Gaston Lenôtre, the famous French pastry chef and one-time owner of Château de Fesles, the leading property of Bonnezeaux, died yesterday (8th January 2009) at his home in the Sologne aged 88.
He was born in Normandy in 1920 and built up a very successful pastry and catering business. Unfortunately his venture into wine was less successful. He bought Fesles in 1991, which coincided with a series of difficult vintages from 1991 – 1994. Although Lenôtre restored Fesles including a visitor centre, he did not realise the risks involved in making top sweet wine and the imperative of waiting to pick at the right moment. The high reputation of Fesles slid and in 1996 Lenotre sold to Bernard Germain, under whose tutelage Fesles’ wines improved dramatically. In 2008 Fesles was bought by Les Grands Chais de France.
For a more detailed obit.
He was born in Normandy in 1920 and built up a very successful pastry and catering business. Unfortunately his venture into wine was less successful. He bought Fesles in 1991, which coincided with a series of difficult vintages from 1991 – 1994. Although Lenôtre restored Fesles including a visitor centre, he did not realise the risks involved in making top sweet wine and the imperative of waiting to pick at the right moment. The high reputation of Fesles slid and in 1996 Lenotre sold to Bernard Germain, under whose tutelage Fesles’ wines improved dramatically. In 2008 Fesles was bought by Les Grands Chais de France.
For a more detailed obit.
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