Jean-Michel Cazes | |
|---|---|
 Cazes in 2019 | |
| Born | (1935-03-25)25 March 1935 Bordeaux, France |
| Died | 28 June 2023(2023-06-28) (aged 88) Pauillac, France |
| Alma mater | Paris School of Mines University of TexasM.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Food products executive,insurance executive |
| Board member of | Bordeaux Wine Council (1976) Compagnie Medocaine, Bordeaux, France ID Systemes, Bordeaux Chateau de Cordeilan-Bages, Pauillac Axa millesines, Pauillac, 1987 |
| Spouse | Maria-Thereza Carregal Ferreira (m. 1968) |
| Children | 4 |
| Awards | Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur |
| Notes | |
Jean-Michel Cazes (25 March 1935 – 28 June 2023) was a Frenchwinemaker and insurance executive. He managed the wine holdings ofAXA Millésimes until 2000, the family insurance agency, and the Cazes family estates until 2006.[3] He was the son of André Cazes and grandson of Jean-Charles Cazes who acquired the family's initial holdings.
Cazes completed his degree at theÉcole nationale supérieure des mines de Paris (1958) (where he also playedRugby), then earned anM.S. inpetroleum engineering atUniversity of Texas (1960) as aRotary Scholar.[2][4][5] He served in theFrench Air Force (1960–1962), leaving with the rank oflieutenant. He was a sales manager atIBM France (1962–1971) andpresident of STAD (Empain-Schneider Group) (1971–1973), both inParis.[1]
In 1973[1] or 1974 he returned toPauillac, where his father was the longtimemayor, to manage the family's insurance and wine interests. He took over management ofChâteau Lynch-Bages.[6] Other properties include Chateau Villa Bel Air,[7]Château Les Ormes-de-Pez, Château Cordeillan-Bages inPauillac converted into ahotel and arestaurant of twoMichelin stars, L'Ostal Cazes inLanguedoc, Domaine des Sénéchaux inChâteauneuf-du-Pape, Xisto inPortugal, and Tapanappa inCoonawarra,South Australia.[8][9]
Until 2000 Cazes ran wine properties for AXA Millésimes. French insurance companies are required to invest in French property, and underClaude Bebear the firm set up the AXA Millésimes subsidiary to invest in wineries. Their assets in Bordeaux includedChâteau Pichon Longueville Baron,Château Suduiraut,Cantenac Brown, andPetit Villagechateaux. Abroad they ownedQuinta do Noval, aPort producer in theDouro Valley inPortugal, and theTokaji producing Disznókő estate inHungary.[2]
Cazes began low key efforts to market his product to thePeople's Republic of China as early as 1990. He has toured wineries aroundBeijing, and attended the2008 Beijing Olympics. By 2008 Lynch-Bages sold about 5% of its output in the PRC.[10]
In 2002, he was awarded La Croix de Chevalier de laLégion d'Honneur, and in 2003 Cazes was chosen the "Man of the Year" by the wine magazineDecanter.[8]
Cazes stepped down in 2006, handing over management of the family interests to his son Jean-Charles Cazes.
Cazes died on 28 June 2023, at the age of 88.[11]
For three-quarters of a century the 'Domaine de Bages' was the property of the Lynch family, sons and grandsons of John Lynch of Galway. John Tillotson presented Jean-Michel Cazes, who now manages the property, with a Stetson to replace one given to him by the famous Texan Maurice Acers in 1959, when he was aRotary Scholar at theUniversity of Texas.
In 1988, the Cazes family, already owners of châteaux Lynch‐Bages in Pauillac and Les Ormes de Pez in Saint‐Estèphe bought the estate. Jean‐Michel Cazes undertook an important renovation programme at the property. At last, the Bel‐Air estate has found a new identity. Villa Bel‐Air was born with the harvest of their first vintage.
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