Gosset Grand Millésime 2006, Decanter competition
Gosset Grand Millésime 2006
(Image credit: Gosset Grand Millésime 2006)

Champagne Gosset has appointed a new cellar master following the death of Jean-Pierre Mareigner.

Champagne Gosset’s deputy managing director, Odilon de Varine, has taken over as the company’s cellar master following the death of Jean-Pierre Mareigner.

De Varine, who joined Gosset in 2006, has experience in Burgundy, Alsace, California and New Zealand, and was previously cellar master at Champagne Henriot. He will continue to work as Gosset’s deputy managing director.

Gosset said de Varine was ‘born into the wine trade’. His mother was a grower in Burgundy and his father looked after the vineyards at Veuve Clicquot.

The appointment follows the death of Mareigner in May, at the age of 60 after a short illness. He had been Gosset’s cellar master for more than 30 years.

De Varine said: ‘We are all eager to continue with the same passion and quality approach by applying the principles set in place by our former cellar master: “At Gosset we first create a wine. The bubbles make it sublime.”’

Paying tribute to Mareigner following his death, de Varine previously told Decanter.com, ‘Jean-Pierre had been planning very carefully for his retirement next year and had gathered a highly competent team around him over the last few years, but we regret hugely that we have lost him far sooner than we would have wished.

‘We will take great care to maintain his great legacy to us and continue his excellent work.’

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Richard Woodard
Richard Woodard
Decanter Magazine, Wine & Spirits Writer

Richard Woodard is a freelance wine and spirits writer based in the UK. Aside from Decanter, he writes for several wine trade and media outlets including Imbibe, The Drinks Business, Harpers and Drinks International.

Since 2015 he has been the magazine editor of Scotchwhisky.com. He has formerly worked as a wine news reporter at Imbibe and a feature writer for Halycon Magazine.