Where once grapes were sometimes difficult to ripen, south-west France is now reaping the benefits of new conditions. Because it is warmer than before, old grape varieties and historical practices are proving to be the best recipe for the future.
Text: Niels van Laatum | Image: Plaimont, E. Perrin, Mika Boudot
Biggest player in Gascony is Producteurs Plaimont, a union of four cooperatives, whose scale makes it influential throughout the region. They invest in projects and research that put the south-west of France more firmly on the map as a historic wine region with a vision for the future and as a magnet for wine tourism. On to Gascony!
Members are the owners
French beret on head, broad smile on face: Olivier Bourdet-Pees is CEO of Producteurs Plaimont. A proud Frenchman who loves his region and puts all his time and energy into it. He started as technical director at Plaimont in 2008 and took charge of the entire organisation in 2013. ‘We manage the coops, they are the owners. As management, we set the strategy and ensure visibility. So that the winemakers follow the profile that is important for the business. But everyone is part of the terroir, of what we want to be now and in the future.’
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