There is a new and innovative player on the Beaujolais wine scene. Christophe COQUARD has established Maison COQUARD to offer a simple yet resolutely original range of Beaujolais wines along with a selection of premium southern French Vins de Pays.

Descended from a long line of winegrowers in Theizé-en-Beaujolais, Coquard has wide experience both as a winemaker and marketeer. After a three year posting with Laytons in London, he travelled extensively working under Kim Milne at Villa Maria in New Zealand and Anthony Hamilton Russell in South Africa. On his return to France he worked for two Beaujolais houses, Collin Bourisset and Pellerin, part of the Boisset Group, developing brands such as Le Père la Grolle and Clochemerle.

Coquard’s new venture is backed by important partners from both the winemaking and distribution sectors.

The COQUARD portfolio focuses on two main areas:

· Estates & Châteaux :

For traditional consumers who enjoy French estate and château wines, this range of vins de terroir is imbued with tradition and authenticity. Personally selected by Christophe COQUARD for their superb quality and the distinctiveness of their appellation, these are great tasting ambassadors for the history and heritage of Beaujolais.

· An innovative and contemporary range :

For less traditional consumers seeking modernity and originality in the both the flavour and presentation of wines, this innovative Beaujolais range has wide appeal. State-of-the-art winemaking pays hommage to the New World while retaining respect for the notion of terroir – the essence of all fine French wines.

With packaging designed by renowned artists Zak & Landau, Christophe Coquard’s innovative and contemporary “Maison de tradition”range is aesthetically pleasing and highly accessible offering the reassuring reference points that consumers look for.

Coquard explains, “As a Beaujolais winemaker myself, I’ve developed this exciting range in partnership with some top quality cellars and a wine-loving artist whose imagery reflects something unique about each of these wines. This is a communicative range – the pleasure is not confined solely to the drinking but starts as soon as you lay eyes on the bottle.”