Margnat wines were everyday

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

s widely distributed in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

during the post-war period. The Margnat company was founded in the 1890s by Edouard Margnat. In 1940 his three sons took over the business widely known in the industry as "Margnat Brothers". The company notoriety kept growing and in the 1970s it became one of the leading wine dealers in France. In 1967 Margnat SA changed its name to "Société des vins de France" or SVF. In 1974 the 3 Brothers sold their equity and retired from the wine business. Subsequently, SVF was acquired by Pernod RicardJacquillat Thierry, 2005, "Fais vite, ne traine pas en route", Edition Albin Michel then the

Castel Group Castel Group (French Groupe Castel) is a French beverage company. It was established in 1949 by Pierre Castel, who continues to run the company as a family-owned concern. Castel is the largest French wine producer and owns the biggest French an ...

Wine Merchants: A family tradition

The trade of wine merchant in the Margnat family dates back to the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...

when Francois Margnat opened his first warehouse in the

Auvergne Auvergne (; ; oc, label= Occitan, Auvèrnhe or ) is a former administrative region in central France, comprising the four departments of Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal and Haute-Loire. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Au ...

followed by Lyons.

The Margnat Family : Wine merchants 1900-1980

From 1900 to 1940

Edouard Margnat incorporated "Margnat Wines" and created portside docks in Marseille at 5 Quai de la Tourette next to the

Marseille Cathedral Marseille Cathedral (French: ''Cathédrale Sainte-Marie-Majeure de Marseille'' or ''Cathédrale de la Major'') is a Roman Catholic cathedral, and a national monument of France, located in Marseille. It has been a basilica minor since 1896. It is ...

known as "La Major". He took advantage of Marseille proximity to Algeria and using family connections (the Bories family in Mostaganem Algeria) became one of the leading wine merchant of the time.

From 1940 to 1980

The Margnat Brothers, Paul, Robert and Jacques succeed their father in the 1940s in the "Margnat Frères company". They get to be known in the wine trade as "Brothers Margnat". From the 1950s through the 1970s they are among the main wine traders in France. Supported by multi media advertising (Outdoors, in store, Roadside and delivery trucks) Margnat wines became a familiar sight in French towns and the countryside.

Company Expansion and the SVF

Concentration in the French wine industry started in 1965 through mergers to create national companies. In Marseille the Sapvin cy owner of the "Kiravi" brand acquired SVF in 1965 and took the better known name of "Société des vins de France" SVF. Sapvin was then the closest to Margnat Brothers among French traders. At the same time Margnat Brothers co split in two: Margnat Brothers finance and Margnat SA ( Margnat wine brands). In 1967 Margnat SA acquired Société des vins de France (Formerly Sapvin) followed in 1968 by the "Grands vins sélectionnés Co" (selected great wines co) owner of the Geveor brand which was a well known major Parisian company at the time. As Sapvin had done previously, Margnat SA kept the SVF name and became "Société des vins de France". In 1971 SVF acquired DMS cy (distribution of selected brands) and its subsidiaryMaître Deydier's Minutes, dated 5 April 1971, with agreement from French Ministry of Finance dated 29 March 1971 n° 16/1585 DML (Local markets development). With its Prefontaines and Postillon brands the merged company became the largest wine distributor in Paris. By 1971 SVF had become the largest wine company in France. It was no longer a family owned business and the brothers Margnat sold their minority stake and retired from the wine industry. SVF kept going then became a subsidiary of the Pernod Ricard group. A few years later it was sold to the

References

External links

* {{Official website, http://www.vinsmargnat.com/ French wine