Bernard Magrez, owner of several classified Bordeaux wine estates, has been attacked at his home but was physically unhurt and managed to untie himself and call police, according to reports.
Magrez, owner of Château Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan and many other wine estates in France and worldwide, was assaulted in the early hours of Friday morning, between 3am and 4am, at his home in downtown Bordeaux, according to French newspaper Sud-Ouest.
Armed with a knife, a screwdriver and possibly a handgun, up to five men burst into the house and surprised the businessman.
Despite being tied up, Magrez was reportedly unhurt – other than being shaken by the ordeal.
In just a few minutes, the intruders took a collection of luxury watches, cash and other items before escaping from the scene in Magrez’s car.
At the age of 81, Magrez managed to escape from his ties at around 7am and call the police, Sud-Ouest reported.
Decanter.com was unable to reach Magrez or his family today (12 January).
According to police, the thieves would have had to follow Magrez for several days and know the area before taking action. Officers were searching the premises for clues and fingerprints.
The break-in brings back memories of French wine collector Michel-Jack Chasseuil being briefly held hostage in his own home in 2014.
Alongside owning several Bordeaux wine estates, Magrez has also invested significantly in wine tourism in Bordeaux, including in his La Grande Maison restaurant and in support for the Cité du Vin wine cultural centre.
