Frédéric Drouhin ; nouveau Président de l’Union des Maisons de Vins de Bourgogne

France Burgundy

Frédéric Drouhin

New President of
Union des Maisons
de Vins de Bourgogne

The forty-year-old is a leader and a hands-on man. He is the Chief Executive Officer of the wine trade house Joseph Drouhin, with his brothers and sister by his side. In the cellars of Clos Vougeot, his peers elected him on April 11th 2014 at the head of Union des Maisons de Vins de Bourgogne (Trade Union of Burgundy wine companies). He also is the president of INAO (Institut National des Appellations d’Origine) and member of the board of directors of BIVB (Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne). He is a man in a hurry and well-informed who loves responsibilities and good wines!

Higher education at Hartford University in Connecticut gave him a relaxed elegance and a taste for challenges. Like his hero John Kennedy, Fréderic Drouhin is a man with ideas and convictions who knows how to mobilize the crowd. At the head of the Trade Union of Burgundy wine companies (Boisset, Jadot, Latour, Bouchard, Olivier Leflaive…) which represents more than 55% of the sales of the Burgundy wine trade, the development of the Houses is a topical issue. It includes a better economic management. The appellations are handled by the syndicates, the planting rights by Europe, the yields by the INAO. “The objective of the trade union comes within dialogue with the trade and the wine growers for the economic governance of the appellations at the interprofessional level.”

The quantitative development can also go through qualitative reserves like in Chalon (Burgundy) or Champagne. In Burgundy they have been created by the villages and do not exist in the Grand Crus. They could be a stopgap solution to shortage. But Union des Maisons de Vins de Bourgogne wants to have a global vision of the stock, production and demand. They are subject to review.

The situation of small crops with the climatic hazards of the last three years has become crucial and creates tension on the price level. “We enter red zone. The sales price of Burgundy wine is too high. In front of the international competition, the trade union fears the marginalization of the Burgundy wines. 2014 announced a beautiful harvest but the last Saturday of June has destructed 10 to 80% of many estates in Beaune, Pommard and Volnay and ruined numerous wine growers. How can we help them and avoid these disastrous episodes resulting from global warming? Hail nets? Silver chloride cannons in the vineyard? Several solutions are considered by Union des Maisons de vins de Bourgogne.”

Another worry on the wine side, some great white wines oxydate untimely. Researches are undertaken for new devatting techniques as well as for the corks. Remedies are tested before being prescribed. In the vineyard the problem of flavescence dorée and other diseases has also to be warded off.

Another important topic, the recruitment of young wine merchants with a very sensitive activity who do not join the union as they ignore all the services (legal, financial, technical, commercial) and the good advices that this structure can provide. To attract and convince them, the Federation will go into the field.

The trade participes in the works of the interprofession: recognition of the Burgundy climats in the world heritage; creation of a Burgundy Wine Center, in draft stage.

Last sensitive issue, the marketing of the wine in France, a prohibitive climate since a decade. Through the association Vins & Société, the Union will act to promote men’s education and work.

In the name of the great Burgundy wines, Frédéric Drouhin has plenty of work ahead!

Marie-Caroline Bourrellis

www.drouhin.com