Winemaker

Lore & Background

The term 'vintner' started in Middle English, superseding the earlier term 'vinter'. Due to close political and commercial ties between Bordeaux and England during the 14th and early 15th centuries, vintners were among the more important people in London, with winemakers serving four times as mayor of the city under the reign of Edward II. The Worshipful Company of Vintners is one of the oldest livery companies in London.

The term 'vigneron' is French for someone who grows grapes or makes wine, and it connotes the critical role of vineyard placement and maintenance in high-quality wine production. In Australia, 'vigneron' often describes a winemaker who is also an owner or manager, as opposed to an employed winemaker. Vincent of Saragossa is the patron saint of vignerons.

A négociant is a French wine merchant who assembles the produce of smaller growers and winemakers, selling the result under its own name. Négociants buy everything from grapes to grape must to wines in various states of completion, and may age, blend, or simply bottle the wine. Historically, négociants were the dominant force in the wine trade because vineyard owners had no direct access to buyers, it was expensive for growers to purchase presses and bottling lines, and French inheritance laws often split vineyard holdings into very small parcels. Many négociants are also vineyard owners themselves.

Reader's Guide

The winemaker's role has evolved from a purely practical craft to one requiring substantial scientific knowledge, as laboratory tests increasingly supplement traditional methods. The term 'winemaker' itself is used broadly, but distinctions exist: a 'vigneron' emphasizes the grower's hands-on role in vineyard care, while a 'négociant' acts as a merchant who may or may not produce the wine from start to finish. Historically, vintners held significant social and political influence in London during the 14th and early 15th centuries, with some serving multiple terms as mayor. The Worshipful Company of Vintners remains one of London's oldest livery companies, reflecting the enduring legacy of the trade. In modern usage, particularly in American English, 'vintner' is often used synonymously with 'winemaker'. The négociant system, once dominant due to economic and legal constraints on small growers, continues to be a significant force in regions like Burgundy, where well-known négociants such as Maison Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, and Guigal operate. The legacy of the winemaker is thus tied to both the art of viticulture and the business of wine commerce.