Henri Martin (1903 — 1991) was a French

winemaker A winemaker or vintner is a person engaged in winemaking. They are generally employed by wineries or wine companies, where their work includes: *Cooperating with viticulturists *Monitoring the maturity of grapes to ensure their quality and to de ...

who for forty years served as

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

Saint-Julien-Beychevelle Saint-Julien-Beychevelle (; ) is a Communes of France, commune on the left bank of the Garonne estuary in the Gironde Departments of France, department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Population Wine The village lies northwest ...

Médoc The Médoc (; ) is a region of France, well known as a wine growing region, located in the '' département'' of Gironde, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, northwest of Bordeaux. Its name comes from ''( Pagus) Medullicus'', or "country ...

, became cited as the person responsible for reviving the ancient fame of the village, owned and managed a number of prominent

French wine French wine is produced throughout all of France in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France is one of the largest wine producers in the world. French wine traces its history to th ...

estates, and became considered a legendary figure in the

Bordeaux wine Bordeaux wine (; ) is produced in the Bordeaux region of southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. To the north of the city, the Dordogne River joins the Garonne forming the broad estuary called the Gironde; the Gi ...

trade. He has been called ''l'Ame du Médoc'' (the soul of Médoc).

Biography

Martin was born in 1903 at Château Gruaud-Larose where his grandfather then was ''maître de chai'' and his father Alfred Martin a

cooper Cooper, Cooper's, Coopers and similar may refer to: * Cooper (profession), a maker of wooden casks and other staved vessels Arts and entertainment * Cooper (producers), an alias of Dutch producers Klubbheads * "Cooper", a song by Roxette from ...

, the family having lived in the region for more than three centuries. Martin served as president of CIVB from 1956 to the mid 60s, was a co-founder and leader of the ''Commanderie de Bordeaux'', and was a leading figure in ''Le Bontemps du Médoc''. He was also a vocal opponent of the

Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 resulted from the Exposition Universelle (1855), 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, when Emperor Napoleon III of France, Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordea ...

Wine estates

Martin built his own estate Château Gloria from the ground, with no historical reputation or other advantages such as applying for the ''

Cru bourgeois The Cru Bourgeois classification lists some of the Château#Bordeaux, châteaux from the Médoc that were not included in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, 1855 Classification of ''Crus Classés'', or Classed Growths. Notionally, ...

'' classification, although by acquiring desirable

vineyard A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...

s from classed '' crus'', to become one of Saint-Julien's best-known properties, within the space of a generation. The process began in 1942 with the purchase of of vines. With the help of his father who was initially angered by the initiative, the acquisition of land grew to amass . In 1963, Martin was also appointed manager, along with Jean-Paul Gardère, of the ''premier cru''

Château Latour Château Latour is a French wine estate, rated as a First Growth under the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Latour lies at the very southeastern tip of the commune of Pauillac in the Médoc region to the north-west of Bordeaux, at its border with ...

when foreign investors gained control of the estate, and Martin became a driving force of innovations in research and investments of restorations and vineyard acquisitions as well as replanting. Martin and Gardère formally resigned from the ''Conseil d'Administration'' in 1987, marking the end of a 24-year era. With the personal ambition to own a classed growth, this was achieved in 1982 at age of 78 when Martin bought Château Saint-Pierre, a ''quatrième cru'' where his father had once worked, and set out to improve, with noticeable results. The estate is currently home to his daughter Françoise and her husband Jean-Louis Triaud, current general manager of the estates under Domaines Henri Martin. Martin died in February 1991.

References

External links

Domaines Henri Martin official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Henri 1903 births 1991 deaths People from Gironde 20th-century French politicians French winemakers