The Terra Burdigala team
Julien Lavenu. Originally from an agricultural background in Normandy, Julien studied chemistry at the University of Caen (Master's Degree) and, in 1998, enthusiastically enrolled at the Faculty of Oenology at the University of Bordeaux.
His degree led to his handling the 1999 vinification at the Earl Von Neipperg's estates (Château Canon La Gaffelière...) as a trainee. There, he met Stéphane Derenoncourt, who soon became his tutor.
In 2000, Stéphane offered Julien a job in his brand-new consulting company, where he fine-tuned his knowledge. He learned how to understand a vineyard, implemented upfront techniques which enabled a higher degree of accuracy and he eventually acquired a true vigneron's state of mind...
Besides consulting, Julien regularly lends a serious hand at Domaine de l'A, in both the vineyard and winery. When Stéphane initiated the TERRA BURDIGALA project in the summer of 2001, it seemed to Julien an obvious step to take up this new challenge.
Frédéric Massie is the only Bordelais of the team. Newly graduated in oenology in 2001, he started his career working at a large Entre-Deux-Mers estate, and then took part in the 2000 vinification at Château Lafite Rothschild.
In 2002, he joined Stéphane Derenoncourt's team and became involved in the vinification process at Domaine de l'A. This was a decisive moment for him, leading to his joining the TERRA BURDIGALA project in the autumn of 2002.
In addition to being a consultant for the various chateaux, he has a key function, acting as the interface between the winegrowers and the merchants.
Bernadette Thienpont. From the Thienpont family, Bernadette naturally loves wine.
After spending 3 years studying in the United States, she goes to London and works at the Sotheby’s wine department.
When she comes back in France, she is proud to present and sell in Paris and London, the newly released family wine Château Puygueraud. She also becomes the ambassador for the family properties (including Vieux Chateau Certan).
She earns then large experiences by working in different distributing and wine merchant companies in France and abroad. This contribute in developing with great enthusiasm Terra Burdigala.
Simon Blanchard. A native of the Deux-Sèvres region, to the south of Anjou, Simon studied biology at the University of La Rochelle. After some hesitation between the agricultural heritage of his grandparents and the world of wine introduced to him by his father, he chose to enter the faculty of oenology in Bordeaux in 1998.
Following his initial experience of winemaking in the vineyards of Ligérien, his first contact with the wines of Bordeaux was in Pomerol in 1999. He subsequently vinified on several properties in Pessac-Leognan and the Bordeaux superior region as well as the Haut-Medoc.
In 2004, he joined the team of Stéphane Derenoncourt, from whom he has acquired a true vision of viticulture and an avant-garde approach to winemaking.
Since then, working with Terra Burdigala, he has overseen the vinification and monitors closely the progress of the white wine “La Vigne d’Argent�.