. Martin Puklavec made

it happen it in a highly impressive fashion,

enabling his successors to reap the rewards.

When he died in 1969, the Puklavec family

left both the wine business and Slovenia.

Martin’s son Vladimir made his new home

in Germany. Trained as a mechanical engi-

neer, he built up a successful company in

the gas industry and ran it for 27 years. But

he could not shake off the passion for wine

brought to the family by his father, and the

bug eventually got to him. “One day when

we were in the kitchen, my father told us

about his plans to buy grandfather’s vine-

yard and start up p&f wineries. At first, my

sister and I thought he was joking – but

in fact, it was totally logical for all of us

to carry on our grandfather’s legacy,” says

Tatjana Puklavec.

And so, Vladimir and his daughters

Tatjana and Kristina Puklavec built a high-

ly committed team and went about the

business of making the dream of having

their own winery in their old home come

true. Even such a successful businessman

as Vladimir Puklavec would probably not

have automatically been received with

open arms in Slovenia, had it not immedi-

ately become clear that the family intended

to take up the legacy of the unforgettable

Martin Puklavec. In 2009, they took over

the Jeruzalem-Ormož wine cooperative

and founded p&f wineries.

The fact that none of them were from

the wine industry could have been a

p&f Wineries Refreshing wines from Slovenia

p&f wineries is a very young winery, only founded in 2009. However, the Puklavec family has enjoyed a passi-onate relationship with wine for much longer, and when it founded p&f wineries it was a return to its roots.

For the Puclavecs, ’family’ means the deepest of ties.

64 families of wine

disadvantage, but the Puklavec family

turned it into an advantage. Driven

by their passion for wine, they ran the

new winery with a fresh approach and

focused on quality in exactly the same

uncompromising way as Martin Puklavec.

The oenologist Mitja Herga was the perfect

person to assist the family, although they

sometimes brought him to the edge of

despair with their off-the-wall and dynam-

ic ideas, but he always found a way to

implement the family’s visions in the best

possible way. “There is no-one I would

rather entrust our wine to than him,” says

Tatjana Puklavec, making it clear that

Mitja Herga enjoys the family’s trust.

He has a huge task ahead of him. p&f

wineries cultivate 650 hectares of

vineyards. On top of this, there are 450

hectares of vineyards commissioned by

vintners from the region. The mostly ter-

raced land on the hills mean that farm-

ing the vines with machines is large-

ly impossible. All grapes are still hand

picked, which contributes to the high

quality the family is seeking. The soil

is rich in minerals, combining a lot of

chalk, calcium carbonate stone and marl

with calcium-rich sandstone, thus pro-

viding the perfect subsoil for the vines.

In terms of grape varieties, p&f

wineries build on the white wine vari-

eties typically found in the region,

such as Welschriesling, Sauvignon

Blanc, Traminer, Riesling, Pinot Blanc

and Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, and

Furmint. In so doing, the family is high-

lighting its Slovenian roots. This is also

an important point in terms of sales.

Certainly, targeted demand for Slove-

nian wines is not particularly great. But

if the wines from p&f wineries impress

a retailer with their quality, he is often

happy that he has a special wine he can

surprise his clients with and which his

colleagues do not have in their portfolio.

“We often hear comments to the effect

that there is finally something new from

the old world,” says Tatjana Puklavec,

with a smile.

The concept of striving for optimum

quality and first class value for money

pays off. When the Puklavec started in

2009, they exported 2 per cent of their

wines to two countries. Today, 70 per

cent of their production is exported to

more than 20 export markets. And so

the family is coming closer to its target

of making Slovenia known as a country

producing top-quality wines. The people

of Slovenia are also benefiting since p&f

wineries has created 150 jobs there.

“Our priority is the achievement of

perfect quality. Our wines are our pride

and joy. They mean everything to us.

Only those who comply with our high

standards can later bear our name on

their label,” says Kristina Puklavec,

making it clear that their relationship

with their own wines is not just one of

passion, but also a family one. Snappy,

fruity and modern wines are supplied

to the food retail sector as part of the

‘puklavec & friends’ line. ‘Gomila’, in

contrast, is reserved for specialist retail-

ers. The precise and fresh taste of the

wines is endearing, as is the moderate

alcohol content. Those who enjoy wines

love the Puklavec family’s motto: “The

best things in life should be shared with

others.”

INFOp&f wineriesMildred-Scheel-Straße 153175 BonnTel: +49 228 6044884Fax: +49 228 60448234www.pfwineries.cominfo@pfwineries.com

families of wine 65

Luisa Lindemann, Kai Schierke, Dorina Lindemann, Hansjörg Böhm and Júlia Lindemann.

66 families of wine

For many years, Portugal was

described as a sleeping beauty of

the wine world, often receiving

far less attention than it deserved.

Recently, however, thanks in part to

the arrival of a number of passionately

committed foreigners, this most western

edge of Europe, and the Alentejo region

in particular, have increasingly attracted

the spotlight. None of the outsiders has

done more for the Alentejo than Dorina

Lindemann at Quinta da Plansel.

The history of this estate, around 100 km

east of Lisbon, and its wines began with

an accident followed by a pair of succes-

sive love stories. The first of these events

was the capsizing of a yacht belonging

to a young German called Hans-Jörg

Böhm in the port of Cascais, near Lis-

bon in 1961. Böhm had grown up in a

traditional wine growing family in the

German town of Neustadt an der Wein-

strasse in the Rhineland Palatinate. He

knew a lot about German grape varie-

ties and winemaking, but nothing about

their counterparts in Portugal. As soon

as he encountered them, however, it was

love at first sight. Within a few years he

had become the largest importer of Portu-

guese wines into Germany, before deciding

to start a commercial nursery of his own

in Portugal in which to breed that coun-

try’s native grapes. In 1975, the year of

turmoil surrounding the Portuguese rev-

olution, he courageously bought a house

in Colares followed by the Quinta de São

Jorge (a play of words on his name Jörg)

in Montemor-o-Novo, the location of the

Quinta da Plansel today.

Having sold his family business in Germany,

Böhm devoted himself to Portugal and

its grapes. He organised two international

viticultural conferences, published dozens

of technical papers and no fewer than five

books, including two – on Portuguese and

Iberian grapevine varieties – that have been

officially recognised by the OIV (Organi-

sation International de la Vigne). In 2006,

Jorge Böhm, as he became known in Portu-

gal, received recognition for his efforts from

Dr Jorge Sampaio the President of Portugal,

who gave him the order of Comendador da

Ordem de Mérito Agrícola (Commander

of the Order of Merit for Agriculture).

When his boat capsized in the port of Cascais, a young German called Hans-Jörg Böhm became acquainted with Portuguese wine. Today his daughter, Dorina Lindemann, is having her own love affair – with her vineyards in Portugal.

Quinta da Plansel Head over heels in love with Portugal

families of wine 67

While pursuing his academic research,

Böhm also contributed his knowledge to

the Quinta da Plansel winery, launched by

his daughter Dorina in 1997. A graduate

of the famous Geisenheim University wine

course, Dorina had, like her father, fallen

head over heels in love with the Alente-

jo region. She created her first premium

wine under the Dorina Lindemann label

in 1999, with an initial production of just

2,000 bottles. Two years later, she pro-

duced the initial vintage of Plansel Selecta

Touriga Nacional from her favourite grape

variety, and pioneered the making of sin-

gle-varietal wines in Southern Portugal,

where the practice had previously been

unknown. In 2003, she nervously submit-

ted samples of that wine to the Mundus

Vini competition and won a Gold medal,

the first of an annual series that has contin-

ued until the present day.

From those early days, the quinta has

grown steadily. Today, its vineyards

cover some 65 ha and produce enough

grapes to yield around 440,000 bottles

of wine every year, which are sold under

the Marquês de Montemor and Plansel

Selecta labels. The focus, as elsewhere in

most of Portugal, is on red. One fifth of

Plansel Selecta, however, is white, made

from a blend of Verdelho, Arinto and

Antão Vaz grapes and, in the case of the

Reserva, pure Verdelho. There is also a

small amount of strawberryish rosé, pro-

duced from a blend of Aragonez and

Alfrocheiro. While Dorina delights in

these blends of traditional, indigenous

Portuguese grape varieties, her passion lies

in the single-varietal wines, built on the

foundations of knowledge laid down by

her father, Jorge over three decades ago.

The varieties Dorina Lindemann loves

best are Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca

and, above all, the Touriga Nacional she

used to make her first super-premium,

single-variety wine, in 2001. Her passion

for these vines and the land in which they

are grown has been passed onto a third

generation, with the arrival of her daugh-

ters, 18 year-old Luisa, who focuses on

viticulture and oenology, and 20 year-

old Julia, who works in marketing and

sales. Even with these bright, enthusiastic

young women at her side, growing over-

seas sales and a clutch of awards from com-

petitions such as Mundus Vini, Decanter

and the IWC, Dorina Lindemann was

still very aware of the challenges facing a

small family-owned producer. So, she was

happy to see the domaine take another

evolutionary step when her countryman,

a businessman called Karl Heinz Stock

who was already owner of the Quinta dos

Vales in the Algarve, became a partner in

Quinta da Plansel. The coming together

of these two quality-conscious German

owners and a pair of estates in two dif-

ferent parts of Portugal has not only

strengthened both businesses today, it

has also helped to guarantee a long-term

future for the endeavour that began when

Hans-Jörg Böhm’s boat capsized over 50

years ago.

INFOQuinta da PlanselApartado 27054-909 Montemor-o-Novo, PortugalTel.: +351 266 898 920Fax +351 266 898 921quintadaplansel@plansel.comwww.plansel.com

68 families of wine

The Uco Valley and Lujan de

Cuyo, sub-regions of Mendoza,

Argentina, nestle along the

eastern base of the Andes, away

from the cold winds of the Pacific. At an

elevation of 1,000 metres, this unique

micro-climate enjoys sunny days and

breezy nights, allowing grapes to mature

steadily. Add the unspoiled, porous soil

and pure water from melting mountain

snowpack and you have a vine region

that produces healthy and intensely-

flavoured grapes.

Seeing the region’s potential, Jean

Pierre Thibaud and Jacques Louis de

Montalembert set out to produce wines

that drew on their French heritage, while

also expressing Mendoza’s terroir. Their

vision became reality in 1999, when they

founded Bodega Ruca Malen.

Argentine-born Jean Pierre Thibaud

began as CEO, and now serves as Vice

Chairman at Ruca Malen. His illustrious

past has seen him as the Argentine

Secretary of Energy, serving the World

Bank in Washington DC, and holding

board and managerial positions at the

largest steel and cement companies in

the country, respectively. In 1988 he

entered the wine business as Chairman

of Bodegas Chandon, Argentina, a fully

owned subsidiary of Moët & Chandon,

which he ultimately left for Ruca Malen.

Jacques Louis de Montalembert is the

son of Comte Charles de Montalembert

and María Francisca Bemberg, one of

five families that form and control the

important Bemberg group, which origi-

nally owned Quilmes, Argentina’s largest

brewery. Jacques Louis arrived in Argentina

aged 21 years old, and became president of

Quilmes until it was sold in 2002. He is

now Chairman at Ruca Malen.

They recruited oenologist Pablo Cúneo,

whose intimate knowledge of Argentinean

terroirs has made him one of Mendoza’s

most respected winemakers.

The belief at Ruca Malen is that wines

are made in the vineyards, so the team

devote themselves to understanding the

terroir. Their profound knowledge of the

micro-terroirs along the Andes Mountain

Range is evident in every sip. Hand-

crafted using traditional French tech-

niques in a modern facility, the goal is to

produce elegant, food-friendly wines that

express the true identity of each varietal.

The name Ruca Malen is a story in itself.

As the legend popular with the indigenous

Mapuche Indians goes, a tribal woman

looked up to heaven, and when her gaze

met that of a god’s, they fell in love. Since

they could not remain together, the god

gifted the woman a house and a nectar

that, when drunk, would revive all the

happiness derived from the god’s gaze.

‘Ruca Malen’ is this ‘house of the young

girl’, and the estate and its wine are remi-

niscent of the legend.

While their individual careers have

been stellar, it’s the commitment of

Thibaud and de Montalembert to the

Uco Valley and Lujan de Cuyo that has

proven the most rewarding, and which

has produced wines embodying the rich

history and spirit of Mendoza.

Bodega Ruca Malen Nectar of the gods

When an Indian woman looked up to heaven, her eyes met those of a god. The woman’s reward was a nectar of happiness – Ruca Malen

INFOBodega Ruca MalenRuta Nacional 7 Km. 1059, 55009 Maipú, Mendoza, ArgentinaTel: +54 9 261 454-0974www.bodegarucamalen.com

Jacques Louis de Montalembert,

Sebastian de Montalembert,

Pablo Cuneo and Jean Pierre Thibaud

families of wine 69

In 1898, Ramón Roqueta Torrentó

opened a shop in Manresa selling

products grown by his family.

This included the wine his family

had grown for many generations.

Under Ramón Roqueta Torrentó, a

true wine-growing estate was created:

Bodegas Ramón Roqueta.

It is a family tradition that fathers and

sons alternate their names between

Ramón and Valentí. Today, Valentí

is the fourth-generation president of

the company and his son Ramón is

the CEO. Both are characterized by a

particular passion for wine.

Valentí Roqueta can only be described

as a pioneer of Spanish quality

winegrowing. By studying oenology

in Montpellier, he gained interna-

tional experience at a time when this

was extremely unusual. It is there-

fore not surprising that when Valentí

became CEO in 1982, it was the start

of a new era for the winery. He was

spurred on by his passion for wine

and his ambition. Under his lead, the

quality of the wines sharply increased.

This was also because he was careful

to respect the special characteristics

of the grape varieties and the wine’s

land of origin. In this way, Valentí

Roqueta was a major driving force in

the creation of the DO Pla de Bages

wine region and he is still Chairman of

its Supervisory Board today.

His son, Ramón Roqueta Segalés, has

inherited his ambition and passion for

wine. LaFou winery, in Terra Alta, is

his own personal project. Fascinated by

the authenticity of the area, in 2007

he started the project with the aim of

producing outstanding wines from

Terra Alta that would bring out the

magnificence of the terroir and stir its

emotions. He personally looks cares for

LaFou, despite being very busy as CEO

of Roqueta Origen.

In 2009, Valentí and Ramón changed the

structure of the company and founded

Roqueta Origen. The new company

combines four wineries: Bodegas Ramón

Roqueta, in the DO Catalunya; LaFou

Celler, in the DO Terra Alta; Bodegas

Abadal, in the DO Pla de Bages; and

Bodegas Crin Roja, that produces wine

from Tierra de Castilla.

Each winery has its own individu-

al qualities and aims to showcase the

characteristics of the region, particularly

with the use of local grape varieties. A

crucial factor is the Roqueta family’s

passion for wine, which is reflected in

their philosophy of preserving the clarity

and authenticity of their wines.

Roqueta OrigenThe Roqueta family: Committed to the territory since 1199

It can be difficult to grasp the consequences of some historical events initially. This is the case of the Roqueta family, whose history dates back to the 12th century. Masia Roqueta, the house belonging to the Roqueta family, is mentioned in documents as early as 1199.

INFORoqueta Origen S.L.Carretera de Vic, 8108241 Manresa BarcelonaTel: +34 93 874 35 11Fax: +34 93 873 72 04www.roquetaorigen.cominfo@roquetaorigen.com

The many members of the Roqueta family

70 families of wine

The Sgarzi family have been

making wine from their own

grapes for many generations in

Castel San Pietro Terme, a city

that sits at the point at which Emilia

becomes Romagna, one of the wealthiest

and most developed areas in all Europe,

and the heart of the slow food movement.

The modern Sgarzi wine business began

in 1933 with Liugi Sgarzi, who used

to deliver his own wines to the inns

of Bologna. Demand for his wines

grew, and Luigi reinvested back into

the winery and the vineyards. His son

Vincenzo eventually took over, and then

his nephew Stefano.

Today, the Sgarzi winery is a striking

piece of modern architecture, with a

vaulted roof covered with photovoltaic

panels, in keeping with the desire to

work with nature and not against it. And

while the company is still proudly part

of Castel San Pietro Terme, and has 80

ha of vineyards, it also has wines from

across Italy in its portfolio.

The family has grown as well, and

multiple Sgarzis are involved in what is

now a major international business.

Multi-lingual Anna Sgarzi, the eld-

est daughter of Stefano and Nadia,

studied accounting and now works in

the international side of the business.

When she’s at home, she works with her

mother Nadia, the export manager, and

aunt Mariagarzia Sgarzi, chief financial

officer.

Luigi Leonardo, the second son of

Stefano and Nadia, says the best gift he

ever received was the toy tractor he got

when he was five; at just 19 he set up a

grape business. Today he is the company’s

agronomist and has introduced inno-

vative technologies, including a system

of irrigation and fertilization that can

coordinate itself through a sophisticated

weather station.

Stefano Sgarzi still plays a pivotal role, as

he visits each production region to check

on the vineyards, and works closely with

grape growers.

Cantine Sgarzi Liuigi produces a full

range of Italian wines, from bulk to

premium bottled wine, under hundreds

of labels, from Sangiovese, Nero

D’Avola, Montepulciano, Primitivo and

Lambrusco through to Glera, Pinot

Grigio, Moscato and Trebbiano, as well

as the important international varietals.

The Sgarzi winery was certified organic

in Europe in 2006, and then later in

Canada and the USA, and the compa-

ny uses solar energy and purified waste-

water. In 2014, the company invested

more than €1 million in an Italian-made

bottling line that can fill 30 different

types of bottles, with any type of closure,

so customers have the ultimate choice if

how their wine is to be packaged.

Every summer, crowds gather around

Castel San Pietro Terme and its mediaeval

rampart, to enjoy a wide variety of culi-

nary and cultural events. Today, custom-

ers in more than 80 countries can be part

of that culture, by opening a bottle of

Sgarzi wine.

Cantine Sgarzi Luigi In the heart of Emilia-Romagna

The Sgarzi family are a perfect embodiment of the northern Italian love of good food, good living and fine craftsmanship.

INFOVia Bernarda, 40024 Castel San Pietro Terme Bologna, ItalyTel: +39 051 940962www.cantinesgarzi.com

The Sgarzi family

families of wine 71

Javier Rodríguez and his wife Maria

Sanzo embody one of the biggest

developments in modern wine-

making. While others focus on

their own individual estates or on big

commercial blends with little regional

identity, Rodriguez and Sanzo – under

their company name of Rodriguez Sanzo

– strive to produce characterful wines

from a wide range of specific Iberian are-

as. At last count, there are no fewer than

25 labels from eight Spanish denomina-

tions of origin, including Rueda, Rioja,

Toro, Ribera del Duero, Priorat, Vinos

de la Tierra de Castilla y León, as well as

Douro in Portugal.

Part of the paradox – and an essential

element in his business model – is that

Javier Rodriguez is a winemaker without

a winery. His passion and skill lie in seek-

ing out vineyards with the potential to

produce much finer wine than they cur-

rently deliver – and grape growers who,

with the right training and facilities, can

help him to develop that potential. To

achieve this, he invests in giving the vines

the care they need and rents traditional

wineries in which he installs appropriate

equipment and barrels.

In every case, he works with small grow-

ers who share his philosophy and desire

to combine regional character with quality

and value for money, and spends much

of his life at the wheel of his car driving

between these regions. He is obsessed by

every detail of wine production. Natu-

rally, this includes the specific nature of

the soils and the grapes and the way they

are grown. This has not only drawn him

towards biodynamic farming, but also to

working on a project in conjunction with

University of California, Davis, to obtain

accurate data about soils and subsoils,

which is essential for classifying vine-

yards. Another Rodriguez hallmark is his

understanding of the importance of using

the right amount of the right kind of oak.

So, depending on the wine, it might go

into barrels produced from wood grown

in France, Spain, Romania or Hungary.

Reds such as Damalisco Crianza, Ter-

ras de Javier Rodríguez Toro, Nassos

from Priorat, Terras de Javier Rodríguez

Bierzo and Lacrimus, Lacrimus Miu-

ra and La Senoba from Rioja, have all

helped earned Rodriguez recognition as

The Best Winery of Spain in 2013 from

media group Vivir el Vino.

Quality white winemaking has been

less of a focus in Spain than red his-

torically, but Rodriguez Sanzo has also

made a speciality of its whites. These

include a Rias Baixas Albariño called

María Sanzo, and an impressive range

of oaked and unoaked Verdejos from

Rueda – like Viña Sanzo Viñas Viejas,

made with grapes from pre-phylloxera

vines. But perhaps the most distinc-

tive and revolutionary white is Parajes,

a blend of Verdejo and Viognier from

Castilla y León. In 2013, the bode-

ga’s wines won 26 medals from com-

petitions in Germany, Spain, Great

Britain, France and Belgium.

In a very few years, the Rodriguez

Sanzo brand – now sold in countries

from China to the USA – has shown

just how effective a youthful, dynamic,

quality-focused approach can be. And

how it is possible for a husband-and-

wife business to operate successfully

on an international scale.

Rodriguez SanzoA successful husband and wife team

The dynamic duo of Javier Rodríguez and Maria Sanzo

have created wines from the Iberian peninsula that are

renowned for their quality.

INFORodriguez SanzoManuel Azaña, 9. 47014ValladolidSpainTel: +34 983 150 150www.rodriguezsanzo.com

Amaya, Javier Rodríguez

and María Sanzo , with

Alvaro, Dugal the dog and Lucía.

The Schenk family cannot and

will not deny its Swiss origin.

And so, it is characteristic of the

family that they do not speak

about their own business very much,

despite being involved in wine-grow-

ing on more than 3,500 hectares of land

throughout the world.

The Schenk family’s businesses operate in

a way that is a little similar to the Swiss

cantons which, under the umbrella of the

state, enjoy a great deal of independence.

Consequently, the company is able to

attract highly qualified staff who are well

suited to the tasks required of them and

committed to high quality work.

Thanks to this open approach, the

family has been able to continuously

expand its sphere of activity. It all began

with Charles Schenk, who became asso-

ciated with the wine-growing business

in 1850 through his role as a manufac-

turer of wine barrels. In 1893, his son

Arnold founded the wine-trading busi-

ness in Rolle, on Lake Geneva. One of

the 235-hectolitre wooden barrels made

by his father is still in use today.

It was Arnold Schenk who took the

development of the family business

forward. Rather than just trade wine, he

also wanted to produce it himself. The

acquisition of several renowned vine-

yards in the cantons of Vaud and Val-

ais ensured rapid growth from 1920

onwards. The Château de Châtagneréaz

in Mont-sur-Rolle and the Château de

Vinzel in Vinzel were the first.

But Arnold Schenk didn’t stop with

Switzerland. He had already established

the company’s first branch operation in

Sète in the south of France in 1915. In

1927, Schenk moved into Spain and

founded Bodegas Schenk in Valencia,

which is known today as Bodegas Mur-

viedro in Utiel-Requina, a subsidiary of

the family holding. In response to the

high demand for wine in France, Schenk

set up a vineyard in Algeria in 1933

which quickly grew to more than 1,000

hectares, thus providing for the interna-

tional market.

The family also continued to expand

after the second world war and, in 1956,

established the Schenk Italia subsidi-

ary, which has developed into an impor-

tant jewel in the family’s treasure chest.

More than 50 million bottles of wine

are produced at the Schenk Italia head-

quarters in Auer and the company is not

only a distributor, supplying wine to

Italian food retailers, but also an exporter.

Castello di Querceto in Tuscany, where

the Schenk Group is a co-owner, and the

latest acquisition, the Bacio della Luna

SchenkSwiss Europeans

Isolationism, a trait often attributed to the Swiss, holds no sway with the Schenk family. The Schenks are Swiss and Europeans at one and the same time.

72 families of wine

Francois Schenk Philippe Schenk Jaques de Simone Olivier de Simone

Prosecco winery, are the best known vine-

yards on the Italian side of the business.

Schenk is also strengthening its role as

a wine producer in other countries. The

prestigious Burgundy vineyard of Henri

de Villamont was acquired in 1964. In

addition, the Château d’Aigueville was

purchased in 2010, when the Rhône

estate was sold by a supplier of many years’

standing. The family is also very proud of

the Badoux winery in Aigle, which was

acquired in 2008. The small green lizard

on the Aigle les Murailles is one of the best

known icons of Swiss wine.

The combination of production and trad-

ing makes Schenk one of the first pan-

European wine businesses to achieve ver-

tical integration from vintner through to

customer. An important cornerstone of

this concept was the acquisition of Obrist

in 1961. Obrist specialises in direct mar-

keting and supplying the gastronomy sec-

tor. This newly acquired competence has

brought Schenk even closer to wine lovers.

Today, the fourth generation of the

family dynasty is represented by François

and Philippe Schenk, while Jacques and

Olivier de Simone represent the fifth

generation, although all four are virtually

the same age. François Schenk and

Olivier de Simone represent the inter-

ests of the family on the Schenk Holding

SA Board of Directors. Philippe Schenk

holds a leading position in the company

in his role as Chief Executive of the Swiss

Wineries and Jacques de Simone will take

over responsibility for finance at Schenk

SA in Rolle from January 2015.

The Swiss domestic market remains a

building block which is just as important

for Schenk’s business model as the Swiss

approach to trading. Every year, 16 million

bottles of wine are produced in Rolle.

Even if the family spend most of their

time at the head office or in Swiss

subsidiaries, they have never lost sight of

the company’s international perspective.

Switzerland’s position at the heart of the

European wine world means that the

most important wine-producing coun-

tries are just a matter of hours away. A

part of Schenk’s philosophy, however, is

to be represented as effectively as possi-

ble in international markets by largely

independent companies. And thus, it is

not only wines produced by Schenk that

are sold by the international companies,

but also those of other producers.

In 1964, the family founded Schenk

GmbH in Baden-Baden, which has

grown into one of the largest and most

efficient wine distributors in Germany.

When it established a distribution busi-

ness in Brussels, Schenk’s plan was to sell

more of its wines in the Benelux coun-

tries. The company’s subsidiary in the

United Kingdom, Buckingham-Schenk,

has an annual turnover of more than 15

million bottles. Back in 1972, Schenk

took over the Bordeaux trading house

Veyret Latour, a first class location for

the worldwide distribution of the very

best Grands Crus Classés.

Arnold Schenk’s vision of creating a

Europe-wide business has long been

reality, but the family is showing no

signs of fatigue or of losing sight of the

company’s global perspectives. It will

be interesting to see which markets the

family penetrates in the future with

the help of its astute Swiss business

acumen.

INFOSchenk Holding SAAvenue de la Gare 181180 Rolle SchweizTel.: +41 21 822 02 02Fax: +41 21 822 03 09www.schenk-wine.cominfo@schenk-wine.com

families of wine 73

Arnold Schenk

Winery Henri de Villamont in Burgundy

74 families of wine

Nestled between California’s

San Pablo Bay and the wine-

growing regions of Napa and

Sonoma is a rolling landscape

draped in morning fog, until the after-

noon marine winds clear the air and reveal

one of the world’s unique appellations:

Carneros, home of Schug Carneros Estate.

The cooling effect of the unique weather

and topography allows the grapes to

ripen slowly while retaining acidity, mak-

ing it the perfect place for Pinot Noir. No

one knows this better than Walter Schug,

owner and Winemaster Emeritus. Not

only has he made Pinot Noir for 60 years,

but the variety is in his blood; he grew up

in the Rheingau in Germany, where his

father, Ewald Schug, served from 1922

to 1959 as director at the Staatsweingut

Assmannshausen, planted to Pinot Noir

since the twelfth century. So Pinot Noir

production has been a Schug family

tradition for nearly 100 years.

After Walter Schug completed his studies at

Geisenheim University, he worked at sever-

al wineries in Germany before moving to

California in 1959. He was the first win-

emaker at Joseph Phelps in 1973, where

he became known for Cabernet Sauvignon

and Riesling. But his dedication to Pinot

Noir is so great that when Phelps decided

in 1980 to cease production of the grape,

Schug negotiated to continue producing

Pinot Noir under his own name.

Despite tremendous success at Phelps,

Schug’s devotion to Pinot Noir saw him

lease land in Napa to develop his own

brand. In 1989, Walter and his wife

Gertrud purchased their own land in

Carneros. Today, Schug Carneros Estate

remains a family endeavor, although

Gertrud passed away in 2007.

Son Axel, with the company since 1989,

is a joint owner and managing partner,

responsible for worldwide sales. Axel’s

wife, Kristine, the winery chef, has

created hundreds of recipes to pair with

Schug wines. Kristine’s brother, Scott

Stone, manages the financial affairs.

Claudia Schug-Schuetz, Walter’s daughter,

is European Sales Director, as well as an

MW candidate and the German ambas-

sador for the California Wine Institute.

Michael Cox, winemaker since 1995, is

a de facto family member. A Northern

California native, Michael grew up in the

town of Sonoma and spent time in the

Sonoma Valley wine region as a student.

Originally, Mike studied chemical engi-

neering at the University of California at

Los Angeles, before realizing his heart was

in wine; he transferred to the U.C. Davis

campus and graduated with a degree in

Enology in 1991. Mike will celebrate

20 years as winemaker in 2015, the year

Walter officially retires from winery duties.

The Schug family may have had a shoe-

making past, with “Schug” likely derived

from “schuh”, the German word for shoe;

indeed, there’s a man holding a shoe in the

family crest. But with almost 100 years

of working with wine and a family that

is entirely devoted to the grape, Schug

has already come to mean something else

entirely: Excellence in winemaking.

Schug Estate German craftsmanship with California flair

Walter Schug trained as a winemaker in Germany before heading to California, where he made a name for himself as a pioneer of fine Pinot Noir.

INFOSchug Carneros Estate Winery602 Bonneau RoadSonoma CA 95476USATel: +1 (707) 939 9363info@schugwinery.comwww.schugwinery.com

Sales and marketing director Axel Schug,

winemaster Walter Schug (centre) and

winemaker Michael Cox

families of wine 75

Sileni Estates did not develop

from a conventional wine

background – free from the

shackles of tradition, the fam-

ily-owned company has cultivated a

unique identity. Constant innova-

tion and an emphasis on delivering

business solutions for its customers

has ensured the company stays at the

forefront of the changing global wine

business landscape.

Entrepreneur Sir Graeme Avery spent

more than 33 years as a leading inter-

national medical publisher. Seeking a

change he founded Sileni Estates in

1997, motivated by a passion he and

his wife Lady Gabrielle developed for

wine and food during regular business

visits to the Old World wine regions

of Italy, France and Spain. A favourite

destination was Milan, the home of an

important office hub for Sir Graeme’s

medical publishing company Adis

International, and the inspiration for

the name Sileni. Featuring alongside

the demigods of Bacchus, the god

of wine and the vineyard in Roman

mythology, and Dionysus, the god

of wine, the vineyard and theatre in

Greek mythology, the Sileni celebrat-

ed the end of harvest with good wine,

good food and good company. This is

the setting for which Sileni wines are

created.

The winery’s first vintage was in 1998.

Since then, the business has grown

from a production of 2,000 cases, to

a remarkable 750,000 cases today,

making it one of the fastest grow-

ing wineries, counted among the top

ten New Zealand wine producers by

production volume. The company

distributes wine to 78 global markets

across Europe, the Americas, Asia and

Oceania from its New Zealand

headquarters.

Sileni EstatesA business that anticipates tomorrow

Sir Graeme Avery is a man who can’t help but look to the future. The hands-on chief executive of Sileni Estates winery and his family have developed a wine business which is anything but traditional. Success, according to the Avery family, is based on anticipating tomorrow.

76 families of wine

Simon, Lady Gabrielle, Sir Graeme,

Monique and Nigel Avery

Its home base is in Hawke’s Bay, New Zea-

land’s oldest wine region. The area enjoys

warm, dry temperatures and a varied vit-

icultural climate. The hotter plains at sea

level are well suited for Merlot-dominant

Bordeaux blends, a Northern Rhône-

style Syrah, and Semillon. In the cooler,

higher altitude, foothills and coastal sites

the Burgundy varieties of Chardonnay

and Pinot Noir, along with Pinot Gris

and a ripe-style Sauvignon Blanc, are

grown. Sileni also produces world-

renowned Marlborough Sauvignon

Blanc from its own vineyards, and by

working alongside local growers in the

Marlborough region.

The Avery family have a proud sport-

ing and business history. Family patri-

arch Sir Graeme was an athlete and

long-serving athletics administrator, and

was instrumental in establishing New

Zealand’s national training centre for

high- performance sport. He was induct-

ed into the New Zealand Business Hall

of Fame and recognised with a knight-

hood by her Majesty the Queen of Eng-

land in the 2014 Honours List for his

contribution to business, sport and food

and wine tourism. He is ably assist-

ed by his wife, and family matriarch,

Lady Gabrielle. The family’s enjoyment

of, and contribution to, top-level sport

is evident in their two sons Nigel and

Simon, whose experience and compet-

itive drive now serve them well within

the commercial environment.

Nigel, a trained accountant, has been

with the organisation from its inception.

He is also an accomplished and mul-

ti-talented sportsman, representing New

Zealand in track and field, bobsleigh and

weightlifting, in which sport he compet-

ed with distinction at the 2000 Olym-

pic Games. He also won two Gold and

a Silver medal at the 2002 Common-

wealth Games. Nigel is now General

Manager, Sileni USA Inc. and based in

Minneapolis, from where he manages

the USA, Canada, Central and South

American markets.

Simon represented New Zealand in

surfing and was a professional surfer

for more than 15 years, before joining

the Sileni team in 2013. Prior to that

he was a surfboard manufacturer and

operated a successful surf retail busi-

ness and surf school at Pauanui, on

the scenically beautiful Coromandel

Coast of New Zealand. Simon works as

Executive Brand Manager, responsible

for his home region of the Coromandel

and the North Asian markets of Japan,

China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan,

South Korea and Vietnam. Daughter

Monique is one of Sileni’s biggest

supporters, as an avid consumer and

outstanding cook, creating a variety of

local and ethnic dishes to enjoy with the

company’s food-friendly wines.

His family’s commitment and contribu-

tion to the business is a great source of

pride for Sir Graeme. He cites ProWein

2014 as an historic moment, the first

time the family involved in the business

had all been together representing Sileni.

The family are also naturally proud of

the growth of the company, including

the development of the staff within it.

Sir Graeme says it has taken more than

15 years to begin to fully understand

the business of wine, just as it did the

business of healthcare during his former

medical publishing career. “You only

learn if you recognise your ignorance,”

he says. A commitment to constantly

learning and developing, and a focus on

export development has been key to the

company’s growth.

Sileni focuses on strategic partner-

ships with its distributors and import-

ers, developing business solutions

for its customers, rather than a wine

product solution. Sir Graeme sees this

as a key difference for the organisa-

tion, something that has allowed the

company to thrive in changing econom-

ic conditions. Sir Graeme says, “You

have to constantly be thinking – what

are the needs of the consumer going to

be in five, 10 or 20 years’ time?”

Investment into regular market visits,

market research and observations of

differences in lifestyle, consumption

habits and consumer trends have

allowed the Avery family to gain essential

insights into changes in the global wine

business landscape. “To succeed you

need to have a sense of where the future

might go.”

INFO2016 Maraekakaho Road, Hastings, New ZealandTel: +64 6 879 8768www.sileni.co.nz/info@sileni.co.nz

Simon Avery

Nigel Avery

families of wine 77

It all started when Félix Solís

Fernández moved with his wife

Leonor and their children to

Valdepeñas in 1952, because it was

clearly a good place for grapes: not only

had the Romans made wine there, but

winemaking had even flourished during

the Moorish occupation.

Today the Félix Solís winery is one of the

largest wineries in the world, with a pro-

duction capacity that exceeds 300m bot-

tles, and the company owns more than

1,000 ha of vineyards. Among its many

brands is Viña Albali, one of the bestsell-

ing Spanish brands throughout the world.

Along with wineries in Valdepeñas and La

Mancha, the company operates another

four wineries under the name Pagos del

Rey, in Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Toro and

Rueda; its brand Blume is the largest Rue-

da brand in Spanish retail. It has a sub-

sidiary in China, the Shanghai Félix Solís

Winery Corporation, plus operations in

seven other countries, which serve to the

more than 100 countries where the wines

are sold. Yet throughout the expansion, it

has remained a tightly held family busi-

ness, with a strong emphasis on relation-

ships.

Six family members are part of the com-

pany, beginning with the four Solís-Yañez

brothers: Pedro, Felix, Manuel and Juan

Antonio. All sit on the board of direc-

tors and participate in company deci-

sion making, with Felix Solís-Yañez as the

President and CEO. His son, Felix Solís-

Ramos, is international and marketing

director, while Virginia Solís-Ramirez,

daughter of Juan Antonio, works in the

marketing department where she’s respon-

sible for advertising and packaging.

The company has always been very out-

ward looking. It became one of the first

Spanish wineries to export in the late

1960s, and in 1998 it formed a winery

in Shanghai, China. In 2002 it moved

into northern Spain, with a winery in

Ribera del Duero, due to family bonds

in the region (Mr Félix Solís’ wife comes

from here). In a region known for its

small estates, the company decided to

take a different tack, creating an 8m-litre

capacity winery, and producing a super-

market brand called Altos de Tamaron

Félix Solís avantis Spain’s modest giant

Félix Solís avantis has always been an outward looking business, thanks to the vision of its founder and his sons. It hasn’t just weathered the economic crisis, but has flourished, bringing the best of Spain to the world.

Juan Antonio, Felix, Pedro

and Manuel Solís-Yañez

78 families of wine

and Condado de Oriza for the on- trade.

The Rueda winery was next, in 2004,

and then Rioja in 2006. In 2008, the

company bought Vina Bajoz, the larg-

est cooperative in Toro, and completely

refurbished it, making it the largest and

most modern facility in Castilla y Leon,

with a 20m-litre capacity.

As well as producing branded wines in

volume for the export market, the compa-

ny has also been forward thinking when it

comes to packaging, supplying wines in

tetra pak and prisma pak to supermar-

kets, in small formats as well as the more

usual size.

In 2013, Felix Solís-Ramos, Internation-

al Sales Manager, was named Meininger’s

International Wine Entrepeneur of the

Year, for his role in expanding the compa-

ny so rapidly during a period of economic

crisis. For his part, Felix Solís-Ramos says

that he knew from when he was a child

that he was going to work in the family

business. “All my life has been directed to

the business side, since the beginning,” he

said. “My background and studies have

been directed to have an important role

in the winery, and in the commercial and

sales part of the business.”

Those who are capable of making bold

business decisions often have brash per-

sonalities. And yet those who know

Félix Solís Ramos say that he’s quiet

and modest, and embodies the values of

the company. He is often described as a

good listener. One person said that said

that Félix Solís Ramos is “a very deter-

mined, single-minded person and very

loyal to employees as well as to clients.”

He himself says that he is very proud

of the current international size of

the company, given that it started as

a small family business in the 1950s.

“This family has maintained the family

character in the company, along with a

professional philosophy,” he says. “This

combination of family values and pro-

fessionalism has been the key to success.”

Félix Solís avantis has a new project to

be proud of – the creation of a wine

museum located in Morales de Toro

(Zamora). The Pagos del Rey Museo del

Vino, founded with a private investment

of more than €2m, offers visitors a high

tech and immersive journey through

wine culture. Light tables, touch screens

and other modern forms of storytelling

come together to bring to life the history

of wine, from ancient times to the pres-

ent. The family hopes that Pagos del Rey

Museo del Vino is the first step into an

ambitious wine tourism development.

And, of course, when a future historian

writes the history of Spanish wine, Félix

Solís will no doubt feature prominently.

INFOFélix Solís avantisAutovia del sur km 199Valdepenas, Ciudad Real, Spainwww.felixsolisavantis.com

Felix

Solís-Ramos

Virginia

Solís-Ramirez

families of wine 79

80 families of wine

Eugenio Tinazzi launched

his small winegrowing and

distribution business, Cantine

Tinazzi, in Italy’s picturesque

Lake Garda region in 1968.

Based in Cavaion Veronese, he began

making and selling local Verona wines

within the province. Eugenio Tinazzi’s

passion and commitment, however,

would soon extend his new company

past borders near and far.

Son GianAndrea joined the busi-

ness at a fresh 18 years old, and his

lively, independent and proactive spirit

helped his father spread their reach to

Lombardy and, later, throughout all of

Northern Italy.

A mere decade after its inception, Can-

tine Tinazzi moved to a larger site in

Cavaion Veronese. For the next 20 years,

this served as the home of production,

bottling and administration. In 1986,

the Tinazzi family purchased Tenuta

Valleselle from the Camaldolese Order,

which included 12 hectares of beautiful

vineyards and olive groves near Bardoli-

no in the hills of Lake Garda.

The next decade saw a rapid development

of their export capabilities, with Tinazzi

wines becoming available throughout

all of Europe. In 1998, GianAndrea’s son

Giorgio – now Commercial Director –

joined the company, and was instrumen-

tal in launching their presence across the

Atlantic, with exports to the US.

In 2001 the Tinazzi family purchased

the 15 ha Feudo di Santa Croce in

Apulia, a region with a strong vocation

for wine. The year 2002 saw Cantine

Tinazzi move again, to a much larger

facility in Lazise, also in the Lake

Garda area. The new facility houses all

elements of the winemaking process –

crushing, fermentation, bottling, and

the corporate sales and commercial

offices.

In 2009, GianAndrea’s daughter

Francesca joined the company, and has

worked hard to publicize the company’s

values and boost transparency in its dia-

logue with the public. She now heads

Tinazzi’s Business Control.

That same year also saw more export

success, with Tinazzi wines reaching

Russia and China. By 2011 the

company was expanding once again,

this time in Apulia, with Cantine San

Giorgio and 45 hectares of vineyards

in Manduria. The company now owns

72 hectares of vineyards over the four

estates in Veneto and Apulia.

The Tinazzi philosophy is that “a com-

pany that continues to evolve, expand

and improve, and knows how to meet

the needs of international and national

clientele,” and their success is proof that

they live out these values. In less than 50

years the company has expanded from

being a regional winemaker to having

a presence on markets throughout

Europe, the Americas, Asia, Southeast

Asia and Australia.

The evolution continues — the Tinazzis

refer to their brand as “a mosaic of Italian

passions,” exemplified by a new project

that has paired a collection of exclusive

wines and Italian handcrafted leather

bags. At Tenuta Valleselle, consumers

can adopt a vineyard row and follow its

cultivation through to the bottles they

will consume. There are cooking classes

and even “team cooking,” an employee

collaboration exercise available to

companies that want to encourage and

develop team cohesion and leadership

skills.

In only three generations, the family

behind Cantine Tinazzi has not just

made their mark on the wine world,

they have proved that it’s possible to

combine tradition with innovation and

modernity.

Cantine Tinazzi A very modern Italian company

In less than 50 years, the Tinazzi family have grown from being a small wine business to an internationally respected name, thanks to knowing which vineyards to invest in.

INFOVia delle Torbiere, 13,37017 Lazise VRItalyTel: +39 045 647 0697www.tinazzi.it

Giorgio Tinazzi,

GianAndrea Tinazzi,

Francesca Tinazzi

families of wine 81

When Alain Thiénot decid-

ed to start his own Cham-

pagne house in 1985, he had

valuable skills on his side.

For 17 years, he had worked as a courtier –

a broker – helping established companies

buy the grapes they needed. His daily vis-

its to vineyards across the region had given

him a rare insight into where to find Pinot

Noir and Chardonnay of the highest qual-

ity – and invaluable relationships with the

men and women who grew them.

From the outset, Thiénot knew his wines

had to be of the finest quality. Everybody

working for his company was left in no

doubt about its focus: “One passion:

wine. One imperative: excellence.” For

Thiénot, wines bearing his name would

be recognizable for their finesse, fruit

and freshness.

Next, Thiénot introduced his wines to

connoisseurs who could appreciate what

he was trying to do. He not only turned

to wine experts but also to the chefs and

sommeliers who understood that great

Champagne could be a perfect accom-

paniment to a wide range of dishes. This

strategy paid off handsomely. Within a

few years, Thienot’s Champagne had

made its way into the cellars of some of

the finest restaurants in the world.

In 2003, Thiénot’s children, Garance and

Stanislas, joined the firm, bringing with

them experience gained in France and

internationally. Alain Thiénot remains

CEO, with his son and daughter shar-

ing the roles of joint managing directors.

To mark their arrival, the name of the

brand changed too, from Alain Thiénot

to Thiénot.

Apart from the quality of the grapes –

from 27 hectares of the company’s own

vineyards, and also from carefully select-

ed growers - the Thienot wines bene-

fit from a modern, glass-walled winery

on the outskirts of Reims. Today, there

are seven Champagnes to choose from,

including a Vintage Brut made from

equal proportions of Chardonnay and

Pinot Noir and a pale Brut Rosé which

was awarded the 2010 trophy for the

finest pink Champagne of the year at the

Decanter World Wine Awards.

Each of the Thiénots has a cuvée. The

Cuvée Alain Thiénot is a rich blend that’s

slightly dominated by Pinot Noir, while

the Cuvée Stanislas is a pure Chardonnay

Blanc de Blancs. As Tom Stevenson and

Essi Avellan MW point out in the lat-

est Christie’s World Encyclopedia of

Champagne & Sparkling Wine, Garance

Thiénot’s unusual first name refers to a

shade of the colour red. This, they sug-

gest, may explain why the wine that bears

her name is a Blanc de Noirs.

Both children are also referenced in the

Thiénot single-vineyard prestige cuvée,

the La Vigne au Gamins – literally, the

‘kids’ vine – a plot of old Chardon-

nay vines Alain Thiénot was happy to

discover on a hillside on the Côte des

Blancs in the Grand Cru village of Avize.

The Thiénot group now also includes

the Canard-Duchêne, Marie Stuart and

Joseph Perrier Champagne houses. In

just over 30 years, Thiénot has become

one of the leading members of the

Champagne club.

Champagne Thiénot A remarkable rise in Champagne

The business of Champagne can feel like an 18th century club that’s closed to outsiders. Yet Alain Thiénot not only joined the club, he became a major presence.

INFOChampagne Thiénot4&6 rue Joseph Cugnot- 51500 TaissyFranceTel : +33 3 26 77 50 10www.thienot.cominfos@thienot.com

Alain Thiénot with his children

Garance and Stanislas

Yet the charisma and the larg-

er than life personality of

Evangelos Tsantalis, second

generation producer, left a pro-

found mark on the family business and

played a definitive role in the develop-

ment of the Greek winemaking industry

in general. Today, the third and fourth

generation continue this longstanding

tradition with true respect to Evangelos

Tsantalis’ vision and innovative entre-

preneurship.

Growing up among the vines and in the

family’s distillery, Evangelos Tsantalis was

soon to take over the business. In 1938,

he managed to create a small production

unit in Serres and, a few years later, the

first distillery in Thessaloniki. Quality and

consistency had always been the trademark

of the Evangelos Tsantalis name, leading

to a rising demand. Despite the com-

mercial success, he remained humble

and hardworking, focused on his goal to

promote the unique identity of wines and

distillates from Greece. In the early 50s, the

cultivation of Xinomavro grapes in

Naoussa attracted Evangelos Tsantalis’

attention and led to the development of

the privately owned Estate Strantza. This

investment inaugurated the family’s ongo-

ing dedication to the preservation of indig-

enous Greek varieties and biodiversity.

The 1960s was a milestone decade for

the Tsantali family, offering outstanding

opportunities to turn Evangelos’ vision

into action. On the one hand, exports

had started, based on innovative infra-

structure able to meet the expectations

of an extroverted business strategy; on

the other hand, the rejuvenation of the

unique vineyard in Mount Athos set the

pace for the development of the Tsantali

brand.

As far as the exports were concerned, the

penetration had as a starting point markets

with a significant Greek population, like

Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium

and the USA. Today Germany remains

the major export market for the Tsantali

family, yet the strategically enhanced prod-

uct portfolio (e.g. organic wines) gained a

place in restaurants, special retailers and

supermarkets. Business has been develop-

ing rapidly supported by a commercial net-

work in 55 countries and an extraordinary

record of success stories. It was in 2007

that Tsantali was given the Honorary Title

of the “Official Purveyor of Kremlin” for

the limited production Kormilitsa Gold

wine from Mount Athos. Following a three

year-period of in-depth vineyard inspec-

tions by Russian experts, the Tsantali fam-

ily became the first winery ever to acquire

the prestigious distinction, which has

worked as an advantage for business devel-

opment in Russia and the neighbouring

markets. Three years later (2010), Tsantali

Asia was founded in Hong Kong, aim-

ing at a strategic entrance in the Chinese

market. Taking into consideration the

highly demanding business environment,

the Tsantali family has adapted a

long-term plan, focusing on creating

awareness regarding the wines of North

Greece, building up a connection with

Evangelos TsantalisDetermined visionary

The Tsantali family has been cultivating vineyards, making wines and distilling ouzo and tsipouro since 1890.

82 families of wine

Ioanna Tsantalis, President,

Angelos Dimitriadis, CEO,

and Dr George Tsantalis,

Vice-President

Evangelos Tsantalis

during harvest at Mount Athos

culture and history, and offering tasting

opportunities through a chain of Tsantali

corner shops.

The rejuvenation of the Mount Athos

vineyard in 1969 was indeed a landmark,

the most tangible evidence of Evange-

los Tsantalis’ passion and insight. On a

usual hunting day, a sudden storm made

him seek refuge at the Monastery of Saint

Panteleimon. While he was there, the

dilapidated vines attracted his attention;

soon he came back with a team of experts

in order to examine the vineyards’ poten-

tial. It is said that when an expert stated

that the rejuvenation of a secluded monas-

tic community would be very expensive,

Evangelos Tsantalis replied tersely: “I did

not ask about the cost, I asked if it was

feasible or not.” The agreement with the

Monastery was signed in 1971 and since

then a huge investment has been imple-

mented leading to the revival of the breath

taking vineyard in Metochi Chromitsa

and a from-the-ground-up renovation of

the winery, a fine example of traditional

athonite architecture. The ideal microcli-

mate and the artisanal winemaking offer

today some of the most eclectic wines

from Greece. Mount Athos presented the

opportunity to the Tsantali family to intro-

duce to the Greek consumers the sense of

“terroir”, the importance of geographical

indication. Six years after its official launch,

Agioritikos, a wine produced in Metochi

Chromitsa, was acknowledged in 1981 as

the first Regional Wine from Greece.

The Mount Athos project was just the

beginning, establishing Evangelos Tsantalis

and his family as the masterminds behind

the preservation of outstanding vineyards,

with the consequent support of local com-

munities.

Rapsani has been yet another success

story: A wine region nestled under Mount

Olympus that produces the acclaimed

homonymous PDO wine. Winemaking

has been the main source of income

for the locals for centuries; however, in

the 1980s a dramatic decline was wit-

nessed and the vineyards were almost

abandoned. Persuaded of the distinc-

tive character of the wine, the intriguing

correlation to Greek culture and mythol-

ogy, and the consequent export dynam-

ics, the Tsantali family has undertaken a

huge investment plan, standing by the

local farmers, channeling expert know-

how as far as cultivation is concerned, and

offering the ideal conditions for the rede-

velopment of viticulture. Today, Rapsani

PDO wine, a red blend of three indig-

enous varieties – Xinomavro, Krassato

and Stavroto – is established as one of

the most renowned wine brands from

Greece; furthermore the Tsantali family

has recently introduced the Rapsani Wine

Adventure, a concept aiming at promot-

ing the region as an alternative wine des-

tination, combining exceptional natural

beauty, history, winemaking tradition

and gastronomy.

What would have been an impressive life’s

work for other people was only part of

the story of Evangelos Tsantalis. In 1974,

the construction of the new winery and

distillery was finally completed at the

company’s current headquarters in Agios

Pavlos on the first leg of Chalkidiki pen-

insula. In 1995, Tsantali became one of

the first winemakers to be certified as

organic. Today, it is by far the largest pro-

ducer of organic wines in Greece, with

ongoing investments in green farming

and integrated crop management. One

of the mottos of the Tsantali family –

“The natural way is the only way”– per-

fectly sums up the dedication towards

sustainable development.

Currently under the Tsantali brand name,

there are five wineries: Agios Pavlos

Chalkidiki, Metochi Chromitsa in the

secluded monastic community of Mount

Athos, Rapsani in Mount Olympus,

Naoussa, the land of Xinomavro, and

Maronia Thrace, one of the oldest vine-

yards in Europe. Ioanna Tsantalis,

Evangelos’ daughter, is the President of

the company, while her brother-in-law

Angelos Dimitriadis took over the reins

as CEO. Dr George Tsantalis, Evangelos’

nephew, represents the family on the

German-speaking markets and at the

National Inter-Professional Organiza-

tion of Vine and Wine of Greece. At the

same time, the fourth generation of the

family, Katrina and Maria, offsprings of

Haido Tsantalis – Evangelos’ daughter –

and Angelos Dimitriadis, are working in

the marketing and new product develop-

ment departments bringing in fresh ideas

and an out-of-the-box perspective. They

seem to be as restless as their grandfather

Evangelos.

It will surely be exciting to see in which

direction the fusion between the expe-

rience of the third generation and the

fresh ideas of the fourth generation will

lead the family.

INFOEvangelos Tsantalis AG63080 Agios PavlosChalkidikiGreeceTel: +30 23990 76100Fax: +30 23990 51180www.tsantali.cominfo@tsantali.gr

families of wine 83

Having royal visitors is rare for a

winery. Over the course of its

almost 150-year history, the

Torres house can look back

to three such highlights. In 1904, King

Alfonso XIII honoured the vineyard

with a visit, in 1993 the Infanta Cristina

came to call, and in 1995, Juan Carlos

attended the vineyard’s 125th anniversa-

ry. That alone shows that Torres is not a

vineyard like all the others, but that it

has made a special contribution to its

country. It is hardly surprising that the

winery, its wines, and its different fam-

ily members, were often decorated with

prizes and awards, the latest being the

number one position in the World’s

Most Admired Wine Brand ranking.

Although the Torres surname had been

linked to wine for more than three

centuries, the company’s history started

in 1870, when Jaime and Miguel Torres

Vendrell founded a wine cellar across the

railway station in the small Penedès village

of Vilafranca, about 45 minutes south of

Barcelona. Since its foundation, Bodegas

Torres has always tried to combine tradition

and innovation with the utmost respect for

the environment. The latter is clearly reflect-

ed in Torres’ winegrowing philosophy:

“The more we care for the earth, the better

our wine” and its sustainability program

called Torres & Earth, which covers pro-

jects such as renewable energies, eco-

efficiency in transport, optimization of

water use and CO² reduction.

One of the latest investments is an

electric-solar train used for the sight-

seeing tour through the Torres vineyards

and cellars, which reduces CO² emissions

by 50% compared to the emissions

generated by the diesel train. “Climate

change is a challenge for everyone: for

people in Spain, in Europe, for everyone

in the world,” says Miguel A. Torres. “We

are really standing at a crossroad and it’s

a crossroad about our future; the future

of the next generations. The model of our

world economy seems to tick too many

times in terms of ‘profit at any cost’: today

many of us act taking only today’s gen-

eration into account; but we should real-

ly start acting, taking several generations

into account.”

Today, the fourth generation of the family –

represented by the company‘s President,

Miguel A. Torres, and its Vice Presidents,

Juan M. Torres and Marimar Torres –

heads the company alongside the fifth

generation, made up of Miguel Torres

Miguel TorresA Spanish family

The name Torres is very closely connected with Spanish wine, not only because of its very successful brands, but also because of its efforts to promote and maintain the diversity of the Iberian wine culture.

The Torres Family

84 families of wine

Maczassek (General Manager of the Torres

Group since September 2012), Mireia

Torres Maczassek (General Manager of

Torres Priorat and Jean Leon and also

responsible for the premium cava project),

Arnau Torres Rosselló and Cristina

Torres. Furthermore two other fifth

generation family members – Anna Torres

Maczassek and Marta Torres Rosselló –

are members of the Board of Directors.

Right from the beginning, international-

ization and exports have been one of the

main pillars of the company, and nowadays

Torres wines can be found in more than

150 countries. Miguel Torres Maczassek

comments: “Where we stand today as a

company is the result of the extraordi-

nary work and effort of several genera-

tions of our family and our outstanding

team of professionals who share the

values of the company. But I would like

to especially highlight my grandfather

who developed most of the export mar-

kets and my father who has been crucial

during the past decades guiding the win-

ery towards higher levels of quality, as well

as developing our single-vineyard wines.”

This year Torres actually celebrates the

40th ‘vintage birthday’ of Mas La Plana,

whose first vintage – the legendary 1970

Gran Coronas Black Label – won the

famous blind Gault Millau tasting in Paris

in 1979 and put it on the world map.

Torres’ main goal is to produce top quality

wines, but also to reflect the region and

ultimately the characteristics of a particular

vineyard itself. That is why Torres has been

expanding during the last 15 years to

almost all top wine regions of Spain, the

latest being the DO of Rueda. Miguel

Torres Maczassek says: “We still believe that

Spain has regions and wines yet to be ful-

ly discovered. The same can be said about

Chile, where we’ve grown wine since 1979

and where we have been working lately on

the recovery of old Chilean varieties like,

for example, País: we asked the vinegrow-

ers to improve the quality and to get the

Swiss IMO Fair Trade/Fair for Life certi-

fication. This includes paying them high-

er prices than the market and guarantee-

ing that a part of the profits go back to the

vine growers to invest in their community.

Chile is discovering its own roots and I have

no doubt that the Chilean wines will have a

lot to say now and in the future.”

In Spain, Bodegas Torres is present in

the following Appellations of Origin:

Catalunya, Conca de Barberà, Costers

del Segre, Penedès, Priorat, Terra Alta,

Rías Baixas, Ribera del Duero, Rioja

and Rueda. Internationally, Torres has

vineyards and a winery in Chile (pro-

ducing wines under the appellations

Central Valley, Secano Interior, Limarí

Valley, Maule Valley, Maipo Valley, Itata

Valley, Colchagua Valley and Curicó

Valley) and in California (Russian River

Valley, Sonoma County). The California

winery, Marimar Estate, is managed

by Marimar Torres and is owned by

Marimar and Cristina Torres.

Torres owns more than 2,400 hectares of

vineyards in Spain, Chile and California.

The most renowned ‘Single Vineyard’

wines are Mas La Plana, Reserva Real,

Grans Muralles, Perpetual, Milmanda,

Fransola (Spain), Manso de Velasco

(Chile), the wines from the Don Miguel

and Doña Margarita vineyards

(California), and those made at the

Jean Leon winery. The Torres family’s

Spanish ‘Single Vineyard’ wines

age in the Waltraud Cellar, named

after the German wife of Miguel

A. Torres – Waltraud Maczassek –

who initiated and directed exports to

Germany 25 years ago. Nowadays,

Waltraud Maczassek is the President of

the Miguel Torres Foundation.

Torres is a member of PFV (Prim-

um Familiae Vini), an association of 11

wine families who are among the most

prestigious wine producers of their region.

Torres has been a member since the

association’s founding in 1991, along with

Vega Sicilia, Egon Müller, Symington,

Pol Roger, Perrin, Joseph Drouhin,

Tenuta San Guido, Hugel, Antinori and

Mouton Rothschild.

INFOMiguel Torres S.A. C/ Miquel Torres i Carbó 6 08720 Vilafranca del Penedès (Barcelona) Spain Tel: +34 93 8177400Fax: +34 93 8177444www.torreswines.com www.torresearth.com

Castle of Milmanda Bodega Waltraud with electric-solar train

families of wine 85

Sergio Bolla with Pieroluigi Bolla

86 families of wine

Competitiveness comes natural-

ly to the Bolla family. Pierluigi

Bolla, the president of Valdo, has

walked off with several Italian

skiing trophies, while Gianluca Bolla has

shown prowess at a similar level with his

golf clubs. Andrea Bolla, the 46-year-

old Valdo Spumanti board member and

CEO of the energy provider Vivigas, was

a highly skilled and successful equestrian.

Not surprisingly, the Bollas have taken a

similar approach to their wine business.

The first member of the family to make a

living from wine was Albano, Pierluigi’s

great-grandfather, an innkeeper in

Soave, close to Verona. Not surprisingly

for someone living in a region where

almost all of the land is covered with

vines, Bolla senior took the decision

in 1883 to offer his customers wines

produced from his own grapes. By 1939,

the Bolla reds and whites had gained a

local reputation for their quality and

Albano’s son, Sergio, decided that it was

time to branch out in sparkling wines,

and bought a small producer called

Valdo Spumanti.

The business was situated in

Valdobbiadene, in the heart of the

traditional Prosecco region, around

50km north of Venice. Today, Prosecco

is so popular and widely available that it

is hard to imagine a time when this style

was almost unknown outside Italy: Valdo

Spumanti, which was founded in 1926,

was, in fact, one of the region’s first serious

commercial wineries. Sergio Bolla, how-

ever, fully appreciated the potential of this

region of around 7,000 hectares nestled

between the Dolomites and the Adriatic

Sea. The combination of the hilly land-

scape and excellent south-west sun expo-

sure make it the perfect place to grow the

Glera grapes from which Prosecco is pro-

duced, which have been cultivated here

since the days of the Roman empire.

Prosecco has become wildly popular in

recent years, as consumers the world over

have discovered what the Bolla family have

always known – that Prosecco is more than

a sparkling wine. It’s easy to drink, yet styl-

ish and versatile enough to match with a

wide variety of foods, or even used in cock-

tails. In 2010, the quality of Conegliano

Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore was

recognised with the awarding of a DOCG;

Valdo Spumanti’s vineyards lie at the heart

of the DOCG area, making the compa-

The Bolla family have made a name for themselves both as winemakers and as sportspeople. This family knack for winning shows in their early decision to invest in Prosecco.

Valdo Spumanti An early pioneer of Prosecco

families of wine 87

ny an acknowledged leader of Prosecco

production.

Using the winemaking and market-

ing expertise honed in the development

of their highly successful range of Bolla

wines, the family developed several dif-

ferent styles of Prosecco. Apart from the

classic Prosecco Brut which was developed

for overseas markets, Valdo is served in the

most prestigious restaurants and hotel bars

in New York, the first of which was the

restaurant of the Plaza Hotel, overlook-

ing Central Park. The Marca Oro Valdo

Spumanti has also gained an internation-

al following, as well as the more premium

Oro Puro – Pure Gold – that was launched

in 2010. A DOCG, made exclusively from

hand-harvested grapes, and packaged in a

striking dark satin glass bottle, this wine is

a perfect choice for special occasions, while

the Extra Dry is often served as an aperitif

and for more casual drinking. Other

styles include the Cuveè del Fondatore, a

Prosecco which is matured in 24 months,

including a brief period in barrel, and

Valdo N°10, a sparkling wine made with

Prosecco grapes, but using metodo classi-

co techniques, which spends 12 months in

bottle. A special product, it’s a reinvention

of Prosecco that underlines the desire of

Valdo Spumante to keep surprising wine

lovers.

The diversity and quality of the Valdo

wines has helped to make this Italy’s

most successful producer of both Pro-

secco and dry sparkling wine, with an

annual production of 15m bottles, of

which approximately 50% is export-

ed to countries such as Germany and

the UK – the leading markets – Brazil,

China, Canada, Mexico and the United

States. A 2009 distribution agreement

in the latter market with the Château

Lafite Rothschild Group has helped

the brand to develop a wide follow-

ing at a time when Prosecco is among

the most popular and fastest-growing

styles of wine.

The quality of the Valdo wines has

been recognized by the award of over

100 international medals since 2002,

including more than 25 for the Cuveè

del Fondatore which has been named

Italy’s best Prosecco on several occasions.

Looking forward, Pierluigi Bolla says

that he is proud of the everything his

family has achieved since 1883, both

within Italy and internationally. The

foundations have been laid for based

Sergio – the fifth generation of wine-

making in the Bolla family, who is based

in Germany – to develop the business

from the inside. Of course, competition

both in Prosecco and in the wine world

in general is more fierce than it has ever

been, but that is unlikely to worry the

Bolla family. Quite to the contrary, as

they have shown on the ski slopes, the

golf links and in the equestrian ring, they

relish the opportunity to show what they

can do. And how well they can do it.

INFOValdo Spumanti, Via Foro Boario 20, Valdobbiadene (Treviso), ItalyTel: +39 0432 9090www.valdo.com

Schloss Vaux stands out in

the German sparkling wine

industry through its histo-

ry alone. Its headquarters was

founded in 1868 in Berlin, a city not

exactly known for its wine produc-

tion. A German sparkling wine house

was established during the founding

years at Château Vaux, not far from

Metz, in Lorraine. The company was re-

established in 1919 after the war and

moved to Eltville in Rheingau. Today,

Schloss Vaux is the last privately-owned

company of vintage provenance pro-

ducing only sparkling wine and is well-

established on the wine scene.

This worked in the company’s favour

when a group of friends took over

Schloss Vaux in 1982, founding proba-

bly the only wine company where family

members are able to choose their family.

Their enthusiasm for this sparkling wine

enterprise with a picturesque villa for its

home helped Schloss Vaux through some

difficult times, when other sparkling wine

houses had to give up and bow to com-

petition from the high-volume producers.

Since Nikolaus, Count of Plettenberg

became Chief Executive in 1998, much

has changed. Plettenberg, who himself

comes from a vintner family, is well

attuned to how the industry works. He

recognised that Schloss Vaux had to

reposition in order to distinguish itself

from the big sparkling wine producers.

Plettenberg made sure that the terms

Secco, Lohnversektung (contract win-

emaking for other brands) and retail

brands were not part of the vocabulary

at Schloss Vaux.

Instead, he put all his efforts into

strengthening the Schloss Vaux brand.

This included dispensing with tank

fermentation and transvasement (the

Sektmanufaktur Schloss VauxUnique sparkling wine production

Anyone who counts on the fingers of one hand the German producers who focus on the production of top quality sparkling wine will surely have fingers to spare. Schloss Vaux, however, has earned the right to be called an outstanding producer.

Schloss VAUX forms a strong familiy

88 families of wine

process of removing lees by filtration),

which was tantamount to revolution in

the highly technical German sparkling

wine industry. Each individual bottle

of sparkling wine is developed using the

traditional bottle fermentation process.

The flavour also caused a stir because

brut sparkling wine was and still is more

the exception than the rule in Germany,

whereas with Schloss Vaux, every spar-

kling wine is produced brut. Some of the

investors doubted such drastic measures

would meet with success, but the large

majority believed in their chosen family

head and in the Schloss Vaux brand.

Initially, some of the sceptics felt

vindicated, as not every retailer com-

plied with the consistent application

of quality standards. Some custom-

ers at the time even left Schloss Vaux.

However, this also offered the oppor-

tunity to gain new customers. From a

brand in the Rhine-Main area of Ger-

many, Schloss Vaux has progressed to

become a sparkling wine sold through-

out the country. From Sylt to Garmisch,

you can find Schloss Vaux on the wine

lists of popular and haute cuisine estab-

lishments. The return to the classic bot-

tle fermentation process fitted in per-

fectly with the Schloss Vaux tradition.

Since then, the wine has been allowed

to age on the lees for 20 months,

resulting in very fine perlage. Each bot-

tle is handled up to nine times in the

process. Despite the focus on top qual-

ity sparkling wine, Schloss Vaux offers

a wide range of 10 different sparkling

wines. Not to be missed are the Cuveé

VAUX white, the Rosé and a Blanc de

Noirs. The regional Rheingau spar-

kling wine is an illustration of the win-

ery‘s commitment to its origins; the

sparkling wine consists of 100 per cent

Rheingau Riesling. With this vintage

sparkling wine, the bottle design of

the range changes significantly. Whilst

the colour of the bottleneck has always

been important – thus, on account of

Cuvée Vaux, many consumers associate

the colour orange with Schloss Vaux –

the absence of a front label begins with

the Rheingau Riesling. In its place, a

vineyard plaque on a cord attached with

a deep red Schloss Vaux seal adorns the

sparkling wine.

Innovative products in the portfolio are

a very aromatic sparkling wine made

from Sauvignon Blanc and a sparkling

wine made from organically grown

Weissburgunder grapes. Completely

new is a Grüner Veltliner, the product

of a successful sparkling wine exper-

iment in the Rheingau vineyards. A

very particular base wine is required

for special products like these, which is

why it is necessary to work very closely

with the vintners. The Weissburgunder

grape used for the organic sparkling

wine, for example, comes exclusively

from the Neumer Ecovin vineyard in

Rheinhessen. Good relations with the

large VDP vintners are also critical for

the limited regional sparkling wines

from the renowned Rheingau locations

of Erbacher Marcobrunn, Rüdesheimer

Berg Schlossberg and Steinberg. Schloss

Vaux’s suppliers are often amongst the

crème de la crème of Rheingau viticul-

ture. Whenever possible, Schloss Vaux

works with one partner for each of its

sparkling wines.

Since January 2014, Schloss Vaux

has become even more involved with

its grape production. The long-term

lease of seven hectares of vineyard in

Geisenheim means that the sparkling

wine producer has become its own base

wine supplier. Now, the entire produc-

tion chain from pruning through to

harvest, and initial fermentation through

to liqueur de tirage, can be accompanied

and monitored. Many of the discerning

customers are curious to see how this

brings further quality improvements. In

the medium term, the plan is to extend

the vine growing area to 10 hectares,

with a view to providing one-third of the

required base wine themselves. Schloss

Vaux is thus underlining its claim to a

special position in the German sparkling

wine market and once again breaking

new ground.

“It is not easy to sell high quality

sparkling wine at a reasonable price in

Germany,” says Count Plettenberg of

the many obstacles encountered on the

company‘s journey. However, he and his

team have succeeded in increasing turn-

over from 190,000 to 350,000 bottles

per year since the beginning of the

century. This is also down to selective

distribution which concentrates on

specialist retailers and gastronomy,

thus reflecting the value of the product

through its outlets as well. Christoph

Graf (sales director) and Clementine

Perlitt (marketing) are optimistic for

the future. The strategy has not only

paid off in terms of sales – for ten years,

liquidity has been so good that investors

no longer receive their family dividends

in liquid form.

INFOSektmanufaktur Schloss Vaux AGKiedricher Straße 18a65343 Eltville im RheingauGermanyTel.: +49 6123 620 60kontor@schloss-vaux.dewww.schloss-vaux.de

families of wine 89

90 families of wine

Very few people have received

official recognition for the con-

tribution they have personally

made to their nation’s wine

industry. Villa Maria founder Sir

George Fistonich, who was awarded a

knighthood in 2009, is one of that select

group. His journey began more than 50

years earlier, in 1961 when, at the age

of 21, he leased five hectares of land

from his father in Mangere, Auckland. It

included less than half a hectare of vines,

from which he made a small batch of

wine the following year under the name

Villa Maria.

Fistonich’s first steps into the wine

industry were not done to please his

parents, Croatian immigrants who

had planned a career in carpentry and

joinery for him. But his Balkan roots

were not irrelevant to his interest in

wine; it was the Croatians, many of

whom came to New Zealand to tap

Kauri trees, who first began to produce

wines for their own consumption.

As Sir George says, “I grew up in an

environment with wine and always

enjoyed the taste of it. Being Croatian,

making wine was in my blood.”

In the 1960s, the New Zealand wine

industry looked totally unlike the global

success story of today. Indeed, it was too

small to be described as an industry at

all, although it was changing quickly.

Young New Zealanders were travelling

overseas and discovering unfamiliar life-

styles, and then bringing them home

and opening restaurants and wineries.

During Villa Maria’s early years,

Sir George and his wife Gail did

everything themselves, without staff,

and used grapes bought from farmers

in the region. In the 1970s, sales took

off, employees were taken on, and

an increasing focus was applied to

signing contracts with grape growers

and rewarding them for growing better

quality grapes, often with the advice of

professional viticulturists. These efforts

were rewarded by an impressive tally of

medals at wine competitions. In 1979,

Villa Maria became New Zealand’s most

awarded winery. In 2014, the company

celebrated an extraordinary run of 35

years of earning this title.

Despite this success, sales were more

or less restricted to New Zealand until

1988, when bottles began to appear on

international shelves, especially in the

UK. Seven years later, Villa Maria beca-

me an early pioneer of the sustainable

wine movement, reflecting this move in

the environmentally friendly design of

the Marlborough winery that opened in

2000 and even more so in the Auckland

facility that opened in 2005.

Perhaps most significantly, in 2001

Villa Maria became the first major

winery in the world to switch totally

to screwcaps, in the early days of the

awareness of the quality advantages of

those closures. Unlike its competitors,

the winery took the trouble to explain

its decision on the capsules of its bottles.

Today, Villa Maria is not only one of the

largest and most successful wineries in

New Zealand, its four tiers of wine – Villa

Maria Reserve, Single Vineyard, Cellar

Selection and Private Bin – are sold in

over 50 countries across the world and are

doing particularly well in Asia. Inevitably

associated with New Zealand’s most

widely-planted grapes, Sauvignon Blanc

and Pinot Noir, Villa Maria is also now

known for innovative styles including

Arneis, Verdelho and Grenache. None

of this would have been imaginable back

in 1961, and the fact that it has all been

achieved by one man makes the story

all the more remarkable. And decidedly

worthy of official recognition.

Villa Maria A New Zealand pioneer

In 1961 the young George Fistonich leased a half hectare of vines to make some wine. Fifty-three years later, Villa Maria is a New Zealand institution.

INFOVilla Maria 118 Montgomerie RoadMangere, ManukauNew ZealandTel: +64 9255 0660Fax: +64 9 255 0661enquiries@villamaria.co.nzwww.villamaria.co.nz

Sir George Fistonich

families of wine 91

The Velenosis have transfor-

med the world of wine in the

Marche region. When they

established their vineyard in the

city of Ascoli Piceno, the wine-growing

region was one of wine cooperatives

and simple table wines. At the time the

Velenosis’ plan to produce high quality

wines appeared to be somewhat crazy.

Added to this, the wine growing busi-

ness in the Marche region at that time

was very much a man‘s world.

But it was Angela Velenosi’s get-up-and-

go which drove her young company

forward. Her motto, “Wine is the art of

making the world dream,” has spurred the

company on. In the beginning, she had

only five hectares of vineyard available,

which she devoted to local specialities:

Rosso Piceno DOC and the white wine

Falerio DOC. Having decided to strive

for top quality wine, the young Velenosi

Vini vineyard became a role model for

the other producers in the region.

The vineyard grew quickly and, by

1995, there were already 35 hectares of

vineyard under cultivation. At the same

time, the Velenosis invested in modern

wine- growing technology and became

trailblazers in this respect too. Today,

grapes from 145 hectares are gathered

in their cellars and 2.3 million bottles

of wine produced. Most of the wines are

exported to many countries of the world,

including Germany, the USA and China.

The company has increased its staff and

now has 20 full-time employees. One

special employee is Angela’s son, Mat-

teo, who qualified as an oenologist in

Tuscany and supports his father Ercole in

the cellar. However, the driving force is

still Angela Velenosi. She is not only the

face of her own vineyard, but also that of

the wine-growing region. In 2013, she

was elected president of the Vini Pice-

ni consortium, having previously been

awarded the title of Cavaliere del lavoro.

Her services are very much respected

not least because Velenosi Vini

has always worked hard for local

Marche specialities. The indigenous gra-

pe varieties of Passerina, Pecorino and

Lacrima di Morra d’Alba have impor-

tant parts to play in the product portfo-

lio. Even the Vino di Visciola wild cher-

ry wine speciality, a wine which is hardly

known in the region itself, is included

in the range. In contrast, internatio-

nal grape varieties such as Chardonnay,

Pinot Nero or Merlot are only used to

a limited degree, primarily in Ludi.

Nevertheless, the latter and Il Roggio

del Filare are the vineyard‘s jewels in the

crown for red wine. However, as a Rosso

Piceno Superiore DOC, Il Roggio del

Filare again highlights the traditions of

the Marche region.

Despite the comprehensive range and the

enormous growth, Angela Velenosi is far

from fatigued: “All in all, we have done

a lot of work, but a lot more is possible.”

She is certain that, through serious effort

and talent, the professionalism of the

vineyard can be further increased, thus

advancing her own development, as well

as that of the vineyard and the region.

Velenosi ViniRevolution through tradition

Angela Velenosi was just 20 years old when she founded Velenosi Vini with her husband, Ercole. Maybe she needed to be young to believe in such a seemingly impossible undertaking.

INFOVelenosi srlVia dei brancospini 1163100 Ascoli PicenoItalyTel: +39 0736 341218Fax: +39 0736 346706www.velenosivini.cominfo@velenosivini.com

Angela Velenosi

92 families of wine

This allows the employees to

focus on creating the best red

wines from the Ribera del

Duero and the best white wines

from Rueda like Circe and Montespi-

na. In particular, the short distances

between the vineyards and the wineries

ensure that the quality of the grapes is

preserved.

This demonstrates the philosophy of

the company‘s founder Avelino Vegas:

“Look to the future, work in the pres-

ent and never forget your roots.” In the

present, they are focussing on produc-

ing special wines to be enjoyed in the

future, and 600 hectares of vineyards in

the Rueda region show that their roots

are not being forgotten. Here, or to be

more precise, in Santiuste de San Juan

Bautista, Avelino Vegas, the young-

est of six children, took over the small

wine producing company owned by

his brother in 1950, thereby laying the

foundations for this remarkable winery.

He quickly recognised the potential of

the Verdejo grape variety and began to

produce varietal wines. As the business

grew, he began to produce bottled wine.

His children now manage the entire fam-

ily business. Avelino Vegas Junior is the

President of the company, Fernando Vegas is

the CEO and Maria Isabel Vegas is respon-

sible for the administration and accounting.

The third generation is already involved in

the company. Maribel Garcia Vegas, the

daughter of Maria Isabel Vegas, was respon-

sible for the construction of the white wine

winery in 2008 and has managed it since

then. This modernisation lead to even more

quality in the famous brands Montespina

and Circe as the varietal Verdejo wines can

be handled with more care in the cellar.

Despite its considerable size of 1,100

hectares, Avelino Vegas remains a real

family business. Fernando’s wife Ana

Isabel Gómez is in charge of commu-

nications and marketing at the com-

pany. Her daughter, Cristina Vegas,

recently completed her oenology course

in Bordeaux and will further strength-

en the family company. The export in 35

countries provides enough work for the

family members.

An important milestone for Avelino

Vegas was the purchase of the Bodega

Fuentespina in the town of the same

name in 1993. He had previously traded

wines from the DO Ribera del Duero,

but could now devote his full attention

to wine production. Today, over 3,000

barriques made of French and American

oak are stored in the cellar. Here they

serve the elaboration of Fuentespina.

Avelino Vegas still strives to please his

customers by constantly increasing the

quality. The philosophy of Avelino Vegas

is also evident in the confidence he has

in his employees, whose professional-

ism is the basis for the high standard

of quality and customer service. This is

because, for Avelino Vegas, employees

and customers are one big family under

the name Vegas.

Avelino Vegas One big family

Anyone visiting Avelino Vegas should think carefully beforehand about what type of wine they are interested in. Rarely in the wine industry do you find such a strict separation between the production of white wine and red wine. And there is a distance of over 100 km between the two wineries in Rueda and Ribera del Duero.

INFOBodegas Avelino Vegas S.A.Calle Grupo Calvo Sotelo, no. 8 - 40460 Santiuste de San Juan Bautista (Segovia)Tel: +34 921 596002Fax: +34 921 596035www.avelinovegas.comgeneral@avelinovegas.com

The Vegas Family Avelino Vegas Senior

families of wine 93

Hans Wegmüller emigrated to

the Palatinate from Switzer-

land in 1657. His son, Hans

Nikolaus, felt so at home there

that he bought the family’s first vine-

yard in the Haardt district in 1685. With

this, he laid the foundation stone for the

Weegmüller winery; the second ‘e’ in the

name was first added in the 18th century.

The winery is now the oldest winery in

the Palatinate to have been owned con-

tinuously by one family. After three and

a half centuries, the Palatinate roots

of the current eleventh generation of

Weegmüllers are as deep as they can be.

Steffi Weegmüller-Scherr is very well-

known in the world of wine. She wears her

heart on her sleeve and says exactly what

she thinks in her Palatinate dialect. This

sometimes offends people, but is valued by

most because this honest, direct approach

is so rare in the modern world of business.

She radiates an unbelievable level of ener-

gy. She has broken through some barriers

in the male-dominated wine industry

in a totally resolute fashion, as if it were

a matter of course. In 1984, she became

the first German female vintner with sole

responsibility for the cellar. It is typical

of Steffi Weegmüller that she sees this as

nothing special. Instead, she says that

earlier generations of Weegmüller women

also had to run the estate when the men

were at war.

She and her sister Gabriele Weegmüller

make a highly committed team. While

Steffi heads up the business and devotes

herself to the cellar, Gabriele takes care of

sales, export and the office. Teamwork is

also required on the many occasions in the

year that the Weegmüllers open up their

winery to events, creating a typical Palat-

inate atmosphere. The two Weegmüller

ladies are supported by four permanent

employees as well as temporary staff.

Their jobs include cultivating the win-

ery’s 15 hectares of vineyard. As is usu-

al for a vineyard in the central Haardt

district, Riesling is a major player, whilst

red wine varieties play almost no part at

all. The Weegmüller winery sees itself as

a white wine estate, where the red wine

varieties are made into Rosé or Blanc de

Noir. Considerably more prominent are

Steffi Weegmüller‘s favourite varieties of

Scheurebe, Gewürztraminer and Grüner

Veltliner. She is understandably extremely

proud that the Grüner Veltliner, which the

winery has produced since 2009, won first

place at the Laurenz V international blind

tasting event.

The constant challenge which the

Weegmüllers have set themselves is to

express the character of the landscape, the

soil and the vintage in their wine, so that

lovers of good wine are able to taste its

Palatinate origins. The Alte Reben trocken

range, whose wines impress with their

high-volume mineral content and extreme

longevity, is a particularly successful

example of this. It helps the wine when its

grapes are deeply-rooted in the landscape –

just like the Weegmüllers.

Weingut Weegmüller Palatinate roots

Anyone meeting the Weegmüller family would find it hard to believe that they hadn‘t always lived in the Palatinate region of Germany. Indeed their migration dates back a very long time.

INFOWeingut WeegmüllerMandelring2367433 Neustadt/Haardt an der WeinstraßeGermanyTel: +49 6321 83772Fax: +49 6321 480772info@weegmueller.dewww.weegmueller.de

Stefanie

Weegmüller-Scherr

94 families of wine

Anyone who has ever visited a

Palatinate wine bar could tell

you a thing or two about that.

For the Weisbrodt family, whose

fourth generation now operates the Holz-

Weisbrodt wine estate in Weisenheim am

Berg, this is a key aspect of their identity.

They are not only wine-growers who

cultivate their vines in northern Palatinate

with care and expertise — earlier genera-

tions having made their living as farmers

and coopers like the company‘s founder

Karl Holz (1908) — but also hosts. Hosts

and family. The idea is that anyone who

appreciates good wine and good food is

naturally part of the family. So, welcome!

It is therefore only fitting that customers

should become guests, quite literally. The

winery has no less than three hospitality

areas: The Stammhaus (main house), a

traditional Palatinate wine bar which has

been part of the family right from the

beginning; the Atrium, a chic Tuscan-style

wine bar with panoramic views, opened

in 2005, which is home to enjoyment

and cosmopolitan savoir vivre; and the

Secco-Hütte, built in 2011, where the

dominant atmosphere is one of simple

Palatinate zest for life. Each location

corresponds to a wine range from the

estate (which also produces some notable

sparkling wines), from tasty and down-to-

earth to sophisticated, high-quality and

elegant. The top range is named after the

winemaker Sebastian Weisbrodt and bears

his hallmarks of international experience,

creativity and perfection. Teasing out varie-

tal, characterful, multifaceted wines which

are unmistakably marked by the vintage

and the conditions of the Palatinate from

the integrated, naturally cultivated terroir

is both a challenge and an endorsement for

Sebastian Weisbrodt year after year. The

winery therefore attracts connoisseurs of all

persuasions and generations to its tastings.

This ‘family’ of bon viveurs has grown

considerably in size, as demonstrated

by the large number of regulars at their

numerous events. For the Weisbrodt

family — namely Willibald and Helga

Weisbrodt, their son Sebastian, who is

responsible for the winery and the wines

and his brother Christian (who takes care

of sales and marketing), as well as his wife

Simone and other members of the family

— having a large extended family brings

its own joie de vivre and is of real value in

itself. The secret? See above. It is just fun

to share one’s passion for good things with

others. Vintages change, but this remains

the same. And, as the Weisbrodts know,

every bottle contains, “the energy, creativity

and passion of all the generations working

in the company.”

Holz-Weisbrodt Where you and your taste feel at home

As social beings, people – especially those from Germany‘s Palatinate region! – do not like to sit at the table alone. Things taste even better with others, and it‘s just nice to chat over a glass of wine and some good food.

INFOWeingut Holz WeisbrodtLeistadter Straße 2567273 Weisenheim am BergTel: +49 6353/93610Fax: +49 6353/936161info@holz-weisbrodt.dewww.holz-weisbrodt.de

Willibald, Christian, Helga

and Sebastian Weisbrodt

The team behind Holz Weisbrodt

families of wine 95

I n the folds of the Riviersonderend

and Langeberg mountains 160

kilometres east of Cape Town lies

the Robertson Valley, one of South

Africa’s most sought-after wine regions.

This is where three generations of De

Wets have worked the loamy soils and

the richest deposits of limestone in

South Africa, to pioneer the production

of award-winning Chardonnay and serve

as a champion for the growing capabili-

ties of not only their region, but also an

entire country.

The De Wets’ wine heritage stretches

back to 1693, when Johann de Wet

arrived in Cape Town to serve as book-

keeper and cellar master for Gover-

nor Simon van de Stel. The De Wet

family has been involved with the pro-

duction of wine since, migrating from

the Liesbeeck River near Cape Town

to Stellenbosch to Franschhoek. In

1949, Johann de Wet Snr purchased De

Wetshof Estate in the Robertson Valley,

a region where the De Wet family had

produced wines for more than a century.

It became the first registered wine estate

in the Robertson region.

Danie de Wet, the second-generation

owner of De Wetshof Estate (with his

wife, Lesca), studied at the Geisenheim

Institute in Germany in the early 1970s,

where he was exposed to a diversity of

cultivars, the latest technologies and a

scientific approach to winemaking. He

returned to South Africa with a desire to

introduce improved plant material and

show the world that the country was

capable of making premier white wines.

In 1981, after exhaustive experimen-

tation and plant selection, De Wetshof

became the first winery in South Africa

to market both Chardonnay and

Sauvignon Blanc commercially. Both

have gone on to win numerous awards,

but it is Chardonnay that is truly De

Wetshof ’s signature offering.

The De Wets maintain meticulous

records for each vineyard regarding

the plants’ reaction to soil-types,

irrigation and the vagaries of climate,

year after year. Each vineyard is vinified

separately during the winemaking pro-

cess, and the winemakers have a clear

understanding of what each vineyard’s

fruit is going to deliver during a specific

year. This commitment to site-specific

vineyard management has been an inte-

gral part of the De Wetshof ethos from

the outset.

Son Peter has followed his father’s

winemaking footsteps, also studying at

Geisenheim. He further honed his skills

in the vineyards of Burgundy, Bordeaux,

Chablis, Champagne and America —

with fantastic results, winning local

and international accolades for De

Wetshof ’s Chardonnays and Methode

Cap Classique sparkling wines.

Son Johann has worked in the marketing

departments of wine businesses on both

sides of the Atlantic, bringing that expe-

rience to his role at the Estate. He’s also

responsible for vineyard management,

and is credited with helping establish

the Bordeaux cultivars Merlot, Cabernet

Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit

Verdot.

As legend has it, when Johann and Peter

were asked to sit for scholastic aptitude

tests, they refused. They said they knew

all along that Peter would be making the

wine and Johann would be selling it. Of

course they knew what they’d be doing

— they’re De Wets.

De Wetshof Champions for South Africa

The De Wet family are world-renowned as pioneers

of European noble grape varieties in South Africa,

winning multiple local and international awards for

their wines.

INFODe Wetshof EstatePO Box 31Robertson 6705South AfricaTel: +2723 615 1853Fax: + 2723 615 1915www.dewetshof.com

Johann, Danie and Peter de Wet

96 families of wine

The second child of ten, Domenico

Zonin was born in Gambellara

in 1899 into a family of small-

scale vine-growers, who had

been working with vines since 1821. In

1921, Domenico planted his family’s

land with vines. He sold the wines

he made from them and founded Casa

Vinicola Zonin. At the end of the 1960s,

he was joined by his nephew Gianni

Zonin who, at the age of just 29, took

on the Presidency of the company, with

his sights fixed on a goal of producing

the finest Italian wines and introducing

them to the world.

He started with the purchase in 1970 of

the Ca’ Bolani Estate in Friuli. Gianni

Zonin recalls: “There were some doubts

in my family as to the wisdom of leaving

the confines of our home region of the

Veneto. But I was convinced of my idea:

to produce really fine wines one has to

own vineyards, selecting the best terroirs

and the most typical grape varieties.”

Six years later, he startled the wine world

by buying the Barboursville Vineyards

estate in Virginia in the USA, to pursue

the dream of American President Thomas

Jefferson of producing world-class wines

in that state. It was a dream that Jefferson

was unable to realise – but which Gianni

Zonin could and did. Today, Virginia is

one of North America’s most dynamic

wine regions; the Barbousville Octagon

wine, a Bordeaux blend, has become one

of the best-known wines of the region.

The next Zonin acquisition was in the

more classic area of Chianti Classico,

where the company acquired a gem

of an estate called called the Castello

d’Albola, in 1979. Then, the following

year came Abbazia Monte Oliveto, in

San Gimignano, the homeland of Tus-

can white wine, Vernaccia. Moving west,

in the 1980s, the Zonins bought the

Castello del Poggio in the finest part of

the Asti and Barbera region, and then

Tenuta Il Bosco in the Pinot Noir coun-

try of Oltrepò Pavese. In 1999, Zonin was

seduced by an enchanting spot lying in the

the Maremma, close to the Mediterranean

scrubland and lapped by the waves of the

Tirrenian Sea. He returned for the third

time to Tuscany in order to purchase the

Rocca di Montemassi.

The Maremma is one of Italy’s newer

quality wine regions, and far from the

only such area to have caught Zonin’s

attention. In 1997, he showed his under-

standing of the potential of the south of

Casa Vinicola Zonin Vintners since 1821

Seven generations of the Zonin family have built their wine business into one of the best-known and most respected in the world.

Domenico, Michele, Gianni and

Francesco Zonin.

families of wine 97

the country by buying Feudo Principi

di Butera on the island of Sicily and, in

2000, Masseria Altemura in the Salento

Peninsula, in Puglia.

The Zonin family’s nine Italian estates

now cover a total of over 4000 ha of land

in Italy’s seven finest wine-producing

regions: the Veneto, Friuli, Piedmont,

Lombardy, Tuscany, Sicily and Puglia.

Of this total landholding, around 2000

ha are planted with vines, while a further

500 ha, of which 90 are under vine, are

to be found in Virginia.

Gianni Zonin remains president of the

company which now has 550 employ-

ees, including a team of 32 oenologists

and agronomists, consultation with

renowned oenologist Denis Dubourdieu,

and a 2013 turnover of €154m.

More than a decade ago, Domenico

Zonin became the first son to join

Gianni, and gained experience in both

Napa and Bordeaux that he put in service

of the company. He was joined by his

two brothers, who between them repre-

sent the seventh generation of the compa-

ny’s history: Francesco Zonin is in charge

of sales and marketing, while Michele

Zonin controls the firm’s finances. The

company has grown so much in recent

years, particularly in the export markets,

that a reorganization became called for.

In September 2014, Domenico Zonin

was appointed Chief Executive Officer

(Amministratore Delegato) of Casa

Vinicola Zonin, while also holding the

position of president of Unione Italiana

Vini. The dynamic Massimo Tuzzi has

become Chief Operating Officer. The

new company identity – ‘Zonin 1821’

– was created by award-winning agency

RobilantAssociati, to express the strength

of a contemporary company that stands

on the strong beginnings of 1821.

Apart from its portfolio of great regional

estate wines, Zonin is well known for the

wide selection of wines sold under its own

brand. Leading these are the sparkling

wines, like the famous Zonin Prosecco.

Anyone wanting an introduction

to Italian wine can follow their way

around the country using a range of

‘Zonin Regions’ – premium-priced

native varietals including examples of

Pinot Grigio, Chianti and Montepul-

ciano d’Abruzzo. They can then move

upwards to the Zonin ‘Classics’, the

super- premium priced range and the

‘Jewels’, such as the traditional Amarone

della Valpolicella and Ripasso.

Zonin is a keen supporter of wine

tourism, offering tours of the vine-

yards and wineries, visits to the com-

pany’s museums, and professional and

detailed tutored tastings that match

wines with typical local food products.

An innovative event that’s been created

by the company is the Sommeliers’

Themed Lunches, where top somme-

liers are brought together in prestigious

restaurants – such as Nobu Berkeley in

London, where the first event was held –

so they can network. Another initiative

is the ‘Gastronomy Experience’, where

international press and leading somme-

liers are brought together for a ‘menu

trip’ that takes them to meet butchers,

fishermen and chocolatiers, among other

artisan producers. Zonin USA’s first TV

show ‘From Italy With Love’ (FIWL) was

first broadcast on the Cooking Channel

in October 2014, the month when the

company won the award for Best Social

Media Communication of the Year.

After nearly two centuries of family win-

emaking, president Gianni Zonin says

that the family wants “to be closer and

closer to our clients and, by promoting

high-quality Italian wine, we are endeav-

ouring to spread our country’s culture.”

INFOCasa Vinicola Zonin SpaVia Borgolecco, 9 36053 Gambellara Vicenza, ItalyTel: +39 0444 640111 info@zonin.it www.casavinicolazonin.it

Castello d‘Albola

98 families of wine

Masthead

Editorial

Department

Translation

Publishers

Sales Director

Project Manager

International

Sales

Representatives

Production

Cover image

Images

Printing

Publishing House

Legal disclaimer

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As a supplement in:

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Mai 2014EURO 7,00 · D13971www.fizzz.de

MEININGER – SINCE 1903

PLUS City Special Rio / WM-Cocktails / Haya Molcho / Biermarkt / Gastro-Scoring

# 05

Karim Rashid über schlimme Ge-staltungssünden, die Bedeutung von Trends und den Unterschied zwischen Style und Design.

THE ARISTOCRATIC APPROACH

DEATH AMONG THE VINES

NEW ROUTES TO CHINA

POWER LISTS: AUSTRALIAN BUYERS

Christophe Salin, president and CEO of Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite), oversees a wine company that trades in some of the greatest wines of the world, along with wines made for everybody to enjoy. He offers a global view of wine. Page 30

Dr Richard Smart, one of the world's most renowned viticulturalists is sounding a warning about a grave new threat to vines that may prove more disastrous to vineyards than Phylloxera. Page 9

Getting reliable distribution into China is difficult and costly. So some enterprising wine traders have taken matters into their own hands. A look at three businesses who are doing it their own way. Page 27

Thanks to a still-buoyant economy, a local wine culture, and a high value currency, Australia is a booming market for international wines. Here we identify the key buyers you need to know. Page 54

Rising prosperity at home, plus the upcoming World Cup and then the next Olympics to look forward to, mean Brazilian wine producers have plenty to be optimistic about. But the path isn't all smooth. Page 27

Volume IX · Issue 2 · May 2014 20 €

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IT'S PARTY TIME IN BRAZIL

Die Für Sie meldet das erfolg-reichste Geschäftsjahr in ihrer Fir-mengeschichte. Personelle Verän-derungen soll es ab 2015 geben: Die GVG-Geschäftsführerin Silke Rösler wird dann im Für Sie-Vor-stand die Nachfolge von Artur Ro-goszynski antreten, der sich nach 30 Jahren aus der Handelsgenos-senschaft verabschiedet.

Mit einem Gruppenumsatz von 2,3 Mrd. Euro kann das Kölner Unternehmen einen Zuwachs um 136 Mio. Euro melden. Die Sparte Getränkefachhandel habe sich mit einem deutlichen Plus von 11,5 Prozent klar über dem Branchen-schnitt entwickelt, heißt es aus Köln.

So seien die Umsätze des Toch-terunternehmens LHV, das die B e-lieferung von Märkten der Rewe-Gruppe mit Mehrweggetränken organisiert, um drei Prozent an-gestiegen. Die Getränkevermark-tungsgesellschaft GVG bündele mittlerweile die Vermarktungs-kraft von 1.444 Getränkemärkten mit 270 Mio. Euro mandatiertem Einkaufsumsatz.

Die Berufung Röslers in den Vorstand ist laut Vorstandsspre-her Frank Morgenstern eine wich-tige personelle Weichenstellung des Unternehmens. Silke Rösler ist seit März 2009 Geschäftsführe-rin der Für Sie-Vermarktungsge-sellschaft GVG. les

GVG-Chefi n berufen FÜR SIE mit Rekordumsatz / Rösler 2015 im Vorstand

Für manche das Aus?

MINDESTLOHN Lappalie oder

Existenzgefährdung: Wie sich

der gesetzliche Mindestlohn auf

den Getränkehandel auswirkt

Titelthema Seite 6

Lust auf LimosHochwertige Konzepte

sorgen für Zuwächse 8

Auf der ÜberholspurAlkoholfreie Biere wachsen

im Markt unverändert 10

»Der Saftmarkt bleibt weiter unter Druck«Thomas Hinderer, Eckes-Granini Group 2

GetränkeZeitungEINE MEININGER PUBLIKATION

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Aus bestem Whiskey und sanftem HonigEdler Whiskey aus der ältesten Destillerie Irlands ist Hauptbestandteil des Bushmills Irish Honey. Dennoch wird er nicht als Whiskey betitelt. Grund dafür ist seine Anreicherung mit zahlreichen natürlichen Zutaten: Der echte Honig von irischen Bienen und viele weitere natürliche, teilweise über raschende Aromen berühren weich und geschmeidig traditionell verwöhnte, aber auch ungeübte Sinne bis in die letzte Zelle.

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Diversa Spezialitäten GmbH/TeamSpirit Internationale Markengetränke GmbH

54290 Trier . T: 0651/7196-0 . Fax: -310 . monin@monin-sirup.de 54290 Trier . T: 0651/7196-0 . Fax: -310 . monin@monin-sirup.de

Allgäuer Alpenwasser stellt Produktion einDER BRUNNEN Allgäuer Alpen-wasser bei Oberstaufen wird seine Produktion zum Jahres-ende einstellen. Dies teilten Vorstand Gerd Berger und Hauptaktionär Franken Brun-nen mit. Das Mineralwasserun-ternehmen aus Neustadt/Aisch hatte die Aktiengesellschaft All-gäuer Alpenwasser 2004 über-nommen und 2011 die Klein-aktiönäre herausgekauft. Die Schließung wird mit einer „dramatisch verschärften Wett-bewerbssituation“ begründet. 2013 machte die Franken Brun-nen-Tochter knapp drei Mio. Euro Verlust. les

Branche weist NDR-Bericht zurückDER NDR hat in einem am ver-gangenen Montag ausgestrahl-ten Beitrag in dem Verbrau-chermagazin „Markt“ über an-gebliche Verunreinigungen von mikroskopisch kleinen Fasern aus Plastik in Mineralwässern und Bieren berichtet. Laut NDR hätte es sich bei den un-tersuchten Getränken um die in Deutschland meistverkauf-ten Marken gehandelt, alle hätten solches Mikroplastik enthalten. Der Deutsche Brau-er-Bund verweist in diesem Zu-sammenhang auf eigene Unter-suchungen, die nachweisen würden, dass sich kein Mikro-plastik im Bier und in dem zum Brauen verwendeten Wasser fi nden lasse. Zu ähnlichen Er-gebnissen ist auch die Mineral-wasserbranche nach eigenen Angaben gekommen. les! www.ndr.de

Barzone mit RekordEINEN REKORD bei Ausstel-lern und Fachbesuchern kann die BARZONE für 2014 melden. Rund 6.200 Besucher kamen zur führenden Messe für die Szenen- und Trendgastrono-mie nach Köln. les! Seite 5

Wachstum ohne EndeDIE FÜHRENDEN Verbund-gruppen des deutschen Ge-tränkemarktes, Geva und GES, melden für das abgelaufene Geschäftsjahr deutliche Ergeb-nisverbesserungen. Die Geva konnte ihr Zentralregulierungs-volumen um 2,8 Prozent auf nun 654,2 Mio. Euro steigern. Die GES meldet ein Ergebnis nach Steuern von 11 Mio. Euro und damit den höchsten Wert seit der Gründung 1950. om! Seite 3

KOMPAKT

DIE ZAHL

195 nimmt der Staat jährlich durch

die Mehrwertsteuer ein.

Neues ter Vorschlag aus Berlin:

ein einheitlicher Mehrwertsteu-

ersatz auf alles von 16 Prozent.

Mrd. Euro

DER LINK

GET-IN-KONGRESS.DE

Ausgabe 12 | 5.6.2014 | www.getraenke-zeitung.de EUR 4,90

D 5721

DER MARKT

BIERABSATZ

Quelle: Deutscher Brauer-Bund

Absatz in Mio. hl

8,360

April 2013

9,061

April 2014

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WEINWIRTSCHAFTwww.weinwirtschaft.de

EINE MEININGER PUBLIKATION 27. Juni 2014 | P 7101 | EUR 6,60

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