Iconic winemaker Jean-Michel Cazes, co-owner of Bordeaux's Château Lynch-Bages and other vineyards in France, Portugal and Australia, died June 28 after a lengthy illness. He was 88. Cazes was a larger-than-life figure, a tireless promoter of his vision of great wine in Bordeaux and beyond, and emblematic of the strides his region has made in recent decades.
"The world of wine has lost a great and unique personality, who will be fondly remembered and sadly missed," said Christian Seely, managing director of AXA Millésimes, where Cazes was his mentor.
Cazes was raised in the sleepy Médoc town of Pauillac, where his father, André Cazes, had an insurance agency and served as the longtime mayor. Jean-Michel's ambitious dreams led to him earning an engineering degree from the prestigious École des Mines in Paris in 1958. After securing a master's degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Texas, he became a sales manager at IBM France.
He turned his talents to wine in 1973, at age 38, when his grandfather died and his father asked him to return to Pauillac to run the family's insurance brokerage and wine estates. The tasks before him were mammoth the properties were in sad shape, the cellars out of date and the surrounding hamlet of Bages was semi-abandoned. "I left Bordeaux when I was 18 and I never thought I would come back," Jean-Michel told Wine Spectator in 2007, when he won its Distinguished Service Award.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
New Zealand's Success Story
From small beginnings, the country’s wines have ascended to global prominence
Wine Is Healthiest Choice for Drinkers
Decades of research has linked light to moderate drinking, especially of wine, to a range of health benefits.
In Pursuit of the Perfect Crust
“Dough is always the hardest challenge for any home chef,” explains chef and restaurateur Tony Gemignani. “But it’s the foundation of any great pizza.”
SEAVEY VINEYARD
In Napa’s Conn Valley, a family-run winery marches to its own drum
CALIFORNIA RHONES Show Their Range
RECENT VINTAGES DELIVER EXCELLENT REDS AND WHITES IN AN ARRAY OF STYLES
Tuscany Comes of Age
Anchored by the 2021 vintage, Tuscan reds set a new standard of quality
The Absolute Best Places to Eat and Drink in America
PROFILES OF THE 63 WINE SPECTATOR GRAND AWARD WINNERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TODAY, AS THE PROGRAM MARKS ITS 44TH YEAR
Events- A Grand Tour for Wine Spectator- a perfect day with an evening of outstanding wines.
A young couple in shorts and festival shirts sped into the ballroom of the New Orleans Marriott on a mission.
Big Wine Players Target Pinot Noir - Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they're looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
Plenty of small winery owners are cashing out, either because they’re looking to retire or they see selling as the best way to keep their label growing
Restaurant Awards- Lazy Bear- Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it's so much more.
Lazy Bear bills itself as a modern American dinner party. But it’s so much more. This Mission District restaurant effortlessly strips away the formality of a multicourse dinner and replaces it with conviviality, nostalgia and curiosity. With reverence for time and place, Lazy Bear is an ode to California where guests dine in concert with the season and can explore diverse wines, including an impressive collection of older California vintages.
