Christophe Chauvet Serves as CEO of Tenute del Mondo Portfolio
New York, NY <January 6, 2020> – SPI Group, one of the world’s leading international drinks businesses, has appointed Christophe Chauvet as CEO of Tenute del Mondo, a collection of exceptional wine estates from around the world. SPI and Stoli Group, its spirits focused division, are global brand builders in the spirits industry and Tenute del Mondo was established to bring this expertise to the wine sector and showcases exceptional ultra-premium estates. Chauvet’s career in the wine industry, at all levels, is the perfect fit to drive the future of SPI’s wine division. Stoli Group USA is the American arm of the business and U.S. importer for all Tenute del Mondo brands, specifically Achaval Ferrer and Propiedad de Arínzano.
Christophe Chauvet comes from a wine family who have owned vineyards and been winemakers in the area of Saumur since 1814. As a child, Chauvet worked in the family vineyards and even assisted with a few vinifications of cabernet franc and chenin alongside his father. These experiences formed the foundation for his appreciation for wine and its production, as well as instilling the importance of heritage; something he brings to his work at Tenute del Mondo. After studying business in Ireland and Bordeaux, he embarked on a career in the beverage industry that included time with Castel Group, Diageo, Pernod Ricard and LVMH. It was with LVMH that he spent 20 years, opening and overseeing extensive business for them in several Asian markets before ending as International Director of Estates & Wines, managing 13 estates worldwide.
Tenute del Mondo was founded with acquisition, in 2006, of part of Marchesi de Frescobaldi owning renown brands such as Ornellaia and Masseto wines. In 2011, the portfolio expanded to welcome Achaval Ferrer, one of the highest rated Argentinian wine brands in history which was the first to champion old vine, high altitude vineyards previously abandoned. In 2015 the historical estate of Propiedad de Arínzano, the oldest wine property of Spain, was acquired. Here, history dating back to 1055 combines with a distinguished soil and climate profile to make this winery one of the select Vino de Pago of Spain. Most recently the Melipal winery, with vineyards planted in 1923 in Mendoza, has joined the portfolio as well.
“This is an exciting portfolio to work with and grow; we are essentially creating a new category in the SPI Group portfolio with this expanded focus on the wine division. These estates have been selected for their unique potential to deliver the most exquisite expressions, and we intend to add to this portfolio. We are only at the beginning of our wine journey”, says Chauvet. “Short term, we will build a collection of ultra-premium wines from around the world, all of which will showcase our pillars of excellence, diversity and exceptionalism. To date the acquisitions have been opportunistic, and now we will be more strategic with our portfolio development and brand building, taking care to align with consumer trends, such as rosé wines, and also iconic locations, such as Napa Valley.”
Rudy Costello, President & CEO, Stoli Group adds, “we’re really looking forward to having Christophe bring new leadership the team. His experience is exactly what we need for the ambitions of STOLI USA to develop Tenute del Mondo and presence in the wine category, in addition to our prominence in the spirits category in the U.S. market. This is particularly important to us as the USA remains the first wine market, in terms of value, in the world.”
About SPI Group S.à r.l.
SPI Group is an independent company with a talented multinational team headquartered in Luxembourg, with production facilities in the USA, Latvia, Mexico, Argentina, and Spain. The group is committed to a mission of building a respected portfolio of select premium drinks brands, which it achieves by controlling and perfecting every stage of the process, from the cultivation through the distribution.
