Henri Maire of the Jura, one of France’s largest family-controlled wineries, has been bought by the Luxembourg-owned investment group Verdoso Industries.
Verdoso has taken a majority shareholding in Henri Maire, its first purchase in the wine industry.
It plans to inject capital and expertise to revitalise a business that has suffered significant losses in the past two years.
Marie-Christine Tarby-Maire, Henri Maire spokeswoman and daughter of the founder, said that Verdoso was interested in the fact that 90% of the production is from its 300ha of vineyards, the largest holding in the Jura wine region.
The company is a specialist in direct sales, and Verdoso intends to invest further in this form of vertical selling, direct from vineyard to consumer.
Henri Maire, who died in 2003, was considered an early wine marketing genius; he is credited with rescuing the Jura wine region from obscurity after World War Two.
The company has extensive stocks of Vin Jaune d’Arbois, the legendary white wine of the region.
Written by Wink Lorch
