With 17 wineries scattered in one of the most remarkable natural areas of the South of France, Gérard Bertrand is the ambassador of the great wines of Occitanie all over the world. He practices biodynamics in all his vineyards, paying attention to a thousand and one details to produce wines of precision and finesse. With a modern and visionary approach to the world of wine, Gérard Bertrand wants to inspire change and support agriculture in harmony with nature.
Two generations preceded Gérard Bertrand … And a fourth generation is on the way.
Gérard Bertrand learned the art of viticulture from his father, Georges Bertrand, at the Château de Villemajou in the historic region of Corbières. His father taught him the virtues of hard work, attention to detail, and pride in his origins. Since then, Gérard has strived for excellence.
He also applies these values of excellence and rigor to his second passion: rugby. Wine and rugby quickly became the two pillars of life. Gérard Bertrand even began an international career as a rugby player. A career that he ended at the age of only 22 to devote himself to the family winery, after the tragic accidental death of his father.
A success story with internationally recognized precision wines. Today, Gérard Bertrand’s wines are sold and appreciated in 180 countries, as well as enjoyed in gourmet restaurants and in airline business class. A lover of the region, Gérard Bertrand continues his father’s passion and expands his vision and know-how. He is proud of his region and wants to cultivate its great potential and unique savoir-faire. He shares his rare talent for blending with his team and passes it on to his wife Ingrid and his two children Emma and Mathias.
From the vineyards at the high altitudes of the Pyrenees, to the volcanic soils of the Terrasses du Larzac, to the vineyards on the coast overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the Gérard Bertrand Châteaux et Estates winery extends over 980 hectares cultivated according to biodynamic methods. These exceptional vineyards bear witness to a unique variety of grape varieties. The vineyards are located in the most beautiful crus in the south of France: Corbières-Boutenac, Terrasses du Larzac, Minervois La Livinière, La Clape, Limoux, Cabrières – just to name a few.
In 2015, Edition Martinière published the autobiographical book “Wine, Moon and Stars”, in which Gérard Bertrand explains the foundations of his beliefs regarding biodynamic agriculture. The conversion to biodynamic farming began in 2002 at the Domaine de Cigalus. Beyond the farming approach, Gérard Bertrand is convinced that nature and biodiversity must be cared for with care and care. Starting from a simple experiment on 5 hectares, he has the benefits on the ecosystem and therefore decided to convert the entire Cigalus to this method, convinced that it is the best way to produce wines of the highest quality. 20 years later, all 17 wineries are cultivated biodynamically.
Numerous medals and prizes regularly distinguish the wines of Gérard Bertrand. Every year, Gérard Bertrand participates in the most prestigious international competitions such as IWC, Robert Parker, Decanter Parker, Wine Spectator, Decanter, Jancis Robinson, etc.
Hampton Water is the result of the collaboration between Jon Bon Jovi, his son Jesse Bongiovi and Gérard Bertrand. Hampton Water captures the lifestyle and conviviality common to the Hamptons and the South of France. The wine received a rating of 90/100 from the experts of Wine Spectator 2020 and was rated 90/100 points by the Wine Enthusiast 2019 and received the special prize of the “Wine and Culture Star Award”. It received a 94/100 rating from Drinks Business’ “Global Rosé Awards”.
