 |
Visionary winemaker Gérard Bertrand talks to the media at his flagship property, Château l’Hospitalet |
 |
FRANCE. Amid some of the most turbulent times in world history, not many companies are exalting the art of living. But one man is determined to communicate the Mediterranean philosophy of savoir-vivre [loosely translated as living well] to an international audience. That man is Gérard Bertrand, founder and owner of his eponymous premium wine company, based in Languedoc, southwest France.
While the triple pleasures of food, wine and good company are his passions – the company tagline is ‘L’Art de Vivre Les Vins du Sud’ [The art of living, South of France style], the ambitious M Bertrand is on a singular mission. He is determined to put Languedoc wines on the world map – and with that, he is aiming for a big presence in travel retail.
 |
Gérard Bertrand walking through the Château l’Hospitalet winery, which has seen millions of euros of investment |
Speaking to The Moodie Report at the eighth edition of the Château l’Hospitalet jazz festival – an annual event M Bertrand hosts at his wine estate for several thousand locals, dignitaries, national media and retail buyers – a top wine importer in Germany who has known M Bertrand for many years observed: “Gérard Bertrand is the leader of the Languedoc. Every business needs a leader, and he has the necessary drive and ambition to make this region known worldwide. In my opinion he’s doing what Robert Mondavi did in Napa 20 years ago.”
 |
Domaine Cigalus biodynamically produced wines |
For readers unfamiliar with The Moodie Report’s previous articles on this €45 million turnover wine brand, Gérard Bertrand is a former Stade Français rugby captain and was selected for the French national team. His sporting background and love of leadership and dedication are evident. Over lunch, savouring his Languedoc wines, the super-fit, Superdry-clad M Bertrand put his message simply: “My wine brand is all about the art of living – good food, wine and good company, and spending time with your friends. This is what I am promoting.” M Bertrand told The Moodie Report his rugby career highlight was winning the French Cup three times. “There is nothing like the feeling of winning,” he enthused.
Now he is turning his will to win to the travel retail sector, where serious expansion is the game plan. First, he hired experienced travel retail executive Christophe Balaÿ earlier this year as Global Travel Retail Director to lead the charge in the duty free channel. From the corporate headquarters near Narbonne, Balaÿ is learning to abide by another unofficial company motto: “A l’attaque!” – a phrase uttered by French rugby teams on the pitch.
The firm has already forged a key corporate partnership with Air France over the past five years, and other airline customers include SAS Scandinavian Airlines, KLM, British Airways, Swiss, Korean Air, Lufthansa and American Airlines. Singapore Airlines will carry the brand from September 2011.
With listings at leading ground shop operators such as Aelia and Dufry under its belt, the company continues to advance its presence in the sector. But it’s at the 2011 TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes next month that the full force of the expansion drive will be felt. Having made its duty free trade show debut at the 2011 TFWA Asia Pacific fair in Singapore in May, Gérard Bertrand will be a first-time exhibitor at Cannes (Stand number: Red Village K11).
In addition, Gérard Bertrand will be the official wine supplier at the exhibition, giving maximum exposure to the brand among the travel retail buyer fraternity. And, for rugby and wine lovers, a meeting with M Bertrand is likely to be on their agenda on the Monday and Tuesday when he visits the show to see the trade for himself.
The company is extensively listed on the domestic market at major French and and British supermarket chains as well as speciality wine shops. The Moodie Report has spotted the brand’s nice POS displays in Nicolas outlets as far afield as west London and Monte-Carlo. Other high-profile accounts include Alain Ducasse, Galeries Lafayette, Fauchon, Hédiard, Majestic and Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
 |
Left: Award-winning Le Viala single vineyard Minervois La Livinière; Centre/Right: Legend Vintage Maury 1929 |
Languedoc wines may not currently be viewed by some wine connoisseurs in the same way as the finest vintages produced in Burgundy or Bordeaux. But things are changing fast, thanks to ambitious winemakers such as M Bertrand.
His wide-ranging product mix spans an array of organic wines, modern varietals, Grands Crus, sparkling and sweet wines. Having tasted many of the wines his team has produced, the product quality is increasing along with the business turnover. Founded in 1992, the company’s full-year 2011 projected revenue is €45 million, and has shown +20% compound growth in recent years. Duty free and travel retail generates some 15% of turnover, according to M Bertrand.
 |
Left: Prize-winning La Forge Corbières Boutenac AOC Single Vineyard; Right: Gérard Bertrand Réserve Spéciale Syrah du Monde – Gold Medal World Syrah Competition 2010 |
Putting it very simply for travel retail buyers who have not yet sampled the product:
– If you list full-bodied reds, try Cigalus or Tautavel;
– If you list a light wine that doubles as an aperitif or goes with food, try Gris Blanc Pays d’Oc rosé;
– If you list sweet wines, try Banyuls or Maury.
Among the top-end wines, the portfolio includes Le Viala Minervois or La Forge Corbières, as well as a number of old, sweet wine vintages such as Maury 1929, Rivesaltes 1945 and Banyuls 1951.
Keen to create its own winemaking history and to innovate, the company recently introduced a new product called Muscato, a white wine made using one of the best known varietals from the South of France. This blend of Muscat d’Alexandrie and Muscat Petit Grain comes from a low-yield vineyard which is said to give a rare complexity to the pale yellow wine. Targeted at the millenials age group, this low-alcohol 10%abv full-bodied wine was developed “to enjoy at Happy Hour in trendy cities and holiday resorts”, according to the firm.
Sustainable development and biodynamic wines
As the owner of six estates with 900+ acres planted, Gérard Bertrand produces 1.2 million cases, of which 50% are exported to more than 60 countries. The flagship property, Château l’Hospitalet, is a carbon-neutral estate featuring a hotel and restaurant, and is billed as an “art de vivre destination”. As well as hosting an annual jazz festival headlined by international entertainers, the estate holds major events, such as a contemporary art festival in May and a truffle festival in December. A pair of sculptures by Jean-Pierre Yves in the grounds of Château l’Hospitalet reinforces M Bertrand’s patronage of the arts.
As well as being a dedicated leader and keen sportsman, there is a softer side to M Bertrand that spans a love of yoga and a commitment to sustainable development in his winemaking activities. He believes it is all about the art of living, and particularly in partnership with Nature. In summary, the company promotes a sustainable agriculture policy encouraging organic/biodynamic practices, and protects traditional vineyard landscapes and biodiversity in partnership with environmental organisations such as Demeter.
As one of the biggest producers of organic wine in France, the company now has 60 hectares that also produce biodynamic wines. The word “˜organic’ may be a familiar term, but the term “˜biodynamic’ has a different meaning. The overall aim of biodynamism is to work alongside Nature, the Sun and the Moon. It is too complex to explain in full here, but using words like ‘lunar calendar’, ‘zodiac’, ‘solstice’, ‘equinox’ and ‘balance’, M Bertrand said: “We try to revitalise the soil; it’s like homeopathy.” A staff member put it like this: “It’s part science, part religion”.
As the media lunch drew to a close, M Bertrand’s bulldog began barking at a helicopter landing in the vineyard, where a group of powerful wine buyers were being ferried in to savour ”l’art de vivre, South of France style” in a magical French countryside setting.
For details, contact Christophe Balaÿ, Global Travel Retail Director, SPH Gérard Bertrand, Château l’Hospitalet, Route de Narbonne-Plage, BP 20404, 11104 Narbonne, France, tel: +33 4 68 45 57 39, or e-mail c.balay@gerard-bertrand.com Visit www.gerard-bertrand.com
