Whichever way you look at it, Jacques Frelin is an important player in the organic wine world. His background gave no hint of this – his parents Albert and Hélène had a stone-masonry business in the Vendée, in the west of France.

After completing his baccalaureate Jacques studied agricultural and food technology in Paris. A further year was spent learning about wine on a ‘Formation de Sommelier’ course at ‘l'Université du Vin’ in the Provençal town of Suze la Rousse. “Everything else I’ve learnt since in my wine cellar!”

Today Jacques is one of the few French ‘negociants’ dealing exclusively in ‘vin bio’ (organic wine) “For me it’s natural to be organic. I can’t imagine being involved in another type of viticulture. Somewhat marginal for the past 20 years, organic wine-making is now recognised and respected by its peers”.
Jacques has noticed other changes over the years, not least in the environment – he feels that Chernobyl, BSE, GM and the Austrian Wine (Glycol-Ethylene) scandal have in their different ways strengthened the case of the organic wine pioneers.

“The development of this form of agriculture, with its ethos of respect for, and protection of, the environment and also humanity is now inescapable and unstoppable”.

Jacques has two daughters, Capucine (after whom Jacques has named his special cuvée of claret) and Carole. His job is demanding but he aims to keep weekends free to be with his daughters and pursue his interest in sailing, cycling and tennis.

Jacques’ professional ambition is to maintain a stable and lasting market for French organic wine, and to do his bit to see organic wine develop to a level of global importance, which he believes is the future. Taking account of current problems of pollution he thinks we have no alternative but to re-think our agricultural practices if we want the planet to survive. He sees this as his main legacy to his children and grand-children.

“My hope is that we will become smart enough to change course from the naked pursuit of financial gain and think instead of our environmental and social future. Organic cultivation has to be realistic in the face of economic necessities but should also represent a viable alternative to the chemical way, allowing us to reflect on the future of the human race.
I enjoy working in the organic ‘milieu’ with people I like and respect and who I think are very genuine. Above all I love a bottle of good wine, enjoyed with friends – as long as its organic!”