I NEWS I Maison A. De
I NEWS I Maison A. De Luze, a modern story for more than 200 years of savoir-faire Directeur général, Xavier Migeot, talks about the brand's modern approach to storytelling The négociant's new image, being presented at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, is designed to reflects Bordeaux’s organic transition. You recently announced your new strategy and image. Tell us more… It’s not a new strategy, but simply a different way of telling the story of a pioneering company which has been at the heart of the wine industry since 1820. Keeping with the values of our founder the Baron Alfred de Luze, we aim to reach the greatest number of people, so they can discover the riches of our terroir. We are a ‘négociant généraliste’, guaranteeing the distribution of Grands Crus Classés, famous wines, Petit Châteaux distributions, both still and sparkling. We offer our clients a range of traditional products from France and Europe, production services in both bottles and boxes, storage in our chais, GCC or Tiré bouché, as well as supporting them with preparing orders and logistics. What are the main highlights you are showcasing at Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022? We are launching our new corporate identity, which is more modern, while drawing on our long history of working in the wine trade. A surety signature - Maison A. De Luze, will be standardised across distribution networks, both small and large, with exclusive ranges for each one. We will also be presenting the ‘new look’ of our major Bordeaux brands, including the Baron De Luze for the Horeca and Heritage De Luze for the European GD. How do you see the Bordeaux wines positioning on the global market? Thanks to its reputation, Bordeaux is one of the strongest ‘collective brands’ in the beverage industry today. Because of this unique position, people around the world want to see these wines distributed through Bordeaux’s very own merchant network. Bordeaux and all those involved have started questioning their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental footprint, starting with the organoleptic style of their products’ production and blending. It is the first ‘vignoble’ to receive level 3 Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) certification and planning on converting to organic in the next few years. The Maison A. De Luze revamp reflects this dynamic and crucial transition, which the whole wine industry is experiencing. It offers the right wine, at the right place, at the right time. How important is an international trade show like Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris? It was the last trade show before the global pandemic and is now the first to return in 2022. The beauty of our product - wine, must be seen and tasted to fully appreciate its story, terroir and the efforts of its merchants. The digital world, no matter how effective, has not been able to fully replace face-to-face contact between producers, merchants and distributors. That’s why we’ve specifically chosen this moment to reinvent ourselves, tell our story and express our steadfast desire to develop durable partnerships with our clients Hall 3 / Stand BC-92 6 • THE DAILY • TUESDAY 15 TH FEBRUARY 2022 www.vinexpodaily.com
I NEWS I ADVERTORIAL Cuvée Hortense from Château De La Gaude is a mix of natural winemaking and spring water This red wine, in Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence AOP, named after the owner’s second granddaughter, combines three grape varieties, including 60% Grenache Noir, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Syrah. Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022 opens stronger than ever This year’s edition of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris kicked-off yesterday morning with a strong joint message about the wine and spirits industry's courage and solidarity. These are harvested by hand in the early hours of the morning, before being sorted, not once but twice, and carried to the château's recently completed cellar, designed by renowned architect Olivier Chadebost. The grapes from the old vines, Grenache and Cabernet, are seeded, while the ones from Syrah are preserved. The juices are then aged for 12 months in the cellar’s original concrete vats and barrels. Hortense’s round taste, with refined hints of red and black fruits, compliments creamy cheeses and chocolate desserts perfectly, and goes down a treat with meats like duck breast. Beyond the carefully rehearsed winemaking process, part of Hortense’s unique flavour comes from Château De La Gaude’s rocky terroir, which benefits from a hidden gem - a natural spring. The spring, which has given its name to one of the domain’s three restaurants - La Source, flows deep below its Grenache plots, giving the cuvée a distinctive freshness. Another contributing factor is the domain’s environmentally friendly approach to winemaking which has been practiced and fine tuned for the last 20 years, through an organic viticulture. The luxury vineyard, located on the heights of Aix en Provence in the department of the Bouches du Rhône will also receive its biodynamic certification in 2022 after taking many steps to ensure a 100% natural process. Buyers have the choice between keeping the cuvée for between 5 and 8 years or drinking it with their next meal. Regardless, it’s sure to leave a lasting impression Hall 4 / Stand C-020 The official opening ceremony, presented by Vinexposium's CEO Rodolphe Lameyse and attended by the French Minister of Agriculture and Food Julien Denormandie, brought organisers and key players from across the industry together. Mr Lameyse welcomed everyone warmly, saying: "Opening this event on Valentine's Day is no coincidence. It's an opportunity for us to celebrate our love of wine and spirits - a sentiment made stronger after going two years without a major event." He applauded this year's 2,864 exhibitors for being here and creating a dynamic atmosphere, adding: "Now the stage is yours, I hope you have good meetings, make good business and that you live the next three days to the fullest." Addressing a large crowd at the heart of the event, Minister Denormandie praised the wine industry's great courage in overcoming what he described as a 'black year' in 2021, with US taxes and freezing temperatures making matters worse. He praised everyone in attendance, saying: "Thank you all for coming because it wasn't always evident that we would be able to hold this trade show. The reunion of the wine industry is a special moment to celebrate. Rest assured that we are here by your side for support and the love of wine, which I share." Special thanks was also given to the organisers of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris 2022 before both the minister and Mr Lameyse took to the floor to meet with industry representatives Hall 6 / Stand GH-068-15 THE DAILY • TUESDAY 15 TH FEBRUARY 2022 • 7
