Robert Nicholson, principal of International Wine Associates, advises on merger & acquisition in the wine industry. Most recently, he was involved in the purchase of Château Lascombes by the Lawrence Family. In this exclusive interview Nicholson frankly considers the likelihood of other US buyers buying French wine businesses.
The latest harvest estimates on 1 October confirmed production of 44.6m hl. Compared to the very small 2021 crop, this means an increase of 18% - close to the 5-year average.
In 2001, Jacques Berthomeau who died this month, shocked the French wine establishment by recommending the creation of a new classification called Vin de France that would enable producers to compete with varietal wines from the New World. Eight years later, his idea became reality. Today, it is a huge success - both for those exports, and - perhaps surprisingly for him - for many of the natural wine producers Berthomeau later wrote about in his blog.
Days before a US jury acquitted Tom Barrack, ex head of Colony Capital, former owners of Château Lascomes, of illegal foreign lobbying charges, the Margaux estate was acquired by another American, Gaylon Lawrence of Lawrence Wine Estates. This is only the latest episode in the long, checkered history of a 2nd growth chateau that has had many memorable owners, none of whom have kept it for long.
It’s got a wine-growing history that dates back to the Roman world. It’s got more than 220 authorised grape varieties over 55,000 hectares of vineyards, and it’s one of the most exciting wine-growing countries in Europe.
