Jean-Michel Cazes Receives Lifetime Achievement Award at Vinexpo
The Institute of Masters of Wine and The Drinks Business are delighted to announce that Jean-Michel Cazes was presented with their Lifetime Achievement Award at Vinexpo in Bordeaux today (Tuesday 21 June 2011).
The award acknowledges the substantial contribution of an individual to the global wine community, recognising vision, determination and innovation. It was created by the Institute and UK-based, global trade publication The Drinks Business in 2005 and is supported by Vinexpo. The award has previously been presented to Robert Mondavi, in 2005, and Marchese Piero Antinori, in 2007.
Jean-Michel Cazes received the award from Lynne Sherriff MW, Chairman of the Institute, at a lunch attended by 110 senior figures from the wine industry at Vinexpo, one of the world’s largest wine trade events.
Jean-Michel Cazes said: “I am greatly honoured to be awarded this distinction by two of the most prestigious professional wine institutions, the Institute of Masters of Wine and The Drinks Business. The first recipients were people I respect and admire. They are wine legends. Without their work and talent our profession would not be what it has become today. I am proud to follow in their footsteps.
“On this occasion at the 2011 edition of Vinexpo, I also appreciate the fact that this recognition, through my person, goes to the wines from France and particularly to our great wines of Bordeaux, which I have tried to serve and illustrate all through my professional life.”
Lynne Sherriff MW, Chairman of the Institute said: “There are individuals in the world of wine whose talents enrich us all and Jean-Michel Cazes is one of them. His commitment, passion and acumen are recognised the world over. His career has involved both the successful development of the properties under his management and a far wider contribution to the good standing of our industry. It is a pleasure to present him with this award.”
Anthony Hawser, Chairman and Publisher of The Drinks Business said: “We are delighted to honour one of France’s great winemakers, a worthy successor to previous winners. When we launched the award in 2005 we had in mind recipients who had materially contributed not only to their own success but to enhancing the greater world of wine. Jean-Michel Cazes embodies these criteria.”
Jean-Michel Cazes, 76, assumed the management of his family’s properties in 1974, including Château Lynch Bages, Les Ormes de Pez, and Villa Bel Air in Bordeaux, Xisto in Portugal and Tapanappa in Australia. He is a former managing director of the AXA Millésimes portfolio of wine estates, having stepped down from the role in 2000, and retired from managing his family properties in 2006. He is a significant figure in wine tourism in Bordeaux. Having already developed the cellar door experience of several of the Bordeaux properties he managed, he transformed Château Cordeillan-Bages into a world-renowned hotel and restaurant with two Michelin stars. He then redeveloped the village of Bages itself into a main Médoc tourist attraction, incorporating other restaurants, a wine school, cookery school and base for organised wine tours. Jean-Michel Cazes was also one of the first wine producers to see the potential in the Chinese market, beginning to target Asia as early as 1990.