Jean-Michel Cazes on the Commanderie de Bontemps

We were coming out of the war. Opulence was far from the byword in Bordeaux wineries.

A whole economy had to be rebuilt, a new image had to be defined and presented to the world. To find an answer, and inspired by the Burgundian Knights of the Tastevin at Clos Vougeot since the 1930s, a number of winegrowers and merchants in Bordeaux, on both sides of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, founded the Jurade de Saint-Émilion and the Commanderie du Bontemps de Médoc.

I have very strong memories of the joyful dynamism of this team of founders. I was about 15 years old when the most active of them met, sometimes at my parents’ house, often for dinner: Henri Martin, Édouard Marjary, Jean Bouteiller, Armand Achille-Fould, Roger Dourthe, Bertrand Clauzel, Jean Theil. There was also, and perhaps above all, Raymond Brard, ex-engineer of the port of Bordeaux, who became the head of the subdivision of the Ponts et Chaussées of Saint-Laurent-Médoc, a character whose imagination and humour dazzled the teenager that I was.

These were evenings during which, as a privileged witness of their enthusiasm, I listened without tiring of this new generation (to tell the truth, for me, they had all been to war and were already old). I listened to them build original constructions, imagine baroque rites, plan distant expeditions.

Principality of the Médoc
They were encouraged by the Médoc deputy Émile Liquard, himself a landowner in Saint-Germain d’Esteuil, and supported by the most famous winegrowers who were happy to lend the glory of their wines for the benefit of all: Philippe (de Mouton) and Élie (de Lafite) de Rothschild, Hubert de Beaumont, de Latour, and so on.

Similarly, the key figures of the Bordeaux brokerage industry provided unreserved support, as did the entire Bordeaux wine trade: Jean Cordier, Emmanuel Cruse, Édouard Kressmann, Paul de Rivoyre, Henri Binaud, Yves de Luze and many others. Little by little, a few key ideas emerged. During a meeting at Pichon-Longueville, someone suggested the creation of a Principality of the Médoc, whose border would be the Jalle of Blanquefort (a stream leading in to the Garonne river). For the title of Prince, the name of the young Aymar Achille-Fould was put forward, who looked good in his white naval officer’s uniform. He was a short-lived prince, as the Middle Ages were in fashion, and a ‘brotherhood’ or ‘commanderie’ was finally chosen.

The project still needed to be given an identity and a soul. Henri Martin, the mayor and winegrower, suggested the bontemps as an emblem, a typically Médoc object: a wooden bowl in which egg whites were collected to clarify wine during the fining process. Indispensable to the winegrower, the bontemps is modest in its circular shape and simple in its use.

Raymond Brard, inspired by the supposed communities of winegrowing monks that existed in the Médoc in the Middle Ages, created the texts and the induction rite from scratch. He had performed in the theatre in his youth… He designed the costume himself and wrote the charter of the order. He finally exhumed the memory – forgotten by all, and for good reason! – of Jean-Odule Paulin d’Esquet, whose surname (desquet) means ‘good time’ in the Médoc patois.

He ‘discovered’ that his ancestor founded a Commanderie in the Médoc as early as the 11th century. It is to Raymond Brard that the Commanderie owes the creation of the Gazette du Bontemps, for which he was a draughtsman, poet, historian and gastronomic journalist. He wrote almost all the articles, which he signed under sign pen names.

First steps
The roles of the new association were distributed, all with lofty designations. Édouard Gasqueton, owner of Calon-Ségur, was the first Grand Master (president). Henri Martin became Grand Chancellor (general secretary), Jean-Paul Gardère, Grand Argentier (treasurer). André Cazes became Vinothécaire, in charge of managing the Bontemps cellar, which was supplied by donations from its members. As for Raymond Brard, he was named Pipetier. He was supposed to handle the pipet, the small wooden peg that blocked the hole in the barrel to draw the sample. At a time when, in the United States, Ralph Nader had not yet launched his consumer defence campaign, the Pipetier played the role of wine lovers’ advocate, ensuring all were sufficiently taken care of…

For the first time, producers, traders and brokers joined forces. This was the great innovation of the association – although of course pushed to do so by the economic crisis. Another original feature was the presence within the group of female commanders, the Gourmettes (a designation that was thankfully soon abandoned). Like their colleagues, they became full Commandeurs, equal to the men, and did not hesitate to make this clear. This was unheard of in a wine association. It was not until the 21st century that the Jurade of St-Emilion finally admitted female Jurats.

In 1950, the first target of the Commanderie event was Paris. In the aftermath of the war, it was said that eight bottles of Burgundy were drunk in Paris for one bottle of Bordeaux. Clearly the situation called for drastic action. The Commandeurs piled into a few vehicles and set off for the capital with the robes and equipment needed for the induction ceremonies. Barely five years after the war, the roads were bad, the journey was long and uncomfortable, but the good mood never wavered. The President of the Republic, Vincent Auriol, received the Commanderie at the Élysée Palace. On 20 April 1950, he became the first honorary Commandeur.

The Médoc then headed for the Eiffel Tower where they offered lunch to 200 Parisian restaurateurs. At the Hôtel de Ville, the Médoc was made an honorary citizen of Paris. On this occasion, Henri Martin paid a compliment in Gascon patois to the president of the city council. Édouard Marjary, director of the Rothschild estates, provided the simultaneous translation.

The next day, after a memorable lunch in a Montmartre cabaret, the Commanderie introduced the Parisian population to the virtues of Médoc wine. About 30 barrels were placed on display on the Place du Tertre for passers-by to see. The news spread and soon clusters of people were running up the rue Lepic. The square was invaded. Some were not satisfied with a simple sample. Stretchers had to be brought in and set up on the ground in a nearby street. About 50 ambulances were mobilised. The nearby Bichat hospital was overwhelmed and called for help… ‘Stop the massacre!’

In short, it was a huge success! The front page of the popular magazine Samedi Soir ran the headline: “The Médoc bomb ravages Montmartre right under the noses of Paris officials”.

Back on home ground, the Commanderie set up its first Wine House in the beautiful building of Château Grand-Puy Ducasse, on the quays of Pauillac, made available by its owner, Jean Bouteiller. An exhibition of historical objects relating to the history of vines and wine was set up, together with a monumental map of the Médoc showing all the châteaux that were members of the order.

The merchants were symbolised by barrels, each bearing their name. The first local event of the Commanderie took place on 3 June 1950. After the meeting at the Maison du Vin, the hard part began: a parade in costume through the streets of Pauillac to the church where the Archbishop of Bordeaux was waiting. No one wanted to take the lead, but finally the Grand Master, Édouard Gasqueton, went out first. The Commanderie marched in front of the astonished population, and the game was on…

After mass, lunch took place at Lafite where Edmond de Rothschild, then 20 years old, celebrated the success by offering everyone a legendary 1934…

Early years
The Commanderie was on track. But before being able to plan new actions, it needed resources. As it is not, like the Jurade Saint-Émilion, an offshoot of a winegrowers’ union, it did not have any money coming in, and so had to be innovative. On 31 March 1951, the “chapter” (board of directors) organised a large auction of wine from the 1950 harvest in Pauillac, and appealed to the generosity of its members.

The sale was open to any buyer, merchant or private individual ‘who must instruct a wine merchant from the Gironde to bid on his behalf’. Four great Bordeaux brokers: Paul de Rivoire, André Balaresque, Daniel Lawton and Emmanuel Caussade ensured the smooth running of the event. Three hundred barrels were put up for sale, representing the contribution of 70 properties.

The four Premiers Crus of the Médoc each gave 12 barrels. Haut-Brion, in the Graves, only seven. This was a gesture of solidarity on the part of the Pessac-Léognan First Growth, because initially the Commanderie was only concerned with the Médoc estates. The Bontemps did not formally extend its influence to Pessac-Léognan, Sauternes and Graves until 1959.

The wines were offered ‘unhoused’, meaning that the buyer had to provide the empty barrel. They would then be delivered, as the saying goes, ‘in front of the cellars of each estate’. On the list of wines offered, an asterisk indicated which estates required their wine to be bottled instead of delivered in barrels. The First Growths were practically the only ones to make this requirement, which reflected the practice in Bordeaux after the war: sales in bottles remained the exception. Deliveries to merchants were still usually made in barrels. In all other cases, the ‘mise’ was agreed to by the buyer who would be responsible for it, in Bordeaux, London, Brussels… or elsewhere.

Armed with this war chest, the Bontemps launched an assault. They organised three major annual meetings: Saint-Vincent, in January, where the men and women of the vine and wine industry and public figures close to the profession were honoured; the Spring Festival, in June, later renamed the Flower Festival (Fête de la Fleur). It celebrates the vine and the budding harvest, in front of an audience of notable guests, often from outside the wine industry: French and foreign celebrities, political leaders, artists of all kinds… It soon became the major event of the year. Finally, the Ban des Vendanges, which marked the coming of the harvest in September.

Most of these celebrations were hosted by one of the Commanderie’s member châteaux. Those who volunteer are aware that the Commanderie offers them the opportunity to highlight the quality of their wine and the beauty of their facilities, and they are therefore personally involved, something that has always proved essential to its success.

Going international
Le Bontemps also began to travel, and did not stop at national borders. Through the Grand Council of Bordeaux, the Commanderie de Bontemps is today in contact with Commanderies throughout the world.

The lack of imagination of the first Grand Master, Edouard Gasqueton, soon led to his replacement. In 1953, following a small revolution, the symbolic sceptre was entrusted to Armand Achille-Fould, owner of Beychevelle, who knew how to speak in public and could express himself in English. With the support of Henri Martin, a very active Grand Chancellor, the new Grand Master gave the Commanderie a real boost, before passing the torch to Henri Martin in 1959. Well assisted by my father André Cazes as Grand Chancellor, he developed the work of the Commanderie considerably until his death in 1991.

As soon as I moved to Pauillac in 1973, I became a titular commander and actively participated in the initiatives of Henri Martin and my father, who succeeded him in 1991. I then took on the title of Grand Chancellor left vacant by the new Grand Master. In 1996, my father had to give up all professional activity. It was my turn. In 1997, the commanders did me the honour of entrusting me with the destiny of the Bontemps. Grand Master for 11 years, I strived to build on the work of my predecessors. I owe to this period trips to the four corners of the world and some of my best memories.

I got to know all the inner workings of the Commanderie and understood its spirit and objectives. There is a rare quality of friendship at the Commanderie that made my job thoroughly enjoyable. Many great memories remain. On a trip to the United States in 1982, our delegation had a semi-clandestine induction on the steps of the Capitol. As alcoholic beverages are forbidden near federal buildings, we had to contend with security services who were a little surprised by our costumes.

We were received by George Washington himself in his Mount Vernon residence, in a breathtaking staging that the Americans kept secret, and posed for a historic photo in front of the Golden Gate bridge, before returning to France by Concorde. We had planned to return on the Queen Mary, but she had been commandeered by the British Navy for the Falklands War.

I also remember a reception organised for the first Vinexpo exhibition in Hong Kong in 1998, with Alain and Isabelle Juppé. A trip to Moscow in 2000, where we walked through Red Square and posed in Bontemps costumes in front of Saint Basil’s Cathedral… A parade in our uniforms through the streets of Tokyo to the cheers of a dense and enthusiastic crowd who thought we were an exotic religious sect… Just some of the many other experiences in Europe, America and Asia…

Sauternes and Barsac
In 2001, the merger with the Commanderie du Bontemps de Sauternes et Barsac was celebrated during a superb Flower Festival at Phélan Ségur. With Count Xavier de Pontac, of Château Myrat in Barsac, and Countess Nancy de Bournazel, of Château de Malle in Sauternes, I worked hard. Together, we managed to convince their colleagues from Sauternes and Barsac to join the Médoc and the Graves. Together, we united, from north to south, all the vineyards on the left bank of the Garonne, which have historical and cultural similarities and similar structures.

In 2008, I warmly welcomed the candidacy of my sister Sylvie for the presidency of the Union des Grands Crus. Sylvie had the enthusiasm and the will, in short, the necessary qualities to succeed Patrick Maroteaux who gave the Union a decisive boost. For my part, I was looking to take a step back. I wondered whether it was reasonable for two members of the same family to be at the head of two important professional organisations in Bordeaux, and took this opportunity to give up the post of Grand Master. With two excellent candidates to succeed me, the future of the Commanderie seemed assured. Emmanuel Cruse, the owner of Issan, who was probably a little more consensual than his rival, was appointed by the Chapter. For her part, Sylvie was elected President of the Union des Grands Crus.

As soon as he took office, the new Grand Master proposed moving the Commanderie’s headquarters. The argument was that Pauillac, where it had always been located, was 50 kilometres from Bordeaux and more than an hour’s drive from Sauternes. This distance was detrimental to attendance at meetings… We moved to rue Ferrer, to an anonymous building in the centre of Bordeaux, which meant abandoning the beautiful premises of the Maison du Vin in Pauillac, an integral part of our identity. I was sorry to see this happen, although it was obviously welcomed by the representatives of the Négoce, most of whose offices were in Bordeaux. Not only did this move entail additional costs, but I quickly realised that it distanced the association from its territorial base and from the winegrowers. Le Bontemps had always been driven by a spirit of cooperation and friendship, based on proximity to the people in the field. I feared that distance would weaken enthusiasm and solidarity.

In any case, I participated for more than 35 years in the life of the Commanderie, as a simple Commander, then Grand Chancellor and finally Grand Master. A privileged experience. I am grateful to the friends who have joined me in this task, and especially to those who have worked hard in the shadows: the winegrowers Jacques Pedro, Jean Miailhe, Arlette Castéja, Jacques and Colette Bonny, Jean-Louis Triaud, Marcel Ducasse, Philippe Theil, Francis Boutemy, the broker Bernard Haramboure, the merchants Hugues Lawton, Robert Cottin, Hermann Mostermans. And many others who I thank for their hard work. Together, we were able to give shape to projects that only a group driven by common interest can accomplish, when united by a sincere friendship, when the spirit of solidarity and personal interest take second place to the collective interest.

The Commanderie has specific features. Independent of institutional professional associations, it has its own resources, and is therefore free to make its own choices. It is the only one in France to unite the different professions: merchants, brokers and winegrowers. The great and the not-so-great are also brought together, with equal rights. From the outset, the Commandeurs’ objective has been to advance the entire region. This spirit has been the cement of the relationship between the different parts of the group. I hope it will continue.

Today, the institution brings together more than 300 individual titular commanders, more than 200 chateaux or cooperative wineries, some 15 brokerage offices, and some 60 trading houses. Not to mention the thousands of “honorary” commanders from all over the world who, during the 70years of its existence, have been proud to hang their diploma on the wall of their office or their dining room. As the saying goes, the Commanderie is a going concern…

For me, it was an exciting time. In short, I was happy at Bontemps.

Translated by Jane Anson, this chapter appears in the French version of Jean-Michel’s autobiography. You can find the English version, From Bordeaux to the Stars, here.

The main photo features Jean-Michel in the centre, Henri Martin and Jean Theil