Gérard Perse, the winemaker and owner of Château Pavie, Saint-Émilion’s premier grand cru classé A, has died. An emblematic figure in the Bordeaux wine industry, he built a lifetime of entrepreneurial success that was unrivalled in the world of wine.
Photo @mathieu_garcon
Gérard Perse had been battling a stubborn cancer for years, which ultimately took his life. He fought this battle, which he knew was lost from the outset, as he had fought all the others, with the qualities he had always displayed: extraordinary determination, straightforward honesty, exceptional strength of conviction and, above all, the confidence he drew from the close bond he shared with his wife Chantal, whom he met at the end of a turbulent adolescence and with whom he climbed every step, sometimes four at a time, of an extraordinary life.
He had already confided in me, with a sense of urgency, the memories, victories and wounds of a life that began at the bottom and led him to the pinnacle of world viticulture. Here we can look back on this incredible journey. As Michel Bettane points out, it was the journey of a formidable entrepreneur who shook up the status quo to bring his wines from the right bank of Bordeaux to the highest level of excellence.
Gérard Perse’s work characterises with impressive acuity the golden age of Bordeaux wines from the end of the last century to the first quarter of this one. Carried out at a rapid pace, it aroused misunderstanding, jealousy and caricature. Highly sensitive and strong in his convictions, Gérard Perse suffered as a result. However, the results of this titanic effort, particularly that achieved since the 1998 vintage at Château Pavie, the absolute jewel of Saint-Emilion’s ‘côte wines’, will speak for decades in wines of unparalleled classicism, vigour and depth.
A few months ago, we had the opportunity to taste each of the vintages of ‘Pavie de Perse’ and the impression of consistency and purity of an exceptional terroir was revealed with as much splendour as accuracy. Far from being a winemaker influenced by the fashions of the times, Gérard Perse has always been committed to revealing all the facets of the terroirs he has served, from those of Château Monbousquet, his first acquisition in 1992, to those of Pavie-Decesse, Bellevue-Mondotte and Pavie, of course, to his little-known but remarkable Clos Lunelles in Castillon.
Gérard Perse, his exceptionally loyal teams and his family (his wife Chantal, their daughter Angélique and their son-in-law Henrique da Costa) were also pioneers and are now leaders in wine tourism and gastronomy in Saint-Emilion, embarking on an entrepreneurial adventure that is firmly rooted in the challenges of our time and the decades to come.
We offer our sincere condolences to his family and teams.
Thierry Desseauve
Michel Bettane, a long-time friend of Gérard Perse, wanted to say a few final words of farewell to him personally.
One of the most memorable encounters of my career as a journalist was with Gérard Perse, who had just bought Château Monbousquet in Saint-Emilion. Michel Rolland had warned me that this newcomer would be good for the appellation. I was not disappointed. Not only did I, coming from the civil service, meet a true and great entrepreneur, but also a man of rare sensitivity and incomparable generosity.
I was fortunate to be a privileged witness to the restoration of three vineyards in decline, including Château Pavie, where the state of the estate was in no way compatible with its high classification. With the support of his wife Chantal, who accompanied him throughout his rise to success, Gérard Perse brilliantly expanded his business to include restaurants and hotels, greatly enhancing the reputation of his magnificent village.
I also witnessed all the petty jealousies and meanness that caused him so much suffering, but which are unfortunately inherent in the parochial quarrels of the French countryside. Far from bringing him to his knees, they made him grow and strengthened his convictions and his actions. A nasty and ungrateful illness made his last years very difficult. He showed the same courage and determination in facing it, but it eventually got the better of him.
It is up to his children, the magnificent Angélique and her husband Henrique, to continue his work with dignity. The loyal Laurent Lusseau will help them in the vineyard, as will the great Yannick Alleno in the kitchen. For his friends and loved ones, his passing is an irreplaceable loss. Rest in peace, dear Gérard.
Michel Bettane
