The Cathiard Family’s California Dream
by Marla Norman & Michel Thibault
Over the years, as we toured Bordeaux, we were fortunate to visit Château Smith Haut Lafitte on numerous occasions. Luckier still was spending time with the estate owners, Florence and Daniel Cathiard. Both Michel and Daniel grew up in the tiny village of Uriage, near Grenoble and their shared Alpine heritage was a special connection.
Back in their youth, Florence and Daniel skied on the French National team that included legendary athletes Jean-Claude Killy, Jean Vuarnet and Charles Bozon. The competitive spirit that led to successful ski championships was a characteristic that continued to define the couple throughout their lives and is exemplified by their two daughters as well. In addition to Château Smith Haut Lafitte, the Cathiards have acquired Château Le Thil in Pessac-Léognan. They also co-own Château Beauregard in Pomerol with the Moulin family, owners of Galeries Lafayette.
Moreover, Mathilde Cathiard and her husband Bertrand Thomas are the founders of Caudalie, a leading skincare company that includes 50 boutiques worldwide. Alice Cathiard and her husband Jérome Tourbier manage Les Sources de Caudalie, a five-star hotel on the Smith Haut Lafitte property with a two-star Michelin restaurant. More recently Alice and Jerome opened a collection of luxury hotels — Les Sources de Cheverny in the Loire Valley and Les Sources de Vougeot within Château de Gilly in Burgundy. Château d’Isenbourg in Alsace is currently under renovation, set to open in 2027.
Quite an impressive list of accomplishments and estates!!! And yet, when we sat down to formally interview Florence and Daniel back in 2019, (See the full article here.) they mentioned there was still more to come… “a Big Secret we can’t share just yet,” Florence announced mysteriously.
In 2020, Florence and Daniel Cathiard purchased Flora Springs winery, previously owned by Louis M. Martini. Photo by Marla Norman
In 2020, we learned exactly what the secret entailed. Florence and Daniel had purchased Flora Springs, previously owned by Louis M. Martini. The 200 acre property included 58 acres of vineyards, a winery and historic stone house. The couple spent the next three years renovating the estate, after rebranding it as Cathiard Vineyard. The winery and cellars were updated. Double-truncated wooden vats, identical to those at Smith Haut Lafitte, were installed along with new stainless steel, double-skin reverse small tanks. The vineyard was replanted where necessary and biodynamic methods initiated.
Impressively, Florence designed a waterfall to recycle water from the winery. The water feature replaced old tanks she found particularly unattractive and now is not only functional, but serves to enhance the beauty of the property.
In 2023, Cathiard Vineyard officially opened. Their first vintage, the 2020, was produced under incredibly difficult conditions, ranging from the Pandemic to Napa Valley wildfires. But the results were encouraging, with ratings of 97 for the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 96 for the Founding Brothers Cabernet blend. An impresive start for sure!
Florence and Daniel Cathiard celebrating their vineyard. Photo courtesy of Cathiard Vineyard.
DANIEL’S DREAM
A few weeks ago, we finally had a chance to visit Cathiard Vineyard. Originally our trip was to be a reunion with the couple, but tragically, Daniel passed away suddenly on January 28. Florence was incredibly gracious and received us at her vineyard in spite of the her recent loss.
When we first arrive, we walk the property with Florence, viewing the vineyards and the spectacular Mayacamas range that dominates the Saint Helena Valley. “We both fell instantly in love with this property,” she tells us. “But it was truly Daniel’s dream. Each time we came over we would stay at least three weeks. I would be ready to get back to Bordeaux, but he always wanted to stay longer.”
“What first prompted you to look for a property in the States?” we ask.
“Actually we were looking at properties in Burgundy and even in Tuscany. Then we learned that Flora Springs was available. We came out to see and as I mentioned just loved it immediately. Of course, there was a lot of work to do. But in many ways this place needed less than Smith Haut Lafitte — the Château had holes in the roof when we bought it in 1990!”
As we continue our tour with Florence, she guides us through the winery and barrel rooms, then introduces us to Alban Trouvé at the cooperage, reminding us that Cathiard Vineyard is the only Napa Valley winery to have an onsite cooperage.
Alban has worked at his craft for over 25 years. The wood for Cathiard barrels, at both Château Smith Haut Lafitte and Cathiard Vineyard, comes from historic French forests: Tronçais, Châteauroux and Loches. Once harvested, the oak rests for three years at the Smith Haut Lafitte cooperage before being shipped to Napa. Currently, Alban makes 200 barrels a year for the estate’s three red wines. Soon, he’ll produce barrels for the new Cathiard Vineyard white wine — a completely different challenge.
In his spare time, Alban loves to surf. “The great surfing in California was what helped us to lure him here,” Florence jokes.
“That’s absolutely true,” Alban agrees. “And I made two surf boards right here in the cooperage!”
Alban Trouvé, crafts over 200 barrels a year — and surfboards on occasion! Photo courtesy of Cathiard Vineyard.
Cathiard cellars with annual production of 70,000 bottles. Photo by Marla Norman
Next, we tour the entire property with Alexia Manganneau, Wine Ambassador for Cathiard. We load up in a 1967 Land Rover Defender with a Tesla engine. “Retrofitting this Defender was all Daniel’s idea,” Alexia explains. “He adored driving in this eco-friendly jeep.”
As we explore the 200+ acres, we get a chance to see the steeper parts of the property in the Mayacamas foothills as well as the dense forests. The woodlands and a number of lakes and ponds help cool the property and provide moisture during hot California summers.
Alexia points out the different plots consisting of Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The new white wine vineyards are made up of Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Sauvignon Musqué. The most mature vines are 45-year old Cabernet Sauvignon situated on the highest plots in the Mayacamas foothills.
Daniel Cathiard’s 1967 Land Rover Defender with a Tesla engine. Photos by Marla Norman.
Views of the magnificent Mayacamas and older plots at Cathiard Vineyard.
THE CATHIARD LEGACY
We meet up again with Florence for lunch in the old stone house. She’s done a lovely job of maintaining the original character of the place while adding a bit of Bordeaux here and there. Florence ushers us onto a wide balcony overlooking the vineyards and more sensational views of the Mayacamas. Justine Labbé, General Manager & Winemaker, is waiting with a glass of Le Petit Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc. Delicious!
“Justine has impressive credentials,” Florence tells us. And she’s not exaggerating! Justine graduated with a degree in Engineering, Soil Science and Agronomy from the National Polytechnique de Toulouse, France. She also completed a master’s degree in Winery Management. Before becoming the Winemaker at Cathiard, Justine was Assistant Cellar Master for three years at Smith Haut Lafitte, working with the renowned Fabien Teitgen.
Justine presents the three Cathiard wines with our meal: Cathiard Estate Vineyard (Cabernet Sauvignon), Founding Brothers (blend of the estate varietals) and Hora (blend of the estate varietals). See Michel’s Tasting Notes for more details.
“What do you love best about making wine in California?” we ask.
“That’s easy,” Justine says, grinning from ear to ear. “NO MILDEW! It’s much easier to work in biodynamic cultivation when you don’t have constant rain. Of course, I have to deal with the heat. But I think we’re well equipped to do that. We have a lot of shade from the mountains and forests. We have water on the property, although we utilize dry farming for 25% of the vineyard anyway. And we’re very careful with our canopy trimming.”
“Beyond all that, we produce only 70,000 bottles annually — a very small, controlled production. The previous owners produced 670,000 bottles.”
Cheers to Cathiard Vineyard – Justine Labbé, Marla, Florence Cathiard & Michel.
“A trap I think many French winemakers fall into is trying to make French wines in California,” Florence adds. “Here we bring a French philosophy for winemaking, but we produce wine from this Napa Valley terroir — different but equally beautiful.”
We ask Florence about the economics of winemaking today. “How do you see the market evolving?”
“Well, one of the things about getting to a certain age is that you gain a lot of wisdom. I’ve seen many changes during my life and, yes, these are tough times. There are many properties for sale both here in California and in Bordeaux. But we have to stay focused. Pay attention to the details. And mostly stay true to ourselves. That’s my belief and my and Daniel’s legacy.”
There’s no doubt that the Cathiard Family legacy is very much assured. We’re eager to see what new projects evolve next.
Merci, Florence, Justine, Alexia & Alban pour cette merveilleuse journée !
🍷MICHEL’S TASTING NOTES
2022 Cathiard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
The star of the show! a sublime example of what the Mayacamas foothills can deliver, Rich and layered, I cannot wait to experience the pleasures this wine will provide in the next few years. It already shows a mix of cassis, bitter chocolate all wrapped up perfectly in a gorgeous symphony of aromas! $350 and well worth it when compared to the competition in that price range. I have to say I expected a Bordeaux-style wine but found the true essence of California terroir in the Estate Cabernet. Since production started, this wine has received ratings from 97-99 points. Unbelievable!
2022 Founding Brothers
An homage to the Rennie Brothers, original founders of the property in 1885. Produced from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (about 60%) Merlot (30%) and the balance in Cabernet Franc. This is a stunning wine! We sampled the 2022 with Florence and found layers of blackberries, dark cherries, chocolate and vanilla, but all in a very supple, elegant way. This wine really delivers with its well integrated tannins and its refinement. Since the 2020 vintage, Founding Brothers garners 95-98 points regularly ($225).
2022 Hora
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with a touch of Malbec. The wine is engaging and expressive from the start and features aromas of black cherries, licorice and the woods surrounding the property. What jumps out is the balance this wine shows, making it drinkable right away. Stylish and racy, a beautiful buy for approximately $120.
Cathiard White Wine
Up next for the winemaking team is a white, that should begin to be offered this year. I applaud the decision as I always enjoy starting a wine dinner/tasting with a white and find it awkward when properties have to feature somebody else’s wine to start their dinner showcase. This wine will be a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris, two varietals the Cathiards have mastered in Bordeaux (I rate the Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc right up there with Petit Cheval Blanc and Pavillon Blanc de Margaux) with the addition of Sauvignon Musqué, a clone often used in the cool parts of California, as it brings creaminess to the wine and makes it a little less tangy.
To visit Cathiard Vineyard or learn about their Wine Club, contact Alexia Manganneau: alexia@cathiardvineyard.com
369-210-7545
