Rémy Martin’s Trichet Hands Cellar Master Baton To Loiseau
Marking the first time in the history of the House of Rémy Martin’s for departing and new Cellar Masters to visit the UK side by side, a group of selected guests and members of the press were invited to 34 restaurant in London’s Mayfair this June to bid farewell to Pierrette Trichet, renowned former Cellar Master, and to celebrate the appointment of 33-year old Baptiste Loiseau, the House’s new Cellar Master.
Trichet, the Cellar Master who has been at the House for almost forty years, commenting at the gathering said: “I would have never been where I am now without the two people - the eighth and ninth generations of the Rémy Martin family.”
It was back in 1976 that the first laboratory in Cognac was created by the eighth generation head, which was the first part of Trichet’s life in Rémy Martin. Her “mission above all else” over all these years - besides all her analytical research, knowing about the terroir, the soil, the grape, the wine, blending and ageing - was “not to change anything” on the cognac side.
However, at some point she felt that she was missing the tasting part and being a member of tasting committee of Rémy Martin. Despite it being a closed and male-dominated circle, Trichet was allowed to enter the tasting committee in 1993 and in 2003 appointed Cellar Master of Rémy Martin. “Clearly it was a very audacious choice as I was the first woman cellar master in their history,” she said.
Loiseau, who is the Cognac industry’s youngest ever cellar master, joined Rémy Martin's in 2007 and worked first in Trichet team. Commenting on his selection, Trichet said: “Baptiste has been appointed for his obvious technical skill, qualities of tasting, passion and human qualities. He is also very demanding in terms of all the wine producers and having the best quality wines.”
Indeed, since Loiseau started his career aged 27 at the House he has won over around a thousand eaux-de-vie suppliers, from which they buy around 97% (since they only grow 3% of their own grapes). He is from the Cognac region and first studied as a wine maker. “I’m passionate about the terroir. And, I’ve come back to my roots,” he said.
As to his preferred way of drinking Rémy Martin cognac he said there was no better way than mixing it with ginger ale amongst his friends and at a barbecue in a garden in Cognac. “For me that is the perfect way to drink cognac,” he said.
Rounding off proceedings, Trichet and Loiseau treated guests to Rémy Martin XO and exclusive tasting of Rémy Martin Centaure* de Diamant, the last creation of Trichet that features fine champagne eaux‑de‑vie from the region that is aged between 20 and 50 years.
* Rémy Martin Centaure de Diamant launched this June and is exclusively available from Harrods at £800 a bottle. There is further limited distribution scheduled from July 2014 onwards. While their most expensive blend, the Louis XIII, will age for at least forty years and sell for £3,250 a bottle, their cheapest cognacs start from £20.
by Roger Aitken
