Daniel Cathiard, from skiing to Bordeaux Great Growths.
As he often says, Daniel Cathiard has had many lives. Before taking over Château Smith Haut-Lafitte, he was a member of the French alpine skiing team and took part in the Grenoble Winter Olympics in his own way in 1968. A full-speed interview with an iconic figure in the Bordeaux wine industry.
Hello Mr Cathiard, legend has it that you took part in the Olympic Games, is this true?
I didn’t take part in the Grenoble 1968 Games as an athlete. At the time, I had just ended my career as a professional skier and was no longer a member of the French team. My father, who had opened several stores, fell ill and I had to take over in 1967. It was during the Olympic Games that I decided to stop my sport career and go into business.
Alongside my new professional activity, I trained the Iranian alpine ski team. That’s how I took part in the opening ceremony attended by Charles de Gaulle!
I wanted to be there to cheer on my friends in the French team, Jean-Claude Killy and Guy Périllat.
What memories do you have of these Olympic Games?
My fondest memory is obviously the three gold medals my friend Jean-Claude Killy won, I’ll never forget it! For the record, he won the special slalom wearing my grey sweater from my French university team (laughs)! We have always been very good friends, he visited Smith Haut Lafitte several times.
What memories do you have of being a skier?
I have great memories! I met my wife thanks to skiing. When I was at Grenoble Université Club, I met a lovely girl called Florence Richard. I fell madly in love with her, I even joined the French team for her. We have been married for over 50 years!
The reason I started skiing in the first place was because I am from Grenoble and I grew up in the foothills. It was a hobby, I didn’t necessarily want to make a career out of it. You could say that I have had many lives (laughs)!
Speaking of which, how exactly do you go from the French alpine skiing team to Bordeaux Great Growths?
When I took over my father’s Genty convenience stores, we were selling a lot of wine. It was a family tradition since my grandfather was a wine merchant. My family really admired what winegrowers do and that’s how I became passionate about wine.
Aged 45, in the late 1980s, I decided to sell my businesses, including Go Sport, to embark on new adventures. I was thinking back to the times where I would visit my grandfather’s cellar and I decided to take the leap and go into wine. In 1989, I purchased Château Smith Haut Lafitte.
"My family really admired what winegrowers do and that’s how I became passionate about wine."
35 years later you still own the estate. How would you describe the château’s philosophy and ambition?
The aim is to make biodynamic wines, that is to say, wines which are pure, natural and in line with my vision of the environment, the future and the mark I want to leave.
Our wines also need to be good, if not excellent (smiles)! We want them to be unique.
When people taste a bottle of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, I want them to recognise it and remember it. As with sport, I want to be the best.
What have you gained from doing sport?
I have learned so much from doing sport, particularly when it comes to high standards. In the wine industry, as in sport, the competition is fierce, with people from all over the world, so you need a mind of steel to win. I maintained this philosophy when I took over Smith Haut Lafitte: I wanted to win!
"In the wine industry, as in sport, the competition is fierce, with people from all over the world, so you need a mind of steel to win."
Are you watching the Paris 2024 Olympics? And if France wins, which bottle will you open?
I’ll watch it on TV, from the comfort of my wine estate! To celebrate a French victory, I’d open a 2009, because it marks Smith Haut Laffitte’s golden year. That year, Robert Parker awarded us 100 points. With this vintage, we joined the ranks of the greatest. It’s a magnificent wine from a wonderful year.
