Loire producer Bouvet Ladubay returns to family control

The Monmousseau family has joined with investment partners to re-acquire Bouvet Ladubay, one of Saumur's leading sparkling wine houses.

The Monmousseau family announced today (24 November) that it has re-acquired ‘100% of the shares’ in Bouvet Ladubay from India’s United Spirits, which is controlled by Diageo, the producer of Johnnie Walker whisky and Guinness beer.

It is 41 years since the Monmousseau family sold Bouvet Ladubay to Taittinger.

To complete the deal, the Monmousseau family created an investment vehicle named Ogmius Capital in partnership with three private equity firms – Ouest Croissance, CM CIC Investments and Unigrains.

The consortium was also backed by Banque Populaire Atlantique, Banque CIC Ouest, Banque Européenne du Credit Mutuel and the Banque Caisse d’Epargne Bretagne Pays de la

Loire.

Bouvet Ladubay has changed hands a number of times since it was founded in 1851 by Eitienne Bouvet.

• In 1932, it was bought by Justin-Marcel Monmousseau.
• In 1974, Taittinger bought the producer along with the Monmousseau sparkling wine business in Montrichard in Touraine.
• In 2006, Taittinger sold to Indian-based United Breweries, part of Vijay Mallya’s United Spirits empire. This allowed Bouvet to launch in the Indian market.

But, the Monmousseau family has continued to run the company. Patrice Monmousseau, grandson of Justin-Marcel, has been in charge since taking over from his father, Jean, in 1972. He will remain president and Juliette, his daughter, will remain CEO.

Bouvet Ladubay is based in Saint Hilaire Saint Florent, a western suburb of Saumur. It has recently invested in a new vinification and cellaring facility at nearby Distré. Its top sparkling wines are Cuvée Trésor, white and rosé.