Meeting with François-Xavier Demaison

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

Yes, it was in my dad’s kitchen when I was little. He had a EuroCave with around a hundred bottles inside. He would often say to me, “Go fetch a bottle”. I’d open the door and be greeted by the faint scent of new wood and bottles always kept at the perfect temperature. The light would come on, illuminating everything it was beautiful. That’s a wonderful childhood memory.

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

Through my dad really. He was a very keen wine enthusiast with a cellar full of Bordeaux and a few Burgundies as well. My very first glass of wine was a Saint-Julien, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. And I didn’t like it at all! I was too young, my palate wasn’t ready. A few years later, though, when I tried it again, I realised how extraordinary it was. That was the moment I felt I had truly stepped into the world of wine.

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

No, that came a little later. I really began to take an interest in wine when I was 20, as a student at the Institute of Political Studies. My passion grew stronger when I became an actor and went on tour. That’s when I discovered the importance of conviviality meeting winegrowers, getting to know their personalities and their world. It becomes a virtuous circle you get to know each other, you enjoy each other’s company and you share experiences. For me, that’s the essence of wine.

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

Like a lot of people, I drink more whites and reds made with gentle, extended maceration, but I also enjoy structured wines and the pleasure of fine bottles. My tastes are quite eclectic. When I lived in the United States, I went through a Californian phase with Cabernets, Zinfandels and heavily oaked Chardonnays. In 2017, I met the restaurateur Serge Ghoukassian [Ed. Chez Serge in Carpentras]. He specialises in truffles and introduced me to some incredible people in Ventoux and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. I discovered wines from Corsica where my mum’s family comes from and top Loire Chenins. But I’m also fond of Roussillon and Gamay from Auvergne. Basically, I don’t have any particular allegiances.

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

Not really. Wine should bring people together, not divide them. Some people’s extremism even extends to what’s in their glasses! I have friends who say, “I don’t drink any wine that isn’t natural”. I find it amusing they often don’t really know what it implies. Obviously, I like the natural approach but I value conviviality over dogma. I can happily host a party where we start with very mineral whites, move on to long-macerated reds and finish with a great Bordeaux or a noble-rot wine.

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

Oh yes, many. One that stands out is a Sauternes from 1921 the year my grandmother was born which we shared at a family gathering in Corsica with Pierre Hermé, some friends from Perpignan and Marc Bournazeau [Ed. Domaine de Terra Remota]. The bottle was coffee-coloured with tertiary notes like leather and coffee. It had caramelised yet it was magnificent. Another memory is a vertical tasting at Jean-Claude Ramonet’s he would very generously open some incredible wines. I said to him, “Jean-Claude, my shirt is the only thing I can offer as thanks”. He actually took it and still wears it! In return, he gave me a Ramonet grape-picker’s fleece. You never forget moments like that.

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

Yes, before dinner. I need that 7pm ritual after a day of work or filming. That’s when I truly appreciate it it feels like a breath of fresh air. I love opening a bottle of wine, not in a rushed way but so that I can savour the moment. I pour myself a glass, I eat, I drink water. I know my limits. For me, wine should always remain a pleasure, never an obligation. I’m not interested in inebriation but in conversations and conviviality.

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

I leave that to the sommeliers! Personally, I prefer sausages and seafood grilled on a hot plate, served with a lively white wine. I’m not chasing the ultimate intellectual pairing. My priority is to enjoy myself sipping a rosé overlooking the sea with friends, now that’s exhilarating.

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

Dominique Laporte, France’s Best Sommelier, asked me to make wine with him in Roussillon. We started with just two barrels it was a bit of a gamble. Now we produce around 3,000 bottles of white and 3,000 red. And because we know people are watching for us to slip up, we made some very deliberate choices: Burgundy-shaped bottles and top quality corks that cost €1.20 each. Thanks to that, in six vintages we have never had a corked wine. I’m not there on a daily basis, but I take an active role in harvesting, blending and bâtonnage. I don’t just stand on the sidelines. Dominique is a consummate wine professional, he’s an artist. I bring my sincerity and my passion. It’s a project that truly makes me happy.

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

At the Tour d’Argent, at Guy Savoy’s restaurant, at Le Crillon and in a few stylish wine bars. But the quantities are tiny. One year, we only had 1,800 bottles of white! Inevitably, they sell out quickly. This is not about speculation I want people to enjoy and share our wines, not lock them away in a safe.

Initially, some people probably thought: “Here we go, another actor making wine”. But those who have actually tasted it have realised my approach is sincere. Sommeliers like Florent Martin at Le Peninsula view us as one of the best labels in Roussillon and that really touches me.

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER DEMAISON

I have a cellar at a constant 16°C and, like my dad, I also have a EuroCave (Ed. he shows us a photo on his phone). For me, it’s the gold standard often imitated, never duplicated. When you make wine yourself, you know how vital storage is. Being able to preserve wine in the right conditions is really a way of prolonging the pleasure.