Thomas Seiter (president of the Maison Louis Jadot ): "I didn't come here to overturn the table."

The first part of your career was spent at LVMH. What motivated your shift towards family businesses?

The 2008 crisis acted as a trigger. In large, publicly traded companies, even when the business is very successful, you inevitably work to maintain the share price. I longed to join family-oriented environments where the sole priority is ensuring the company remains healthy and sustainable.

Your departure from Maison Is Bouchard Père & Fils, at the end of 2022, directly linked to its absorption by the Artemis holding company, owned by the Pinault family?

I was determined to support the Henriot family throughout this merger. They became a minority shareholder, with the Pinault family now holding 75% of the capital in the new entity. They already had someone to lead the company going forward, and I didn't fully share their new strategic vision. Jadot They were looking for a successor to Pierre-Henry Gagey, so the timing was perfect.

It has been just over three years since you were appointed president of the Maison Jadot What personal conclusions do you draw from these first few years?

There were several distinct phases. The main thing, upon my arrival, was to ensure I integrated perfectly without disrupting the maison It's a real responsibility: it's crucial not to create unnecessary turbulence. Pierre-Henry Gagey had already accomplished an absolutely incredible job before me. So I didn't come here to overturn the system; that would have been pointless. I took the necessary time to fully understand the strengths, weaknesses, and values ​​of the maison Then, we were all extremely busy adapting to the significant external disruptions. Since 2021, the Burgundy environment has been constantly evolving, with complex harvest profiles impacting our purchases, and an economic slowdown in markets like the United States.

" There Maison Jadot "If he doesn't go into the bubble, it's Picamelot who stays there."

The appeal of wines that are approachable, fruity, and lower in alcohol reflects a shift in consumption patterns. maison as Jadot Given its reputation for respecting tradition, should it pay attention to this?

We have a responsibility to pay attention to it, without giving in to counterproductive panic. The story of our maison It's about being winemakers rooted in a mosaic of exceptionally rich terroirs. Wines are certainly arriving on tables earlier and earlier, a phenomenon amplified in Burgundy by the lack of volume in recent years. We see that softer, more digestible reds are in vogue, which benefits our grape varieties like the pinot noir and the gamay However, if you cultivate vines for grand cru wines Musigny or Chambertin- Clos of Bèze You're not going to adapt your vinification to follow a fleeting trend.