Gérard Bertrand elected Green Personality of the Year 2020* by The Drinks Business Green Awards competition

Gérard Bertrand Green Personality of the year

The Drinks Business Green Awards is the world's largest competition aimed at raising awareness of green issues in the drinks industry and rewarding those who set an example in sustainability and environmental performance.

*Gérard Bertrand is named Green Personality of the Year.

The Drinks Business Green Awards is the world's largest environmental competition for wine. The jury, composed of sustainability and beverage industry experts, chaired by Patrick Schmitt MW, aims to recognize committed environmental leaders and encourage the entire industry to follow their sustainable path. For this 11th edition, the jury awarded prizes in 11 categories and recognized the Green Personality of the Year.

Gérard Bertrand is the Green Personality of the Year. This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exemplary commitment to environmental causes and who take action to inspire their company and a wider audience.

Gérard Bertrand also received a special mention from the jury for the Best Organic Initiative category to recognize all of the activities he carries out to build a better world.

“ I am very honored to be named Green Personality of the Year. For over 30 years, I have been working and managing all of our vineyard projects with a focus on sustainable and environmental performance, which I seek to perpetuate. I am convinced that viticulture in harmony with nature is the best way to produce great wines that reflect all the nuances of their terroir and that it is also the right way to demonstrate our deep respect for nature. I aim for a positive impact and am very aware of my responsibility as a winemaker towards the environment and biodiversity. I am very pleased with this award, which demonstrates my commitment. Be the Change! ” - Gérard Bertrand

To go further, Gérard Bertrand created a research and development department to further research into greener methods. To share his convictions and expertise and support the move towards organic farming in the South of France, he has developed a unit dedicated to sealing long-term partnerships over 10 years to support winegrowers converting to organic farming or already committed.

880 hectares of vines are cultivated biodynamically, 70% of which are already certified

Gérard Bertrand owns 16 Châteaux and estates in the South of France . He began converting his estates to biodynamics very early in 2002 on the Domaine de Cigalus . From then on, Gérard Bertrand decided to acquire total mastery of this cultivation method and gradually convert his teams and all his vineyards. Today, all the Châteaux and estates are cultivated biodynamically. A rare know-how for a winemaker on such a surface area. These 880 hectares spread across 16 estates , each with its own particular soil, climate and terroir, allow for the diversification of approaches and experiences, thus increasing know-how, making Gérard Bertrand and his teams an international reference in biodynamics.

Update on partnerships in 2020:

Since 2010, 40 partnerships with organic winegrowers, 1,600 hectares

Since 2017, 15 partnerships to support winegrowers in the production of wines without added sulfites , 600 hectares

Since 2018, 25 partnerships with winegrowers converting to organic farming , 600 hectares

Since 2020, 800 hectares in partnership with organic and Bee Friendly winegrowers

These partnerships consist of providing technical, organizational and economic support for the implementation of projects.

The Gérard Bertrand wine offering is unique in the world in this category, with six levels of certification (Conversion to Organic Farming, Organic Farming, Bee Friendly, Vegan, No Added Sulfites, and Biodynamic). This includes the wines Change, Autrement, Naturae, Prima Nature, Solar6, Pollinat, and wines from Châteaux and estates. Each wine is systematically accompanied by an educational effort that presents the winemaking approach.