Interview: Jean-Pierre Rousseau
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| Jean-Pierre-Rousseau |
Some 90% of Bordeaux wines are extremely affordable, according to Jean-Pierre Rousseau, Managing Director of Diva-Bordeaux.
He carved some time out of his busy schedule last week for an interview with Sabrina. You’ll see where to look for values, and what the Bordeaux region holds in store for you.
How did you “fall into“ wine?
I did not fall into wine as a kid. My parents, both schoolteachers, did not have a great knowledge of wine, nor the financial means or the will to buy the expensive ones.
I really did when I arrived in Bordeaux to study political science. I was not wealthier, but most of my fellow students were digging regularly in their parents’ cellars for the end of the week parties. There was no interest in strong alcohols, but a lot in what we did not call horizontal or vertical tastings yet.
I could then discover the respective merits of the Bordeaux Saints: Saint Julien, Saint Emilion, Saint Estèphe… and all the other great appellations of Bordeaux. I really became a Bordeaux lover at that time.
After completing my studies, I did not start in the Public Service, but with my second passion, cinema. I ran a few movie theaters for about 10 years, but then realized that, as it was a small-size business facing a harsh competition from a lot of huge companies, it could not last forever. Therefore, I chose to become a wine professional.
I started by organizing wine tours thanks to my wife who was working for an American drug company and knew many doctors. We took them into the chateaux during the weekends and of course they were so happy to be able to buy on the spot that it started pretty well.
After about a year, I met my current partner, who had created the company Diva a few years before.
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| Bordeaux |
What is Diva Bordeaux, and what do you do?
Diva had been created in 1979 in Bordeaux by three former executives of the then larger wine company in Bordeaux, Alexis Lichine & Co. The focus was already on Asia, but mostly Japan and Hong Kong at that time. Also, in a rather unique move, my partner had opened a subsidiary office in Burgundy, which was unusual in Bordeaux.
It was not so easy at the beginning for us to get introduced in the best chateaux, since none of us was from one of the traditional Bordeaux families of merchants. We succeeded year after year by proving that our distribution was reaching many distant countries, not only in Asia but also in South and Central America.
Since then, we have been working to develop our network of customers in as many countries as possible. We have also increased our range of wines to cover the needs of our clients, from the superb values offered by many small estates producing high quality, to the luxury bottles from the top domains.
At the moment, the challenge is to promote the middle of the range, since many customers think that Bordeaux is generally overpriced, which is absolutely wrong for 90% of the production. We need to welcome more visitors and have them taste all kinds of wines so that they can realize that Bordeaux is a world by itself.
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| Château Carbonnieux |
Why do people think Bordeaux is overpriced? How can people find good value here?
It is a huge mistake, since you can find an incredible array of wines in Bordeaux.
Actually, a vast majority of wine producers are struggling to make a living. The average basic Bordeaux bottle is purchased at the estate between two and four Euros, which is barely sufficient. These wines will be found in Europe around five or six Euros, and below $10 in the US. Most of them represent an incredible value for money.
Above that category you can find superb wines in the Cru Bourgeois category, or in the surroundings of Saint Emilion. They would retail between $10 and $20 and are made with the same care as for the classified growths.
Even in the classified growths category, a good portion of the wines would retail way below $50. Such chateaux as du Tertre, Cos Labory or Carbonnieux belong to this category.
At the very top, the first classified growths are indeed extremely expensive. It was not always the case, but the demand in Europe, in America and now in China is huge. Hence, since the volume is limited, the price is reaching the sky.
Many people know Bordeaux for the wine, as a local, what else do you think it should be known for?
Bordeaux is absolutely worth a visit, and the wine is not the only reason.
We have, along with Prague, the best preserved architectural area dating back from the 18th century. At that time, Louis XV commissioned the best architects of the kingdom to produce a modern city for that time. It is worth walking around and you can even find quite a few building even older, including some from the Middle Ages.
Walking or cycling along the river is probably the best way to discover the city, its monuments and its shops. There are also of course a huge number of excellent restaurants, very often moderately priced. The Opera house, which is part of the Golden Triangle, where the luxury shops stand, produces wonderful concerts all year long, except during our summer vacations.
The surroundings of the city are also worth a visit, especially the Bay of Arcachon, a very wild area with sumptuous beaches and great seafood. Not too far away, the Périgord and the Basque Country, both on the French and the Spanish side, are absolutely lovely…
There are many reasons to come, including the good climate, and to add cultural visits to the Châteaux Tours.
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