Jean-Charles Boisset explains that setting goals based on numbers is not what has been the driving force behind one of the leading family-owned producers and importers of fine wine and spirits—the Nuits-St-Georges, France-based Boisset Family Estates. It’s been the innovative, eco-minded and fine wine focus of the company that has enabled its
continuous growth.

“This is the beauty of being a family business—we can allow ourselves to have a very long outlook to the wine world by really focusing on fine wine and unique wines, not necessarily looking only to volume, but acting for the long-term,” says Boisset, president.

A big part of the “long-term” for Boisset Family Estates, which recently changed its name from Boisset America, has been sustainability, particularly in packaging and biody-namic farming.

“The idea was to focus on the three Rs: Reduce, Recycle and Renew,” says Boisset, when discussing the company’s innovative packaging efforts which follow the Boisset “70 percent rule”: More than 70 percent of the 2.6 billion cases of wine produced each year retail for under $10. Of those wines, 70 percent are consumed within three hours of purchase and within that category about 70 percent of the total production cost goes toward packaging. “At the end of the day, it’s not worth it,” says Boisset. “Because those wines are being consumed right away.”

Boisset Family Estates has been recognized for innovations in alternative packaging with French Rabbit, the first premium wine in a Tetra Pak, launched in 2005, and more recently, a line of “Innovation Brands,” premium wines in eco-friendly packaging—Tetra Pak, PET, aluminum and bag-in-box.  

The company launched Yellow Jersey in 2007 and Bonus Passus in 2008 in 750ml PET bottles with a suggested retail price of about $10. PET bottles have a 50 percent lower carbon footprint than traditional glass wine bottles and also are the most recycled plastic, according to company literature, becoming fleece, new PET bottles, carpet and more. The company also launched Mommessin Aluminum, Boisset’s Beaujolais Grande Reserve packaged in a 750ml aluminum bottle with a screw cap. Aluminum bottles are lightweight, infinitely recyclable, unbreakable, reusable and chill wine faster while keeping it cooler longer. The bottles feature a new technology for the wine industry dubbed cooldot—a label that turns blue to let consumers know when the wine has reached 14° C, the correct drinking temperature for a Beaujolais, which is traditionally drunk chilled in France.

“A lot of people don’t know that Beaujolais should be served chilled,” says Boisset. “These innovations are helping us attract a new demographic and get people interested in wine with something other than the traditional presentation.” The wine retails for about $15.

Also part of the “Innovation Brands” line is Green rabbit, the cousin of French rabbit, which is 100 percent organic (it will be released in select markets due to limited quantities) and Louis Bernard Côte du Rhône packaged in a 3L Bag-in-Box.

A Global Look
Boisset Family Estates, which has deep roots in the Burgundy region of France, has office locations in Sausalito, Calif., Canada, the UK, Japan and Switzerland, and sells wine to more than 80 countries. The company, founded by Jean-Claude and Claudine Boisset in 1961, parents of Boisset and his sister, Nathalie Boisset, who play leading roles in the company today, is a leading producer of pinot noir worldwide and one of France’s top exporters of premium wine.

With the company’s global outlook, Boisset has taken a more strategic look at the United States.

“We are strong believers in investing in California specifically, and more specifically in the area of pinot noir and chardonnay,” notes Boisset. “We are one of the leading producers of pinot noir and this is something we want to continuously promote, push and grow.”

One of the company’s recent product releases out of California is Oceana Estates, a riesling produced from the vineyards at Oceana Estates. Presented in a cobalt blue bottle, the wine is described by Boisset as dry and crisp. At a suggested retail price of $15, Oceana is targeted to on-premise and independent retailers.

“I’ve always dreamt of doing a dry riesling and California proposes some very good regions to do it,” says Boisset. “It fits very much our approach of high-quality wines.”

While the wine drinking trend in Europe is on the decline where consumers are drinking less, but better, Boisset observes, he sees an opportunity for growth in the US.

“I see the market in the US in the super premium category doubling within the next five years,” he says. “I’m optimistic as well to see consumers becoming clever in terms of their packaging choices and moving towards alternative packages. I see the American consumer becoming more sophisticated, eating better, choosing higher-quality wines with their food and enjoying sparkling wine.”

Although the plan for the future of Boisset Family Estates is to continue to expand in North America, marrying the old world tradition of French winemaking with the new world of California winemaking, the focus is always on the long-term, continuing to pioneer sustainability in the wine industry while producing premium and super premium wines.

“We see ourselves playing a major role in explaining why we should preserve our planet, why we should respect our land and why we should really, with a very long-term outlook, focus on high-quality winemaking to make this place a better place,” says Boisset.

VITAL STATS
BOISSET FAMILY ESTATE
PRESIDENT: Jean-Charles Boisset
HEADQUARTERS: Nuits-St-Georges, France
EMPLOYEES: 700
GOALS: To continue to expand in North America  while continuously bringing the two worlds of Burgundy, France and Sonoma County, California together.

From Beverage World July 15, 2008