Meet Jean-Noel Fourmeaux, Owner of VGS Chateau Potelle

Napa Valley Inside Out

If you’re thinking about getting into the wine business be sure to watch this week’s “Napa Valley Inside Out” with Jean-Noel Fourmeaux, Founder and Owner of VGS Chateau Potelle. He was sent to Napa Valley in 1980 by the French Government to be a ‘spy’ for 6 months, following the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting, also known as the “Judgement of Paris” - a landmark event that put the California wine industry and Napa Valley on the map. He was attracted to the spirit of innovation in Napa Valley and decided to stay. Jean-Noel shares his experiences in the wine business, his challenges along the way, his advice for anyone wanting to get into the business and how he has successfully built a boutique brand through all the ups and downs. He shares his surprise and excitement at the 2018 Auction Napa Valley Barrel Tasting when his latest wine ‘Fourmeaux 2016 Red Blend’ made history. His 10-case lot sold for $114,300, $11,430 per case and $952.50 per bottle. VGS Chateau Potelle set the record for the highest barrel price ever paid in the Auction’s 38 year history, surpassing the previous record by more than $40,000. You will learn about the annual trips he takes his clients on to Bordeaux, Burgundy and South Africa and the amazing experiences they enjoy with him as their host. He tells us why he prefers hillside grapes to valley floor grapes and gives us a peek inside the VGS Tasting House & Garden hospitality experience in St. Helena.