Bernard Magrez
"The uncompromising pursuit of excellence has always been the watchword of this wonderful adventure and the pleasure that is mine: producing Great Wines and beautiful emotions."
– Bernard Magrez.
Sharing and offering moments of pure emotion and wonder: such is the lifelong quest of Bernard Magrez. His story is that of a passionate, self-taught visionary who resolved from the very beginning to “never give up.” As the owner of four prestigious Grands Crus Classés, he has dedicated his life to the vine, driven by a relentless desire to pass on its excellence. Today, his grand adventure extends far beyond France, spanning 42 vineyards across 9 countries.
The journey began in adversity. At just 13 years old, Magrez was sent to a vocational apprenticeship center, where he spent three years earning a CAP degree in woodcraft—a formative period during which he met his lifelong friend, François Pinault. Yet, his ambition stretched far beyond the workshop. At 19, entirely self-taught, he joined the Cordier Group, a major Bordeaux wine house. After three years of absorbing the nuances of the trade, he leveraged his newfound expertise to launch his own enterprise, William Pitters, a business dedicated to spirits like whiskey and port.
He proved to be a master of the market. His brand, William Peel Scotch Whisky, rose to become the undisputed leader in France, providing the momentum to expand his spirits empire until it completely dominated the market.
But for Magrez, success was merely a stepping stone. In the 1980s, he returned to his ultimate passion, acquiring his very first Cru Classé: Château Pape Clément. This landmark purchase catalyzed a historic expansion. In 1999, he acquired Château Fombrauge (Grand Cru Classé de Saint-Émilion since 2012), followed by Château La Tour Carnet in 2000 (Grand Cru Classé in 1855, Haut-Médoc), and Clos Haut-Peyraguey in 2012 (Premier Grand Cru Classé de Sauternes).
True to his philosophy of giving back, Bernard Magrez later established a startup incubator uniquely dedicated to the wine ecosystem. This initiative has since empowered nearly a hundred budding entrepreneurs to launch and thrive in the modern wine industry.
At over 88 years old, Bernard Magrez still actively steers the vast wine empire he built from the ground up. Untiring and resolute, he remains fiercely loyal to his core values, continuously innovating and reshaping the world of wine.
