Georges Duboeuf
Encyclopedia
Georges Duboeuf is the founder of Les Vins Georges Duboeuf, one of the largest and best-known wine merchants in France. The company is known especially for its popularization and production of Beaujolais
wines, leading to Duboeuf's nicknames of le roi du Beaujolais (the king of Beaujolais) or sometimes pape du Beaujolais (Pope
of Beaujolais).
, April 14, 1933 in Crèches, near the village of Chaintré, in the Pouilly-Fuissé
appellation
of France. Pouilly-Fuissé consists of five villages, southwest of the commune of Mâcon
, in the central French wine-making region of Burgundy
. Duboeuf was raised on a small farm, where his family owned a few acres of Chardonnay
vines. His father died when he was very young, and his uncle and older brother, Roger, took over the business.
Duboeuf helped on the family vineyard growing up, cranking the manual grape crusher when he was just six. At the age of 18, he began delivering wine on his bicycle from producers to local restaurants. He began bottling Beaujolais to meet a customer's commission, and went on to form a syndicate of 45 local growers, the Ecrin Mâconnais-Beaujolais. The organization fell apart due to squabbling, and Duboeuf became a négociant
in 1964, when he founded Les Vins Georges Duboeuf.
He married his wife Rolande in the early 1960s, and has two children, Fabienne and Franck.
annually. He is almost single-handedly responsible for popularizing the annual Beaujolais nouveau
phenomenon, and has won awards for his wines. His wine labels are easily recognizable by their use of colorful flower images and the distinctive Duboeuf insignia.
Georges Duboeuf still heads the company as of 2007, at the age of 74, and his son Franck Duboeuf is considered his heir apparent.
Beaujolais
Beaujolais is a French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée wine generally made of the Gamay grape which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally. Whites from the region, which make up only 1% of its production, are made mostly with Chardonnay grapes...
wines, leading to Duboeuf's nicknames of le roi du Beaujolais (the king of Beaujolais) or sometimes pape du Beaujolais (Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
of Beaujolais).
Early life and career
Duboeuf was born on a Good FridayGood Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
, April 14, 1933 in Crèches, near the village of Chaintré, in the Pouilly-Fuissé
Pouilly-Fuissé
Pouilly-Fuissé is an appellation for white wine in the Mâconnais subregion Burgundy in central France, located in the communes of Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré...
appellation
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
of France. Pouilly-Fuissé consists of five villages, southwest of the commune of Mâcon
Mâcon
Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...
, in the central French wine-making region of Burgundy
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
. Duboeuf was raised on a small farm, where his family owned a few acres of Chardonnay
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is originated from the Burgundy wine region of eastern France but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand...
vines. His father died when he was very young, and his uncle and older brother, Roger, took over the business.
Duboeuf helped on the family vineyard growing up, cranking the manual grape crusher when he was just six. At the age of 18, he began delivering wine on his bicycle from producers to local restaurants. He began bottling Beaujolais to meet a customer's commission, and went on to form a syndicate of 45 local growers, the Ecrin Mâconnais-Beaujolais. The organization fell apart due to squabbling, and Duboeuf became a négociant
Négociant
A négociant is the French term for a wine merchant who assembles the produce of smaller growers and winemakers and sells the result under its own name....
in 1964, when he founded Les Vins Georges Duboeuf.
He married his wife Rolande in the early 1960s, and has two children, Fabienne and Franck.
Les Vins Georges Duboeuf
Duboeuf's business produces more than 2,5 million cases of wineWine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
annually. He is almost single-handedly responsible for popularizing the annual Beaujolais nouveau
Beaujolais nouveau
Beaujolais nouveau is a red wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It is the most popular vin de primeur, fermented for just a few weeks before being released for sale on the third Thursday of November...
phenomenon, and has won awards for his wines. His wine labels are easily recognizable by their use of colorful flower images and the distinctive Duboeuf insignia.
Georges Duboeuf still heads the company as of 2007, at the age of 74, and his son Franck Duboeuf is considered his heir apparent.
External links
- Rose, Anthony. (2007-02-14.) "Interview with Georges Duboeuf." Decanter, via decanter.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
- Langley, William. (2006-07-09.) "The King of Beaujolais takes a tumble." (News website.) Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
- Meert, Brian. (2009-09-03.) "Wine Tote Contest with Georges Duboeuf" Handbago, via Handbago.com/blog. Retrieved on 2009-09-04.