The entire iDealwine team recently played truant, escaping the office for two days in Bordeaux’s beautiful vineyards. The aim was to recharge a few batteries and celebrate the success of a very intense two years for the company. “Seminar” or “team-building”, call it what you will – the main thing was that all of our wine-enthusiast employees (and we were lucky enough to be joined by our Hong Kong office after two years!) came together to do what we do best: wine tasting!
Here’s a look back at two joyous days.
Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed: Paris Montparnasse Train Station at 6.30am
An early start, the team left Paris early Friday morning, taking the TGV to Bordeaux (now less than 2.5 hours away!). The trip was organised by marketing team members Laure, Elsa, and Constance – they run a tight ship and the itinerary, months in the works, was kept strictly under wraps for the team.
Surprise! Next Stop, Saint-Emilion
Hopping on a coach from Saint-Jean train station in Bordeaux, our bleary-eyed team was still in the dark! Not for long though, our destination was revealed: Saint Émilion! In the heart of Bordeaux’s world-renowned right bank vineyards. First stop, Château Figeac. Welcomed by estate director Frédéric Faye, Cécile Loqmane (head of marketing) and Alexa Boulton (sales manager). We were treated to a guided tour of the famous vines, learned about the terroir of the Saint-Emilion plateau, and were regaled with stories and legends of this historical château… The new cellar, completed for the 2020 harvest, somehow blends into the landscape (quite the feat considering its enormous 5,000m² footprint). At the same time, the new winery is no surprise to those who know of innovative history and strong ambitions of this first growth and its demanding approach to the parcels.
Unique to Figeac is its grape varieties: 1/3 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1/3 Cabernet Franc and 1/3 Merlot. When tasted, Figeac and Petit Figeac boast elegance and refinement – a huge hit among the team.
Many thanks to Frédéric Faye, and his team for their warm welcome.
Château de Ferrand: the gourmet stopover
The beautiful property of Château de Ferrand
Time for lunch! Just a few kilometres away, it was time to pop in and say hello to Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé Château de Ferrand. The team was delighted with a personal welcome by owners Pauline and Philippe Chandon Moët, as well as Gonzague de Lambert – General Manager of the estate. With stomachs rumbling, the team went straight to lunch which was accompanied by a vertical of Ferrand wines. We enjoyed the elegance of the 2019, the sunny character of the 2018, the balance of the 2015 and the serenity of the 2012, now fully developed, especially when served in magnum! Once satiated (and it was sublime!) it was time to visit the winemaking facilities, as well as the cellar and terrace which offered a breath-taking view of the single vineyard…. Not forgetting a tour around the collection of works of art patiently put together by owner Pauline and her husband. Much of the art are drawings in pen – simple biros in black, blue, red, and green. All becomes clear when we learn that Pauline is in fact the daughter of Baron Bich, inventor of the world’s most famous pen. One standout work of art was a fresco presenting the four seasons of the vine. It was created using only Bic pens by the artist Alexandre Doucin, who spent six months on site to complete this project.
In the evening, the iDealwine team went back to Bordeaux city centre, this time on the banks of the Garonne. The management team presented their vision of the company for the next ten years – we’ll let you judge that one for yourself 😊
Saturday on the sea in Arcachon: cruise on a pinasse, oysters, and Olympics
Leaving Bordeaux city centre once more, it was time to partake is one of the most Bordeaux traditions of all – a sunny day out cruising Arcachon Bay. Local boats are called pinasse (or pinnace in English). A moment of respite (especially for those who were ‘working late’ the night before) across the stunning Archachon Bay before the Olympics began. Paris 2024 eat your heart out – this was a merciless tournament, played on the beach! The winning Orange team, made up of employees from accounting, marketing, expertise, customer service and purchasing departments now enjoys shared custody of a Pinasse trophy, rotating departments once a week.
The return journey by train on Saturday afternoon was punctuated by laughter, the telling of stories from the past two days, and more often than not – snoring. A long-awaited getaway for the team, who had truly earned it. At iDealwine, we pride ourselves on our shared values of teamwork, commitment, excellence, and respect and there is no doubt that this was evident all weekend. Back in Paris, Hong Kong, and Bordeaux now and well-rested – we are ready to face the second half of 2022!
More photos of the 2022 escapade on the iDealwine Facebook page
Fancy joining the team and our next trip? Check out our current vacancies.
See the wines of Château Figeac and Château de Ferrand
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