Silvio Denz, owner of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguet and Cristallerie Lalique, AIVA sponsor of the 2021-2022 class.
Perfume, art and wine
It is a story of perfume, art and wine that characterizes Silvio Denz.
Originally from Switzerland, Silvio Denz took over the family perfumery business Alrodo AG in 1984. Within 20 years, he propelled it to the forefront of the largest perfumery chains in Switzerland. He sold his company to Marionnaud in 2000.
SILVIO DENZ
Passionate about René Lalique's creations, Silvio Denz owns the world's largest private collection of perfume bottles, with over 650 original pieces. In 2008, he acquired the prestigious French crystal manufacturer Lalique, with the ambition to develop it worldwide and increase its production capacity.
Lalique manufactures and distributes pieces in various luxury sectors: glassware, decorative objects, interior design, jewelry, perfumes, and works of art. The Lalique company is famous for its iconic vases, which are still handcrafted at the Wingen-sur-Moder factory in Alsace, opened by René Lalique in 1921.
Over the years, Lalique has collaborated with many luxury brands or artists such as Jaguar, Bentley, Alain Delon, Zaha Hadid, The Macallan whisky, Tom Ford, Nina Ricci, etc.
One of Silvio Denz's finest achievements since taking over Lalique is the restaurant's wine cellar, managed by Romain Iltis, Best Sommelier of France in 2012 and Best Craftsman of France in 2015.
”At Villa René Lalique, I have the privilege of overseeing one of the finest wine cellars in Europe, home to incredible wines such as Château d'Yquem, vintage 1865. Since opening in September 2015, we have managed to build a unique wine list of over 60,000 bottles from around the world, including 1,000 wines rated between 90 and 100 points by the renowned critic Robert Parker, with over a hundred boasting the maximum score of 100 points. It's a true gem that our clients can enjoy, as we offer the cellar for tastings and events, both private and professional.” Romain Iltis
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Silvio Denz, owner of exceptional vineyards
Silvio Denz has always had a passion for wine.
He owns one of the 10 largest wine collections in the world.
He is currently the owner of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, a Premier Grand Cru Classé of Sauternes, and two classified growths of Saint-Émilion, Château Faugères and Péby Faugères. He also owns estates in Spain (Clos d'Agon) and Italy (Montepeloso).
SILVIO DENZ, IN THE VINEYARDS OF CHÂTEAU FAUGÈRES
Château Lafaurie - Peyraguey
A very old wine estate of 36 hectares, Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is located in the heart of Sauternes, on the heights of the village of Bommes.
«Red Houses», part of the property, was a Roman stopping place and the oldest stones of the perimeter wall and the entrance porch, considered the oldest monument in the commune of Bommes, date from the 13th century.
The stones and archives of the castle (since 1742) bear witness to the rich past of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey: eight centuries of preserved history!
The history and reputation of Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey are linked to those of the Sauternes appellation and the 1855 classification.
The merits of the sweet white wine from Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey have been recognized throughout history, notably in the 1855 classification, where it was ranked among the Premiers Crus Classés, second in the list.
King Alfonso XII of Spain had then made Peyraguey his wine of choice, buying "a barrel of Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1858 at the fabulous price of 6,000 gold francs".
Grand Cru identity card:
Château Faugères
Château Faugères consists of 37 homogeneous hectares of the finest terroirs of Saint-Emilion: its vines are located on the limestone plateau composed of calcosols on limestone with asterias dating from the lower Oligocene, and on south-southeast facing clay-limestone slopes in a cirque, made up of calcosols on clay-limestone molasses from the upper Eocene and the Oligocene.
This terroir, cultivated using sustainable natural viticulture, has always been held in high esteem by its owners.
It is this very beautiful terroir that Silvio Denz has chosen to enhance by closely monitoring, with his team, the vines of Château Faugères.
Time, work, and careful attention are needed to support the evolution of the vegetative cycle and lead to optimal ripening of the grapes up to harvest time.
Grand Cru identity card:
Château Péby-Faugères
Comprising 7.45 ha, Château Péby Faugères is located on a single block of clay-limestone hillside, oriented south-southeast and made up of calcosols on clay-limestone molasses, a tertiary formation dating from the upper Eocene and the Oligocene.
Combining a large ancient soil and a privileged microclimate linked to the presence of the river and the formation of the hillside in a cirque, this terroir, identical to the southern coast of Saint-Emilion, is a unique universe of which man is the custodian, intervening only to reveal its characteristics.
Grand Cru identity card:
Silvio Denz will be the AIVA sponsor for the 2021 class.
Students will attend professional seminars where he will develop his vision of wine and entrepreneurship.
