Playing Wine's Generation Game

Contrary to the recommended separation of personal and professional spheres, the life of an aspiring vigneron isn't always so black and white – especially when it involves taking over the family business.

For three French winemakers, keeping things "all in the family" goes to a whole new level, with the simultaneous collision of parents, punch-downs, and all things grape-picking. Here's what's next for three of France's well-known, multi-generational wineries, all in the process of being passed down to the next generations.

Guillaume Monier, current generation at northern Rhône-based Domaine Monier, joined his family at the winery in 2009. His father, Jean-Pierre, founded the estate in 2001, after nearly 25 years of selling fruit to the local cave cooperative in Saint-Désirat. Today, the family's holdings comprise of just five hectares, planted on higher-altitude slopes, farmed all organically and biodynamically. A younger Guillaume actually dreamed of being a fireman, though as his father began to establish the family estate, he and his brother couldn't help but join in the action.

As of today, Guillaume hasn't changed any of his father's viticultural or vinification methods, though his older brother recently implemented the use of larger barrels (350-500 liters) for aging. Guillaume feels extremely passionate about the biodynamic culture of his family's vineyards, and down the road, eventually plans to experiment with different fermentation vessels, particularly glass tanks for the estate's white wines. In terms of seeing eye to eye, he notes that he and his father don't always agree on the filtration components of vinification, but overall, the two remain pretty much on the same page.

"It's a very exciting project [to join one's family winery] because you work for yourself, with both the good and bad sides. [For me], the biggest challenge in the future will be to adapt our culture to global warming," he says. Guillaume continues to work alongside his father in both the vineyard and the cellar, learning all of the ins and outs of what sets Domaine Monier apart from neighboring vineyards.

Just 150 kilometers to the south, Victor Coulon is also in the process of becoming the next winemaker at his family estate, Domaine de Beaurenard. As a child, Victor always knew that he wanted to work alongside his father, joining him in the cellar after school, during vacations, and throughout the summer holidays, from a very young age. "I was fascinated by the wine and his work with fermentations," he recalls.

Not yet 30 years of age, Victor has already made great strides at Domaine de Beaurenard, expanding the winery's overseas sales, as well as experimenting with new techniques in the cellar, which he deems as "secret projects". However, through it all, he plans to maintain the same passion that his father has, using it as the driving force behind the family business, while continuing to respect the land and try new things. The traditions Victor plans on maintaining are "sincerity and sustainability through organic and biodynamic farming, and of course, many methods and little things told from fathers to sons".

Coulon also notes that he and his brother, Antonin, are quite lucky, in that they don't really disagree on much with their father. "If we believe in a new technique or an experiment, our father, Daniel, and our uncle, Frederic, will simply let us do it." Coulon points out that the best part of working as a family is that they get to share everything together, from fears and failures, to happiness and success. "The biggest challenge is to stay away from any kind of frustration. I believe that clear communication and a shared vision of the future is the key to success."

Up in the Coteaux du Layon area of Anjou, Joseph Mosse first got involved at his family winery back in 2010, taking part in his first harvest at just 21 years old. "I really started being interested in wine when I did an internship at Rosforth, a wine importer in Copenhagen, during my international trade diploma in 2008," he says, deeming it a somewhat late start for a child who grew up with winemaker parents. However, upon starting work in the vineyard and cellar, Joseph found himself hooked.

"My brother and I have been making the vinifications since 2014, so we've already done five vintages," he says, noting that they've followed the same overarching "guidelines" implemented by their parents, René and Agnes, while also using knowledge obtained from working harvests abroad, including Chile, South Africa, and Banyuls. Joseph explains that he and his brother have begun implementing shorter macerations and lighter extractions for the family's red wines, as well as the use of more carbonic maceration. "With the trust of our parents and the liberty we have, we can experiment," he says, pointing out that he and his brother just recently made a skin-contact Chenin for the first time, in addition to planting some experimental Savagnin in the vineyards. The family also recently purchased some Carignan, Grenache, and Cinsault from the south of France, for the sake of shaking things up with some new cuvées.

"We work really freely, which is very comfortable," says Joseph, "but we don't forget where we come from and the legacy that we want to continue." He and his brother do this through keeping the same classic cuvées that the domaine is known for, including the line of single-vineyard old vine Chenins, as well as continuing to make wines in the same style, just with their own personal touch. "We keep growing the vines in the same way (organically), with low yields. Commercially, we are also still working with our long time partners and clients in France and abroad; they trust us as a new generation of winemakers."

Above all, Joseph notes that he and his brother have a great relationship with their parents, with only the occasional disagreement on vineyard care, or the order in which tasks are done." We listen and try to adjust with their advice," he says, considering it a learning process that will take years. "The good parts of working as a family is the love we share, knowing that someone has your back and can give you guidance, trust, and pride. It doesn't come without challenge, of course, but we are lucky that in our family, it's a healthy transition."