Henri Martin (wine)
Encyclopedia
Henri Martin was a French
winemaker
who for forty years served as mayor
of Saint-Julien-Beychevelle
in Médoc
, became cited as the person responsible for reviving the ancient fame of the village, owned and managed a number of prominent French wine
estates, and became considered a legendary figure in the Bordeaux wine
trade. He has been called l'Ame du Médoc (the soul of Médoc).
Martin was born in 1903 at Château Gruaud-Larose
where his grandfather then was maître de chai and his father Alfred Martin a cooper
, the family having lived in the region for more than three centuries.
Martin built his own estate Château Gloria
from the ground, with no historical reputation or other advantages such as applying for the Cru bourgeois
classification, although by acquiring desirable vineyard
s from classed cru
s, to become one of Saint-Julien's best-known properties, within the space of a generation. The process began in 1942 with the purchase of 6 hectares (14.8 acre) of vines. With the help of his father who was initially angered by the initiative, the acquisition of land grew to amass 48 hectares (118.6 acre).
Martin served as president of CIVB
from 1956 to the mid 60s, was a co-founder and leader of the Commanderie de Bordeaux, and was a leading figure in Le Bontemps du Médoc. He was also a vocal opponent of the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
.
In 1963, Martin was also appointed manager, along with Jean-Paul Gardère, of the premier cru
Château Latour
when foreign investors gained control of the estate, and Martin became a driving force of innovations in research and investments of restorations and vineyard acquisitions as well as replanting. Martin and Gardère formally resigned from the Conseil d'Administration in 1987, marking the end of a 24-year era.
With the personal ambition to own a classed growth, this was achieved in 1982 at age of 78 when Martin bought Château Saint-Pierre
, a quatrième cru where his father had once worked, and set out to improve, with noticeable results. The estate is currently home to his daughter Françoise and her husband Jean-Louis Triaud
, current general manager of the estates under Domaines Henri Martin. Martin died in February 1991.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
winemaker
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
who for forty years served as mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Saint-Julien-Beychevelle
Saint-Julien-Beychevelle
Saint-Julien-Beychevelle is a commune on the left bank of the Garonne estuary in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-Wine:...
in Médoc
Médoc
The Médoc is a region of France, well known as a wine growing region, located in the département of Gironde, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, north of Bordeaux. Its name comes from Medullicus, or "country of the Medulli", the local Celtic tribe...
, became cited as the person responsible for reviving the ancient fame of the village, owned and managed a number of prominent French wine
French wine
French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France has the world's second-largest total vineyard area, behind Spain, and is in the position of being the world's largest wine producer...
estates, and became considered a legendary figure in the Bordeaux wine
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
trade. He has been called l'Ame du Médoc (the soul of Médoc).
Martin was born in 1903 at Château Gruaud-Larose
Château Gruaud-Larose
Château Gruaud-Larose is a winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. It is also the name of the red wine produced by this property...
where his grandfather then was maître de chai and his father Alfred Martin a cooper
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
, the family having lived in the region for more than three centuries.
Martin built his own estate Château Gloria
Château Gloria
Château Gloria is an unclassed Bordeaux wine from the Saint-Julien appellation. The winery is located in the central part of France’s Bordeaux wine region Haut-Médoc, in the commune of Saint-Julien-Beychevelle....
from the ground, with no historical reputation or other advantages such as applying for the Cru bourgeois
Cru Bourgeois
The Cru Bourgeois classification lists some of the high quality wines from the Left Bank Bordeaux wine regions that were not included in the 1855 Classification of Classed Growths, or Grands Crus Classés...
classification, although by acquiring desirable vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s from classed cru
Cru (wine)
Cru is a French wine term which is traditionally translated as "growth", as it was originally the past participle of the verb "croitre" . As a wine term it is closely connected to terroir in the sense of an "extent of terrain having a certain physical homogeneity ....
s, to become one of Saint-Julien's best-known properties, within the space of a generation. The process began in 1942 with the purchase of 6 hectares (14.8 acre) of vines. With the help of his father who was initially angered by the initiative, the acquisition of land grew to amass 48 hectares (118.6 acre).
Martin served as president of CIVB
Le Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux
Le Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux, or CIVB, the Bordeaux wine Bureau, created in 1948, is an French interest group that represents nearly 10,000 Bordeaux wine producers and growers, and 400 négociants...
from 1956 to the mid 60s, was a co-founder and leader of the Commanderie de Bordeaux, and was a leading figure in Le Bontemps du Médoc. He was also a vocal opponent of the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 resulted from the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines which were to be on display for visitors from around the world...
.
In 1963, Martin was also appointed manager, along with Jean-Paul Gardère, of the premier cru
First Growth
First Growth status refers to a classification of wines primarily from the Bordeaux region of France.-Bordeaux reds:The need for a classification of the best Bordeaux wines arose for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris. The result was the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, a list...
Château Latour
Château Latour
Château Latour is a French wine estate, rated as a First Growth under the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Latour lies at the very southeastern tip of the commune of Pauillac in the Médoc region to the north-west of Bordeaux, at its border with Saint-Julien, and only a few hundred metres from the...
when foreign investors gained control of the estate, and Martin became a driving force of innovations in research and investments of restorations and vineyard acquisitions as well as replanting. Martin and Gardère formally resigned from the Conseil d'Administration in 1987, marking the end of a 24-year era.
With the personal ambition to own a classed growth, this was achieved in 1982 at age of 78 when Martin bought Château Saint-Pierre
Château Saint-Pierre
Château Saint-Pierre is a winery in the Saint-Julien appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of ten Quatrièmes Crus Classés in the historic Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855....
, a quatrième cru where his father had once worked, and set out to improve, with noticeable results. The estate is currently home to his daughter Françoise and her husband Jean-Louis Triaud
Jean-Louis Triaud
Jean-Louis Triaud is the current president of FC Girondins de Bordeaux. He was first elected in 1996, and upon completion of the term, reelected in 2002....
, current general manager of the estates under Domaines Henri Martin. Martin died in February 1991.