Nicolas Audebert, winemaker at Cheval des Andes, is to join the two Bordeaux chateaux owned by Chanel, Rauzan-Segla and Canon.
Audebert, who is from Toulon in southern France and studied winemaking in Montpellier, has been at Cheval des Andes, owned by LVMH, for eight years. He began his new role on 1 June this year, initially working alongside John Kolasa, long time director of the two properties, who is set to retire.
Audebert has previously worked at Terrazas de los Andes, Moet & Chandon, Krug and Veuve Clicquot, before moving to Cheval des Andes – the joint venture between Terrazas and Cheval Blanc – in 2006.
John Kolasa has been director of 1855 Second Growth Rauzan-Segla since 1994, when he was hired from Latour by the Wertheimer brothers.
‘I am not retiring yet,’ Kolasa told Decanter.com, ‘but I am starting to plan for the future. Audebert is a hugely talented winemaker and I look forward to working with him’.
Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux
