▻ Véronique Sanders of Château Haut-Bailly
In conversation with Véronique Sanders
Episode Summary:-
Véronique Sanders’ earliest memories are helping her grandfather, Jean Sanders, in the vineyards of Château Haut-Bailly. Little did she think then that she would one day run this famous Bordeaux estate. In this episode of “Great Wine Lives,” Véronique tells Sarah Kemp about how “Haut-Bailly has always been a choice of heart, linked to the passion I have for the place and the admiration for my grandfather.” Véronique has run the estate for almost 25 years, and today it is one of Bordeaux’s most highly regarded estates, and she is one of Bordeaux’s most admired directors.
Her father loved wine, and had a wonderful relationship with his father, but was not involved with the estate, he was a lawyer. Véronique studied literature, economics and social sciences at the Sorbonne, which she says has been the most useful intellectual training needed to run a major wine estate. In 1997, she returned to Bordeaux after working in Germany, and took a diploma at the University of Oenology in Bordeaux. She was concerned that the estate was going to be sold and wanted to be qualified to be involved in its future. “When my grandfather started to think of selling Haut-Bailly, it was very difficult for him and the family, but his good fortune was to meet Bob Wilmers, who was an amazing man.” Wilmers was a charismatic banker (he was named as America’s Best Banker of the Year in 2011); he had also, helpfully, fallen in love with Haut-Bailly, and enjoyed a good relationship with Jean Sanders. Véronique’s dream came true when “he had the audacity to trust a girl.” She was not yet 30, but he promised that if she worked alongside her grandfather for two years, he would give her the keys to the estate. In 2000, she became Château Haut-Bailly’s director and formed an extraordinary partnership with Wilmers, who brought a bubble of oxygen and investment to the property. Véronique discusses how their philosophy and ambition coincided, and how the estate between 1872 and 1940 commanded the same prices as the First Growths. They decided to look to the past to build the future.
““To deliver every single year a great wine is a great challenge. You can succeed from time to time, consistency is another world, it requires you to stay at the top level whatever the conditions are.” ”
The biggest challenges ahead? For Véronique it is about lots of little details. She talks about the amazing tool they have built – their new cellar, which is seamlessly part of the landscape, an extension of the vineyard. She follows the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen, always asking what you can do better, how you can go higher, faster. She believes that “it is important to keep your style, never follow any fashion – fashion goes out of fashion, style never does… we are timeless, if you want to make wine which you can drink in 30, 50, 100 years, you have to be timeless.”
Bob Wilmers died in 2017 and his son Chris, who is a professor of ecology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is now in charge. How easy was the generational change? “Chris has always been interested in Haut-Bailly…..Bob was a legend in finance, Chris is a reference in terms of ecology and environmental science, so it’s a great addition to have him driving us in the right direction.”
Véronique confesses that she loves drinking the greatest vintages, 2000, 2005,2009,2010,2015,2016and from the more distant past, 1961 and 1964. She recently tasted the 1945, 1947 and 1918 all of which were impressive, but she declares, “Where I love Haut-Bailly is in the less-known vintages, 2001, 2004, 2012, which are beautiful babies, they surprise everyone in a blind tasting.” 2022 was a very hot year with drought conditions, and she is delighted how the vines have adapted, and compares the vintage to 1982 and 1990. The biggest challenge, she says, is “to stay ourselves.”
Sarah is curious about another aspect of Veronique’s life: whether being married to another estate director, Alexander Van Beek, of Château Giscours, is a hindrance or a help. Véronique considers that it is definitely a help, though they have different visions; however, she reveals, they are very complimentary.
She has been surrounded by great mentors: her grandfather, Bob Wilmers, Denis Dubourdieu, Jean Delmas, and today she says she is also a great admirer of Jean-Claude Berrouret. Her personal ambition for the next ten years? “To deliver every single year a great wine is a great challenge. You can succeed from time to time, consistency is another world, it requires you to stay at the top level whatever the conditions are.” Sarah has no doubt that with Véronique’s drive and vision, she will succeed.
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 12.08
“Haut-Bailly has always been a choice of heart linked to the passion I have for the place and the admiration of my grandfather.”
– Growing up in the vineyards at Haut-Bailly, and assisting her grandfather Jean Sanders.
– Studying at the Sorbonne and working abroad.
– Véronique returns to Bordeaux to study Oenology.
– Jean Sanders sells the estate to Bob Wilmers, family reaction.
– Bob Wilmers asks Véronique to run the estate.
– Bob and Véronique’s shared vision. -
12.09 – 20.38
“We are timeless, if you want to make wine which can be drinkable in 30, 40 or 100 years’ time, you have to be timeless.”
– The biggest changes made in the last 25 years at Château Haut-Bailly.
– The new Chai.
– The importance of not following fashion.
– Chris Wilmers takes over after the death of his father. -
20.39 – 32.31
“Where I love Haut-Bailly is in the less-known vintages, which are beautiful babies, and surprise everyone in a blind tasting.”
– Véronique’s favourite vintages.
– The 2022 vintage at Haut-Bailly.
– Marriage to Alexander Van Beek of Château Giscours.
– Véronique’s mentors.
– Her personal ambitions for the next 10 years.
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