Portrait of
Romain Planiol
Owner of Châteaude Bergun
Château de Bergun has belonged to the Planiol family since the early 1900s. Located in the commune of Ruch, this 32-hectare estate is planted with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet France and, recently, Colombard. We went to meet Romain Planiol, current owner of the vineyard, to find out a bit more about this château.
It was over a hot coffee and sheltering from the pouring rain that we were welcomed to discover the history of this property.
Romain, tell us something about yourself…
“I am the owner of Château de Bergun and have worked here since 1990. It was only after finishing my studies in literature that I decided to take over the family business, in order to continue the commitment of my grandfather and my father. The vineyard is exciting because it evolves every season and you have to know it to be able to get the best out of it while respecting its nature.”
So Château de Bergun is a family history?
“It has effectively been a family property for 3 generations. My grandfather, who started this business, also contributed to the birth of the cooperative cellar in Ruch in 1935 and was its president for many years. My father then took over, before making way for me at the start of the 1990s. I am 100% committed to it! Since 2008, we have doubled the size of our estate.”
What is the particularity of your vineyard?
“The vineyard demands a lot of work throughout the year. Each season requires special attention. Today, we have 32ha of vines divided into 24ha of red and 6ha of white. The Entre-Deux-Mers is well known for being more suited to whites, but the Ruch area is particularly favourable for reds. In fact, it’s a trend that has really taken off over the years, because I remember at the time my grandfather was mostly producing white.”
What is your opinion on the subject of sustainable development?
“I am quite aware of this issue. In fact I did the first trials in 1997. Since then, I have tried to have the least possible impact on nature and to intervene as little as possible in the plots, to respect the natural environment of my vines.”
Why have you followed your forefathers and committed yourself to the cooperative?
“The advantage of the cooperative cellar is above all the pooling of resources. It’s a good thing to be able to pool your strengths to come out stronger. The operation of the cooperative allows you to focus on your core business and thus offer the best. Everyone carries out their task and puts their trust in the other links in the chain. At the end of the day, it is team work.”
How do you see the future? Do you think your children will take over?
“Looking ahead, I see a trend towards organic, environmental issues and mechanisation. We know that consumers are already looking for organic products and that the market is booming. I think that we are just at the beginning of this process.
As for the next generation, my children are still too young to position themselves concerning the property. Only time will tell!”
