Le Club Eco du 02/07/14. Invité : Jean-Claude Fayat, Groupe Fayat

Good evening.

Château La Dominique is a long story for our family; it was purchased in 1969. There's naturally an emotional side to this history. The wine industry is very passionate. I believe you can't work well in a company without giving your whole heart, and the emotion is even stronger when the product itself provokes it. The wines are essentially Merlot and Cabernet.

It wasn't inaugurated in 2013; construction, including the tourism aspect, was completed recently and the inauguration took place in early April 2014. However, we were determined to have the technological tool ready for the 2013 harvest. It was operational at that time and we were very pleased because 2013 was a complicated year. Having a more efficient tool helped us improve our quality.

We wanted to build a winery that met technological needs but also something beautiful. We were looking for an architect. Jean Nouvel is world-renowned, and we knew him from several construction projects together. We liked his style. With a project like this, the architect's style must match your initial expectations.

Yes, two. First, we had chosen the technological tool before building the winery, so we told him our technical needs and spaces. Second, we insisted that the winery have a terrace because, historically, the estate had a small balcony with a magnificent view over the vineyards. You could see so many great châteaux that it would have been a shame not to enjoy it. Those were the only constraints; the rest was his creative freedom. He imagined a terrace that also serves as a restaurant in the winery.

That's right. It's part of our tourism project. We created this restaurant on the upper level so that visitors can enjoy a convivial moment and the spectacle of the vineyards. We also have a boutique downstairs that sells our wines and other products, to promote tourism and development.

Around 11 million euros. Of course, we expect a return on investment, because a vineyard is also an economic tool. But we are patient; we've been in viticulture for a long time and know it's a long-term investment. We expect a return, but over time.