VINIV has been featured in the New York Times, Decanter, the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Travel+Leisure, Food & Wine, Bloomberg and many other high-profile publications. Don’t just take our word for it, learn more about your forthcoming Bordeaux adventure by exploring our archive.
Featured in the Press
New York Times
‘A Wine of One’s Own? They’ll Drink to That’
In a front-page feature, Alessandra Stanley captures the VINIV experience best: ‘VINIV caters to clients who are willing to commit the time, travel and expense – and break Bordeaux taboo. For the wine establishment of Bordeaux, blending grapes from different appellations is the vintner's equivalent of fantasy football, or eugenics. Many clients say they go there not just to make wine, but to enter a sophisticated world closed to ordinary tourists.’
The Wall Street Journal
How to Make Your Own Bordeaux Blend
You don't have to buy a vineyard to be a winemaker. Wall Street Journal wine columnist Will Lyons makes his own blend with VINIV.
Financial Times - How to Spend It ‘Wine’
Grape escapes: four top crop winemaking experiences
For any wine lover, blending one’s own barrel must be the height of vinous experiences.
Jancisrobinson.com
Blend Ambition: ‘As far as we neophyte blenders were concerned, it was just a question of getting the proportions right’
Jancis Robinson writes about her experience working on a blend with VINIV consultant Eric Boissenot: ‘I was agreeably surprised to find that our samples came from appellations as grand as Pauillac, St-Emilion, Haut-Médoc and Graves. The blend may qualify only as AOC Bordeaux because it incorporates wines from both the left and right banks of the Gironde but it has an outstanding pedigree, and was blended according to the highest standards.’
FINANCIAL TIMES How to Spend It
A New Bespoke Barrel Service: Wine lovers become wine makers, aided by Château Lynch-Bages
John Stimpfig writes: ‘Your barrel (equivalent to 288 bottles) will be vinified and matured at one of Bordeaux’s smartest addresses, Château Lynch-Bages, where VINIV’s dedicated high-spec winery is situated. Consequently, winemaking consultants include such Bordeaux luminaries as Daniel Llose and Nicolas Labenne, who oversee all of Lynch-Bages’s wines. And just for good measure, the great Eric Boissenot is also on hand through the entire process. For those of you who are not familiar with Boissenot’s handiwork, he also happens to consult for no fewer than four of Bordeaux’s five 1855 First Growths.’
Decanter China
Hang Out, Make Wine, Get Access
Jane Anson writes ‘an evening at one of VINIV 's client weekends just might be the most unusual networking group in the world, and almost certainly one of the most fun.’
South China Morning Post
Wine lovers can take it a step further by creating their own wines
Tracy Furniss reports ‘VINIV acts as a perfect gateway to fulfilling a wine lover's dream: making their own wine, but without the capital outlay and risk. I think this is certainly the key to success. It combines a hands-on education element and the pleasure of drinking your own, personally crafted wine. The sky is the limit in terms of cost of this experience, as on top of the cost of the barrel, the client can choose to fly to France and visit the vineyard as many times as they like, meet with the wine growers and be as hands-on as they choose.’
Travel+Leisure
Bordeaux is Changing for the Better
Elaine Sciolino writes: ‘France's premier wine-making region produces some of the greatest vintages of all time, but it has historically not taken kindly to visitors—until now. Jean-Michel Cazes works with Stephen Bolger, the CEO and founder of VINIV, a small company that teaches clients how to create their own custom blends. The château harvests, mashes, ages, and stores the juice; the clients choose the vineyards and experiment with taste.’
Food & Wine
Mimi Thorisson is the Young Chatelaine of Bordeaux
An article on blogger Mimi Thorisson’s life in the Médoc which includes making her own wine: ‘The Thorissons are also making their own wine with the help of VINIV, a custom winemaking operation co-owned by the Cazes family and a French-American named Stephen Bolger. “We already know what will be on the label: an illustration of a smooth fox terrier,” Mimi says. “And we’ll name it after our favorite dog, Humfri. We’ll start by producing about 300 bottles. That’s just the right amount—one for almost every night of the year.”’
Cigars-Connect
Tatoo Pete, the Great Designer
Armelle Vincent interviews Pete Johnson – founder of the Tatuaje brand and a VINIV winemaker since 2010. When asked about his wine making ambition, Johnson explains: ‘My other passion…I work with the VINIV vineyard in the Médoc region of France. They allow you to make you own vintage. I produced five of them. But that is another story.’
The Telegraph
Design Your Own Wine
Victoria Moore writes about VINIV 's state-of-the-art winery in Bordeaux lets you create your own bespoke claret.
Le Figaro
Créer sa propre cuvée
‘L'Américain Stephen Bolger propose de concevoir son propre vin à partir d'une sélection de parcelles des deux rives.’ Un reportage de Beatrice Brasseur.
Le Figaro
Envie d'une cuvée sur mesure?
‘Á Pauillac, dans le Médoc, la société VINIV propose aux amateurs de produire leur propre vin à partir d'un choix de quatorze parcelles, dans un chai mis à leur disposition.’ Un reportage de Stéphane Reynaud.
Le Figaro
Vous aimez le Bordeaux? Faites-le vous-même!
‘Vous êtes amateur de vin ? Tentez l'expérience ultime et réalisez votre propre cuvée à Pauillac, dans les locaux du château Lynch Bages.’ Un reportage de Frédéric Durand-Bazin.
Capital
Meinen Wein Einschenken
‘Auch ohne eigenes Weingut kann jeder selbst Wein herstellen. Dank einiger findiger Winzer in Frankreich.’ Leo Klimm berichtet.
University of Chicago Magazine
Chairman of the Bordeaux
Gretchen Kalwinski speaks to VINIV founder Stephen Bolger: ‘I love the relationship with clients because wine usually brings out a number of meaningful stories and memories. It’s a product that generates emotion, and our clients come to Bordeaux to learn; they’re saying, “Shock me. Give me the behind-the-scenes information about how the Bordeaux wine world works.” And that’s the sweet spot. That’s what I love to do.’
Zhejiang TV China
Lost in Food
A special Lynch-Bages and VINIV episode of ‘Lost in Food’ aired on Zhejiang TV, one of China’s main channels. Filmed in early January, the Lynch-Bages and VINIV cellars were transformed into a film set featuring an exceptional cast: Oscar-winning actress Juliette Binoche played opposite Yin Zheng and Xu Zheng, two famous actors in China. With guidance from Juliette Binoche, one of the best ambassadors of French culture, actors Xu Zhen and Yin Zheng learned the art of vine pruning, how to distinguish between grape varietals and an introduction to blending.
Zhejiang TV China
中国浙江电视台
《食在囧途》
近日，浙江电视台原创轻喜剧美食真人秀《食在囧途》制作了一期以靓茨伯酒庄和VINIV为主题的节目.
该节目拍摄于今年1月初，在酒庄现地取景。中国著名演员尹正、徐峥双双出镜，致力于法国文化推广的奥斯卡奖最佳女主角得主——朱丽叶·比诺什亲自带领两位中国客人莅临酒庄.
两位著名演员亲身实践为葡萄藤剪枝，分辨不同的葡萄品种，并学习如何通过基本的混酿，缔造属于自己独一无二的佳酿.
Les Echos
VINIV, la startup pour faire son propre vin
Créé il y a 5 ans par le Franco-Américain Stephen Bolger, VINIV propose à des particuliers de réaliser leurs propres cuvées de vin bordelais dans les conditions d’un professionnel. Hélène Dupuy parle à Stephen Bolger.
Wine for Normal People
Make Your Own Bordeaux
Host Elizabeth Schneider talks to Stephen Bolger about a once-in-a-lifetime Bordeaux winemaking experience with VINIV.
La Revue du Vin France
VINIV: Réaliser son vin, presque comme un vigneron
‘Vous n'êtes pas vigneron mais vous rêvez d'élaborer votre propre cuvée ? VINIV vous permet d'accéder à cette expérience, du choix de la parcelle à la création de l'étiquette, seul, entre amis ou avec des collègues. Sans avoir à effectuer les travaux à la vigne!’ Un reportage de Elsa Layen.