What is the best achievement or exceptional experience you’ve been part of in recent years? One that reminds you why you do what you do?
Career changes. I remember vividly the day when, an intern then, I was just arriving to work on 9/11 2001 in Westchester, upstate New York. Petrified, we all watched the first twin tower get hit, and collapse, quickly followed by the second tower. This historic event changed my life in many ways. First it got me to love the city of New York unconditionally. By a detour of circumstances, it also brought me to take a job in capital markets in Paris, a line of work I chose by complete chance, which ended up making up a big part of my career.
A few years later, it was another collapse, that of Lehman Brothers on a Monday in September 2008, which triggered my second big career change. And in a more personal turn of events, the birth of my first child triggered a third one, this time out of finance and towards higher education.
What are careers, if not life paths, journeys where personal, professional and exogenous events are intertwining to contribute to defining a unique path? In the randomness of things, each of us has a purpose that must find its way.
Where or what is your favourite place in the world?
The only place I can really call home: my family’s house in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) where I grew up.
Racines | Chardonnay Bentrock Vineyard, Sta Rita Hills
Racines is a single wine brand created by some of the finest hands of the winemaking world – we are talking Burgundy royalty teaming up with California genius. Étienne de Montille, proprietor of iconic Burgundy estate Domaine de Montille, and his Chef de Cave, Brian Sieve, have collaborated with Rodolphe Péters of cult Champagne house Champagne Péters and renowned, hugely in-demand winemaker Justin Willett of Santa Barbara AVA, USA, to create something special. Their varied professional experiences combine to produce something exceptional – much like Marguerite’s diverse career has given her multiple perspectives on her personal and professional achievements.
Bentrock is situated on the extreme, western edge of the Santa Rita Hills on the Santa Rosa Road Corridor. The team is fortunate to work with two parcels of Chardonnay there, both on north-facing slopes. The first sits on the far western side of the vineyard and on an extremely exposed perch looking out over the Santa Rita Hills on very rocky soil. Protected by the first parcel, the second sits a little lower and just to the east. This block is truly north-facing with slightly more marine, sedimentary soil.
VINOUS gave Racines 94 points, with critic Antonio Galloni writing: ‘The 2017 Chardonnay Bentrock Vineyard is a striking wine that captures the essence of this rugged hillside site on the western edge of the appellation. Bright and finely sculpted, the 2017 is just loaded with character. Lemon peel, mint, white flowers, crushed rocks and intense saline notes build into the mineral-drenched finish. This is such a spectacular debut, not to mention a very pure expression of Bentrock.’
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