FRANCE – The Rémy Martin and Louis XIII and Cointreau liqueur brands owner, Rémy Cointreau Group has revealed that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with the Lhopital family to acquire a majority stake in the capital of the Champagne de Telmont company.
Champagne de Telmont is a family-owned champagne estate founded in 1912 in Damery, near Epernay, on the slopes of the hills of the Marne Valley, north-eastern France.
The company has been crafting champagnes under the brand “J. de Telmont” for over a century. This Maison is one of the last family-owned estates in Champagne: Mrs Pascale Lhopital and Mr Bertrand Lhopital represent the fourth generation of true master craftmen in the art of champagne.
Rémy Cointreau said that if the investment deal closes, Mr Bertrand Lhopital, alongside the the company will continue working with his team on the upstream side (vineyard/sourcing) and on the champagne production side to perpetuate the estate’s know-how and family tradition.
Rémy Cointreau noted that the scope of the acquisition deal includes the brands, stocks, production resources and real estate assets of the domain, as well as vineyards in Champagne.
“This acquisition would enrich Rémy Cointreau’s portfolio of exceptional wines and spirits with a high-end champagne brand that offers significant growth potential overtime, especially on the international market,” the company said in a statement.
The wine and spirits group added that the transaction, which will be submitted for the administrative authorisations required by laws in force, should be completed in the third quarter of the financial year 2020/21.
In April this year, the Paris headquartered Rémy Cointreau closed the acquisition of Maison de Cognac J.R. Brillet for an undisclosed sum. Based in Charente at Graves Saint Amant, the Maison de Cognac J.R. Brillet produces and commercializes the Brillet cognacs as well as the Belle de Brillet, a pear and cognac liquor.
With this acquisition, the House of Rémy Martin will integrate around fifty hectares of vineyards located in Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne and will welcome the cognac brand J.R Brillet within its portfolio.
Belle de Brillet, which Rémy said offers great development potential in the high-end liquors segment, will join for its part, the group’s Liqueurs & Spirits division.
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