Meet Christian Honorez, Alliance Wine's New Director of Fine Wine
Following our acquisition of H2Vin last autumn, we are excited to welcome Christian Honorez to the Alliance Wine team. With over four decades in the wine industry, Christian brings a wealth of experience and a passion for exceptional wines. In this Q&A, Christian shares his journey from chef to wine buyer, his approach to building relationships with producers, and his insights on current wine trends.
Could you introduce yourself and share a little about your background in the wine industry?
I became a chef by accident after working in a friend's restaurant at the tender age of 24, a restaurant I went on to acquire. It was very seasonal, and during the summer, we were working 14 to 15 hours every day for 70 days without a break! I learnt about local wines, but my first real discovery was during a short course where I met a young winemaker from the southwest of France named Alain Brumont, who became the reference in that part of the world. I jumped from the restaurant to the wine trade when I moved to the UK 40 years ago. Luckily, my first job made me discover some of the best Burgundy producers. I understood that I wanted to work with the very best growers in France and the rest of the world.
What are some of the most exciting discoveries you've as a wine buyer?
I almost always discovered new talents thanks to other great producers. In the late eighties, selling high-end Loire Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc was very difficult; Didier Dagueneau introduced me to some of his friends, like Francois Chidaine and Nady Foucault from Clos Rougeard. I loved their wines immediately, but it took a few years to convince the UK customers who were more interested in the New World at the time. Coming from the Rhône Valley, I always wanted to work with the best producers; a friend mentioned a small, very traditional producer named Henri Bonneau. He was friendly with me, as I was a "local", but didn't want to sell anything as he joked that he didn't export further than Orange (the town 5 miles from Chateauneuf). I managed to convince him to sell me a few cases, not knowing that a few months later, a very influential American journalist was going to award 100 points to one of his wines.
What is your philosophy/approach when it comes to building relationships with producers?
I am always trying to stay humble; I keep saying that the producers do most of the work while we are only the vector between them and the consumers. I try to understand their philosophy and goals to be able to transmit their story. For me, wines are not products but part of a life story. One of the few benefits of having been in the trade for so long is that I have shared winemakers' progress, struggle, and successes over many years, often over two generations. I am always very open with them, explaining what we do and where we can help while trying to understand their wishes.
How do you ensure the quality and authenticity of the wines you select?
Quality is always the first aim. Obviously, tasting first-hand; however, I also listen to others' opinions. I don't believe that I have a superpower, and I know that I can make mistakes. Careful checks between my own assertions and other opinions from colleagues or journalists ensure that I keep the number of errors to a minimum. But once I am convinced about the quality of a wine, I will stick by my opinion even if it's not a commercial success. Authenticity is a given as I visit all our suppliers regularly and taste with them in their, often small, cellars.
"Quality is always the first aim. Authenticity is a given."
What are your most important criteria when determining if you would like to work with a producer?
It's very important that there is a match between the producer's ambition and our objectives. There is no point in being a romantic; this is a business, and although I don't feel that I am "working", I feel that I must deliver for both the producer and us. My leitmotif is, "If you love a great wine but know that it's almost impossible to sell, just buy a case for your own cellar".
Are there any regions or producers you feel are currently underrated?
There are some regions like Alsace that have been under the radar for many years despite being loved by the wine trade. Looking at the very high prices demanded by the top Cote d'Or producers, I would encourage people to look deeper into the Maconnais. There are some incredible terroirs and hard-working producers who make better wines than ever at much more modest prices. Although many good producers are now well represented, there are still up-and-coming stars in Anjou and Touraine ready to be discovered.
What do you think is on trend right now? And why?
The words freshness and acidity have been on everyone's lips for the past 10 to 15 years, which is unlikely to change soon. I remember the "nouvelle cuisine" during the mid-eighties and early nineties. Generally, the trend for lighter but flavoursome food is still going on, and wines seem to have followed the same path. Although perhaps not so much for the flavour intensity, delicate and balanced wines are still in great demand, and power is less attractive - especially when driven by alcohol. Sadly, people tend to look at the label and feel the alcohol with their eyes rather than with their palate.
Also helped by the increased taxation on higher alcohol, the demand for lower-alcohol wines is growing fast. There are grape varieties and regions where the production of lower-alcohol wines is thriving, but I am not convinced that some traditional grape varieties grown in warm climates can achieve their best by over-controlling the alcohol level. Perhaps a little common sense would be preferable: just drink a little less when the wine is above 13 -13.5%.
How do you think climate change is impacting winemaking and wine buying?
The changes have been happening for more than 20 years, and many producers have had to modify their processes in the vineyards and the cellars. Many are changing the varieties they plant and moving some to different exposures. The work during the seasons has also had to be adjusted. With different canopy management and delayed pruning when possible to slow ripening. In terms of wine buying, with the increase in climate disasters, like spring frost, hail, drought, or too much rain creating difficult conditions with recurrent diseases, planning for the medium or long-term is much more difficult.
"For me, wines are not products but part of a life story."
What do you think sets the combined H2Vin and Alliance Wine apart from other UK importers and distributors?
There is no perfect dream team, but this is as close as it can be! Alliance Wine has very good and tested systems in place, and we shouldn't forget that service is key in our industry. There's no point in having the best wines if we can't service our customers. Alliance's range is very strong in many countries, like Spain, Italy, most of South America, Australia and a very good spread for the other countries. However, they were looking to improve in the Loire, Burgundy and Rhône, which happened to be the three pillars of the H2Vin portfolio. The combined range covers not only most parts of the globe but also a good spread of price points, from good value wines up to very rare and niche producers. Very few UK wine companies have the same spectrum.
Are there any Alliance Wine producers you're particularly excited to be working with, and why?
I don't know all the wines in depth yet, but from the ones I have tried, I would definitely have some in my own cellar, like the Sancerre from Francois Crochet, the Equipo Navazos Sherries, the classic Galician wines from Pazo Senorans, and the star South African producers Raats and Iona.
As a former chef, what is your favourite wine and food pairing?
Being born a stone's throw from the Mediterranean Sea, my desert island dish has to be bouillabaisse. Anis, garlic, saffron and the best fish flavours must be accompanied by a local wine. A medium-rich white based on Rolle (Vermentino) and Clairette, like a Cassis or any good Mediterranean white, would be perfect. Other good pairings would be a top white from Corsica or from some of the Greek islands.
We will be showcasing over 450 wines from nearly 100 producers selected from our new combined and greatly enriched portfolio at our Portfolio Tasting in next week. There's still time to register by following the links below:
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