PERFUME, ART AND WINE: WHEN PASSION BECOMES A PROFESSION
The Swiss entrepreneur Silvio Denz began his career creating and marketing perfumes. He is now Chairman of the company he founded, Art et Fragrance S.A., and owner of the renowned crystal and jewellery manufacturer Lalique S.A. But the real Silvio Denz always was and remains primarily a keen amateur, in the true sense of the word. A great connoisseur of fine wines, he also loves architecture and collects baroque, Impressionist and contemporary paintings, as well as work by René Lalique.
Having made a resounding success of his perfume business, he diversified into two Swiss wine merchants, Les Grands Vins Wermuth and Casa del Vino Ebinger. Eager to gain a foothold in winemaking, he and six others invested in Clos d’Agon, a vineyard in Spain, in 1998. In-house winemaker is the Dane Peter Sisseck, star oenologist and creator of the famous cult wine, Pingus.
The Swiss entrepreneur Silvio Denz began his career creating and marketing perfumes. He is now Chairman of the company he founded, Art et Fragrance S.A., and owner of the renowned crystal and jewellery manufacturer Lalique S.A. But the real Silvio Denz always was and remains primarily a keen amateur, in the true sense of the word. A great connoisseur of fine wines, he also loves architecture and collects baroque, Impressionist and contemporary paintings, as well as work by René Lalique.
Having made a resounding success of his perfume business, he diversified into two Swiss wine merchants, Les Grands Vins Wermuth and Casa del Vino Ebinger. Eager to gain a foothold in winemaking, he and six others invested in Clos d’Agon, a vineyard in Spain, in 1998. In-house winemaker is the Dane Peter Sisseck, star oenologist and creator of the famous cult wine, Pingus.
PERFUME, FINE ART AND WINE: WHEN PASSION BECOMES A PROFESSION
In the ensuing years, Denz twice seized opportunities to forge closer links between his business interests and his passions.- In March 2005, he bought the first three Bordeaux winegrowing estates of his own: Château Faugères and Château Péby Faugères, which merit the classification of Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, and Château Cap de Faugères, classed as a Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux.
- In February 2008, he acquired the Lalique business, having long been a collector of its creations.
Since his Bordeaux acquisitions, he has indulged his passion with the following additions to his portfolio:
- Azienda Agricola Montepeloso (Tuscany), in partnership with Fabio Chiarelotto (2007)
- Château de Chambrun (AOC Lalande de Pomerol) in 2007 and
- Château Rocheyron (AOC Saint-Emilion Grand Cru) in partnership with Peter Sisseck (2010).
This remains an unfinished story. Each new chapter is written with passion, dedication and insistence on quality – the hallmarks of Silvio Denz.