Petrus plans distribution change

Chateau Pétrus is set for a distribution shakeup, forming a new company as sole distributor.

Pétrus is owned by Jean-Francois Moueix (and now his children), while Ets Jean-Pierre Moueix is owned by his brother Christian Moueix. Since 2009 Pétrus has been run entirely separately from the Ets JP Moueix properties.

The Pomerol estate has appointed Christophe Jacquemin Sablon – who worked as commercial director at Ets JP Moueix for five years, and before that at Louis Roederer champagnes – to head a new company, yet to be named, which will be the sole distributor of Pétrus.

It will be independent of Duclot, the négociant company also owned by Jean-Francois and Jean Moueix. Jacquemin has been at Pétrus since March 2012.

The 2012 vintage is the last year that Ets JP Moueix will have the exclusivity on Pétrus for the export sales, although the chateau will continue to be sold en primeur – it is thought through a larger number of négociants. Some French private customers have always received small amounts of the wine, and will continue to do so.

‘We want to identify where Pétrus will be best to be sold, to ensure that customers are able to get hold of it, and to drink it. We don’t want it concentrated in a few hands,’ Jacquemin Sablon told decanter.com.

Written by Jane Anson in Bordeaux