2 July 2026

BRANE-CANTENAC: THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE ON THE 35 HECTARES OF TERRACE 4

For a century, the history of Château Brane-Cantenac has been inseparable from that of the Lurton family. Today, Henri Lurton represents the fourth generation at the helm of this Second Growth of Margaux, while the fifth generation is already involved through his daughter, Madeleine, who oversees marketing and communications. The family's legacy and the vision that continues to shape the estate have been explored in two interviews published on the Inside La Place website: Henri Lurton and Marie-Hélène Faurie 
15 May 2026

Félix Pariente-Lorenzetti: Reinventing the Great Wines of Bordeaux for a New Generation

In early March, Félix Pariente-Lorenzetti, President of Château Pédesclaux and Château Lafon-Rochet since July 2025, presented the 2025 vintage of the Domaines Lorenzetti wines. His uncle, Jacky Lorenzetti, made his first acquisition in Bordeaux in 2008 with the purchase of Château Lilian Ladouys, followed by Château Pédesclaux in 2009 and Château Lafon-Rochet in 2021. He is also co-owner of Château d’Issan. Before the tasting, I had the opportunity to ask Félix a few questions to get to know him better.
7 May 2026

The Cazes family is happy and proud to be a signature of its appellation

We had the great pleasure of welcoming Jean-Charles Cazes to our office for a presentation of several wines from the family, owners of Château Lynch-Bages since 1939. Jean-Charles suggested being accompanied by Jane Anson, with whom I had a fascinating conversation. The exchange between Jean-Charles, Jane, Roland, and the entire sales team was enriching, engaging, and convivial. It’s also what wine offers us in life.
16 April 2026

Vintage 2025

The 2025 Bordeaux vintage was shaped by extreme climatic conditions: very low yields, intense heat, and prolonged summer drought, followed by crucial rainfall in late August. This led to an exceptionally early harvest and highly concentrated grapes, resulting in wines with moderate alcohol, low pH, and remarkable freshness and tension. A rare vintage that is both precise and balanced, perfectly reflecting the style of a great modern Bordeaux.
18 March 2026

Charles Thomas: At the Heart of Cos d’Estournel

When I met Charles Thomas in April 2022 to discuss his strategic choices and the challenges of his day-to-day work, I asked him the customary question: “Tell us about yourself.” He gave me the most concise answer of all my interviews: “I’m a Burgundian who arrived in Bordeaux seven years ago, and above all, a great lover of wine.” A short, direct sentence—very much like him. His Burgundian roots likely have something to do with it: a straightforward, no-nonsense temperament. You can find the full interview on our website. This time, we welcomed him to the office for a tasting followed by lunch with Roland Coiffe and the sales team. The conditions were ideal: outstanding wines, open and lively exchanges, and a rich commercial discussion, the highlights of which we share here.
28 January 2026

Pavillon Rouge: Excellence Without Compromise

On the occasion of an exceptional tasting, we spoke with Aurélien Valance, an iconic figure who has been working at Château Margaux for twenty-five years. Thomas Burke, Head of Sales and Development, visited the Roland Coiffe office to present four magnificent vintages of Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux to the sales team. This wine, which can rightly be regarded as a Second Growth, offers extraordinary ageing potential, yet can also be enjoyed in its youth if decanted a few hours in advance. Only about one third of the harvest, following a rigorous selection, is allocated each year to Pavillon Rouge, which is therefore not a single-parcel wine. It is rightly referred to as the second wine of Château Margaux. Thomas, who has been working at Château Margaux for ten years and holds the prestigious Master Sommelier diploma, presented the 2022, 2020, 2010 and 2003 vintages. You can find two other conversations with Aurélien Valance on our website, Inside La Place.
4 December 2025

The role of a sommelier today

When I reached out to François-Xavier Maroteaux about participating in a Regards-Croisés session, he immediately suggested inviting Maxime Courvoisier as well. The idea struck us as an excellent one right away. In 2024, we already published several interviews with sommeliers, which you can find on our website under the Sommelier filter. Sommeliers are essential voices in the conversation. As Maxime Courvoisier highlights in the interview: “There is a whole culture of Bordeaux wine that needs to be passed on to the younger generation. And that’s exactly what we do at the restaurant.”
25 November 2025

There is strength in unity

I interviewed François-Xavier in October 2022. You can find this interview on our website: Inside La Place – In partnership with La Place. Even at that time, he strongly defended the Bordeaux Place system, considering the négociants as his primary partners. Three years later, as you will read in this new edition of Regards Croisés, his strategy remains unchanged.
13 November 2025

In 2025, the vine once again demonstrated its remarkable resilience 

I have met Valérie Lavigne several times during presentations. The most recent occasion was in October, while she was tasting the first batches from the various plots of Château Olivier 2025. As she mentions in the interview below, working parcel by parcel is essential. Though she has a rather discreet personality, she was kind enough to accept this conversation, during which we spoke not only about her profession, but also about the current market and consumer trends.
6 November 2025

The Change at Angelus: A Book Whose Different Chapters Illuminate the Same Story

In this beautiful profession, some encounters leave a lasting mark. My first meeting with Alexandre Ma, Chinese Wine Critic and educator (alexandrema.com), was one of those that truly stand out. I met him for the first time in April 2022 — you can find our interview on the website: Inside La Place – A Conversation with Alexandre Ma. The way he looks at our wines reflects a distinct sensitivity, one where the finesse of Chinese culture plays a key role — yet without ever losing sight of the fact that wine is made to be sold and shared. As an educator, Alexandre is doing remarkable work in China, driven by his conviction that education is the first step toward understanding and appreciating wine. With his deep knowledge of the Chinese market, he remains optimistic: in his view, the global economic recovery will bring a new momentum for wine, fueled in particular by the growing interest of younger generations. Thank you, Alexandre, for everything you do for our wines. And to discover his insights on Château Lafite Rothschild, simply click here: Crossed Perspectives with Alexandre Ma on Château Lafite Rothschild.
30 October 2025

Château Angélus : between heritage and innovation

In July 2022, I met with Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal for an interview you can find on our website: Inside La Place – A Family Story. Two years later, we had the pleasure of welcoming her to our offices for the fourth edition of Regards Croisés by Roland Coiffe & Associés, alongside wine critic Alexandre Ma and our sales team. Before the tasting, Stéphanie took the time to answer a few questions — and, as always at Angélus, there is no shortage of exciting projects.
16 October 2025

Harvest 2025: Some Impressions of Happiness

There is a special buzz in the air when you visit the châteaux during the harvest period. This year, the excitement began very early. By the end of August, most of the estates had already brought in the grapes from their white vineyards. By mid-September, most of the Merlot grapes had been harvested, and by the end of September, nearly 90% of the Cabernet grapes had also found their way into the vats. This is one of the characteristics of this vintage: a harvest that was both early and short.
9 October 2025

Bordeaux, Between Tradition and Transformation – The Vision of Julien Viaud

Bordeaux – the myth that refuses to die: stunning cuvées at unbeatable prices. It’s high time we put them back in the spotlight. In 2022, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Michel Rolland – a straight-talking icon and driving force of change in Bordeaux. You can revisit that conversation on our website:  Michel Rolland This time, my questions naturally went to the lab’s majority partner, Julien Viaud. In 2020 Michel Rolland sold his shares to his former employees, now proud co-owners.
2 October 2025

Bodegas Catena Zapata — Science, Wine & Balance

The brilliant and dynamic Dr. Laura Catena was in Bordeaux at the end of June to present the Nicolas Catena Zapata 2022 and Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus Terrae 2022. Both wines will be released in September, and we are proud to be one of their partners, bringing these outstanding wines to the world. It was the perfect opportunity to ask Laura a few questions.
22 September 2025

Château d’Yquem — La stratégie de distribution

Les choses bougent au sein de l’une des propriétés viticoles les plus emblématiques au monde. Après l’obtention, dès le millésime 2022, de la certification en vin biologique, un remaniement de la direction a été annoncé fin juillet. Lorenzo Pasquini prend désormais les rênes en tant que Directeur Général, tandis que Pierre Lurton conserve la présidence, avec pour mission la représentation extérieure et l’orientation stratégique. À l’occasion de la commercialisation d’Y d’Yquem 2023, j’ai souhaité m’entretenir avec Annabelle Grellier, Directrice Marketing et Commerciale depuis septembre 2023.
19 September 2025

Château d’Yquem — The Distribution Strategy

Things are evolving at one of the world’s most iconic wine estates. Following the certification of the 2022 vintage as organic, a reshuffle of the management team was announced at the end of July. Lorenzo Pasquini has now taken the helm as Managing Director, while Pierre Lurton remains President, focusing on external representation and strategic direction. On the occasion of the release of Y d’Yquem 2023, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Annabelle Grellier, who has served as Marketing & Sales Director since September 2023.
12 September 2025

Emma Thienpont International First Growths Partner

In 2019, Emma Thienpont and Tom Portet founded International First Growths, a company whose mission is to select, promote, and support the best wines outside Bordeaux, giving them the opportunity to be distributed via La Place de Bordeaux.
Inside La Place
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