Leonardo Di Caprio invests in champagne

(Bordeaux) After Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie who had invested in Provence rosé with Château Miraval, it is Leonardo Di Caprio’s turn to take a “significant” stake in the capital of the family champagne house Telmont, a subsidiary of the Rémy Cointreau group.

“I had met him many times 15 years ago, I know him well, and he was seduced by our project ‘In the name of the earth’ and the commitment we have made to reduce our environmental footprint”, Telmont president Ludovic du Plessis told AFP, which is “very encouraging for our entire team, made up of 17 people”.

In October 2020, Rémy Cointreau, which had no more champagne in its portfolio since the sale of Piper-Heidsieck, had taken more than 51% of the capital of the Telmont house, founded in 1912.

Telmont is a merchant-handler who owns and operates 25 hectares directly, as well as 55 hectares under supply contract.

Its Au nom de la terre project aims to go 100% organic by 2031, including the 25 hectares it owns in 2025. “In a region where only 4% of wine production is organic, our commitment won over Leonardo” , underlined Mr. du Plessis who was previously an employee of Rémy Cointreau and took over the management of Telmont at the time of the acquisition.

The Au nom de la terre project also provides for the discontinuation of all gift boxes or champagne cases, the discontinuation of transparent glass (not recycled) for certain bottles, and the transition of all vintages to traditional green Champagne bottles to 85% recycled glass, the cessation of air shipments, the transition to 100% renewable energy, and a “transparent” label indicating both the years and dosages of the vintages that make up the bruts without year, as well as the sugar dosage , grape varieties, etc.

Telmont does not give figures for its annual sales, but nevertheless points out that it produces between 350,000 and 400,000 bottles per year. More than half of its production is exported. Its main markets are the United States, Japan and Great Britain.