June 2018

‘We have pioneered the use of drones in precision viticulture’
June 30, 2018

Bernard Magrez, multi-millionaire, visionary and innovator of Bordeaux, is regarded as a legend.

This is because age hasn’t slowed his efforts to constantly strive for perfection, whether with his wines or his luxury hotel and restaurant empire. Magrez’ expanding international wine empire contains some properties known for their very high-quality wine. Much of this is because he refuses to rest on his laurels, constantly seeking improvement, reinvention, and modernization. Watching him sit through meeting after meeting through three hectic days of Vinexpo Hong Kong was watching a lesson in tenacity and stamina.

BTW guest columnist and Bordeaux-based wine professional Brinda  Bourhis interviewed the legendary wine producer about his latest achievements which includes the introduction of cutting-edge technology in his vineyards. Read on…

Bernard Magrez. Main photo: The cellars at Chateau Pape Clement

If I had to name the top innovators and pioneers in Bordeaux’s wine industry, Bernard Magrez would definitely top the list. His energy is unbeatable, especially considering he is 82 years old…He is constantly seeking perfection in the 42 vineyards that he owns in France and in eight other countries (Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Japan, the United States and Morocco).

I spoke to M. Magrez about the recent initiatives he has undertaken in the vines and his ambitions for the near future.

You have just got back from the 20th edition of Vinexpo Asia in Hong Kong. How did it go?

For our booth, the fair was very successful. Not only did we receive our current and historic clients seeking to add wines to their portfolio, but we also did business with new ones.

What percentage of export sales does Asia represent for the wines of Vignobles Bernard Magrez?

It is a big proportion –  60%.

A drone takes to the air at Chateau Pape Clement

Do you think that India could one day become a new el-dorado for French wines?

Yes, I do. This will happen once the (Indian) taxes drop.

You own 4 Grands Crus Classés estates* in Bordeaux, what are your ambitions?

We aim to become leaders in the international wine market, not only through the Grands Crus that I own but also my estates in Côtes-du-Rhône, Languedoc, Roussillon, and Provence.

Despite owning relatively ancient and historic estates, you are also a pioneer when it comes to technological advances used in the vines and cellar. Can you tell us more about this?

We are the only group of estates in Bordeaux to have a service dedicated to research and development. We have invested in various equipment such as robots, drones, that are key to the protection of the environment.

For example, at Château Pape Clement we have two electric tractors that perform multiple tasks in the vineyards. They are charged with a battery and do not generate any CO2 emissions.

Vignobles Bernard Magrez, a pioneer in the use of drones in precision viticulture, now has two drones capable of specifically detecting mildew. This innovation is crucial in the management of vineyard spray treatments because the map showing disease distribution is installed directly onboard the tractors.

These are just some examples of the technical progress we are making.

You are the owner of 42 vineyards in France and abroad. How do you face the competition in terms of worldwide sales?

The fact that I own so many vineyards in France and in eight other countries enables us to offer a very wide range of products that our competitors are unable to do. Our client base is also more diverse as a result.

What are your projects and objectives for the remainder of 2018?

The objective is to reinforce our position as leaders in wine tourism in France. Through this activity, we can attract a maximum number of wine enthusiasts from across the world who are eager to discover the secrets of our four Grands Crus Classés estates in Bordeaux.

 

*4 Grands Crus Classés estates owned by Bernard Magrez

  •  Château Pape Clément, Grand Cru Classé de Graves
  • A Cru Classé of Graves, this property has a rich and ancient history. It was originally planted in 1300 by Bertrand de Goth, the future Pope Clément V, after whom the property was named. Château Pape Clement is famous for its elegant, fine red wines of great structure and finesse, including its 2009 vintage which was awarded 100 points by wine critic Robert Parker. Visits and stays permitted through prior booking.
  • Château Fombrauge, Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Emilion
  • A historic château on the Right Bank, it is a Grands Cru Classé property making refined and precision-driven reds and whites, known for its combination of ancient winemaking traditions with modern techniques. Visits and stays permitted through prior booking.
  • Château La Tour Carnet, Grand Cru Classé en 1855 Médoc
  • Beyond the classic, moat, drawbridge, and tower of Château La Tour Carnet, lies a cellar known for its quality, full-bodied red wines. Visits and stays permitted through prior booking.
  • Clos Haut Peyraguey, Premier Grand Cru Classé en 1855 Sauternes
  • Visits and tasting permitted at this Grand Cru Classé Sauternes estate.

 

Website: www. bernard-magrez.com

Bernard Magrez Luxury Wine Experience: http://www.luxurywineexperience.com

 

About Brinda Bourhis

After five years working for a major Bordeaux wine merchant, British-born Brinda Bourhis has a solid knowledge and experience of the wines of the one of the finest regions in the world: Bordeaux.
She owns Winevox, a company that provides quality wine education including the WSET course, wine marketing and translations for the French wine industry.
Winevox also runs an on-going ambassador programme in the US for the Crus Bourgeois du Medoc, organising masterclasses at top universities such as Stanford, Columbia, Yale, and staff-training for wine retail stores as well as tastings for private wine clubs and associations.

 

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Guest Column  / Interviews

‘There is no instant 0 to 100 in wine learning’
June 20, 2018

One of India’s top importers of wine, Vishal Kadakia is known as the ‘wine storyteller’ in Indian wine circles. For him, wine is not a product, it is a living thing around which stories have been woven. To enjoy that wine, you must listen to its story. He has more than a few to tell, usually around a table, while tasting wine.
In his guest column, Vishal describes how, to love wine, you must give it time to make a place in your soul. There are no shortcuts to understanding wine.

 

I started drinking wine when I was in my engineering college in 1993. At the time it was just another type of alcohol to me, like beer or Old Monk. I didn’t really understand much about wine nor did or care too much about it. I enjoyed drinking it occasionally, so I did. Fast forward to 1997 during my Master’s programme in Boston. My roommate and I would buy tetrapaks of wine to drink ($5.99 for a 2-litre white Zinfandel). I’m not really sure why, but I know we grew to like it. Once in a while, we would buy a bottle for $10 and it was a mini treat. In 1999, I moved to Memphis to take up my first job assignment.  I made some European friends who were from Memphis University and usually drank wine. So with some dollars in my pocket from the new job, I began exploring wines from $10 and going as high as $20, but never beyond.

Drinking my very first Burgundy, Savigny Le Beaune from Simon Size in Paris, 2003. Photo: Vishal’s archives

I really began to understand wine in 2000, a good seven years after the time I began drinking it. When I look back now, that seven-year period was the most important time of my wine-drinking life. With the luxury of time on my hands, I moved from not caring about very much about wine to becoming very curious about it; this wine learning was a gradual progression. in 2000, a dinner at a French restaurant with some nice wines raised my curiosity levels higher, and this prompted me to do a wine course in 2002. The course gave me formal knowledge of wines. Then in 2003, came a trip to Burgundy. This sealed it. This was the moment when I knew I wanted to work with wine.

Those 10 years, from 1993 to 2003, turned out to be very important to me. There is usually a similar period in every wine enthusiast’s life during which he learns to appreciate and understand wine slowly, without any need for competitive wine learning. Today’s generation wants to go from 0 to 100 in an instant; they feel that by doing multiple courses, they will ‘grow’ into liking wine – or even worse! – turn into instant wine experts. But I have seen that this is far from the truth. This form of rapid learning ends up mere degrees or qualifications on a resume. That’s it. I draw the analogy of a young graduate finishing college and jumping into an MBA straight away without any hands-on business know-how. He might be great in theory but zero in implementation.

Sharing a Rosemount Shiraz with friends at home in Boston, 2002. Photo: Vishal’s archives

Wine is a ‘touch, feel and taste’ kind of a subject. Unless you have drunk enough, travelled enough and given considerable time for appreciation, you will never get under the skin of the subject of wine. You will never be able to move beyond the ‘fruit, tannins, acidity’ terminologies. They say that you never really learn a new language until you start dreaming in it. Wine is like that – if the mind does not transport you to the vineyards, the winery; until you begin to grasp the intricacies of winemaking and terroir; feel that indescribable madness at the first whiff of the aromas of a wine, the thrilling anticipation of its first taste, you have no business calling yourself a wine expert… (but a wine learner – yes, that is a possibility you can learn to live with).

The wine world is very humbling and can take you from 100 to zero in a jiffy (try doing a blind tasting).

Never the opposite.

 

About Vishal Kadakia

Vishal is a wine aficionado whose passion for wines led him to start Wine Park, a company that imports and distributes fine wines throughout India and Maldives. He has done his WSET Level 2  and is a Master of Science from University of Massachusetts. He worked in Boston for 8 years before relocating to India.

An importer for 9 years, Vishal’s vision is to make wine more accessible by educating the end-consumers. He launched Wine Kart, a website designed to make wine knowledge easy and lively, including details of the wide selection of wines imported by Wine Park. He recently launched an Indian wine, The Daily Dose which has a funky label showing the winemaking process.

Vishal is an avid runner, having run several marathons, and is also the director in his family-run business.

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Guest Column