Fresnet will join Mumm in January 2020 in order to give Henriot enough time to find a replacement. Ironically Henriot’s winery, where Fresnet has worked since 2006 achieving considerable acclaim and many awards for the wines, used to belong to Mumm.
Since Didier Mariotti’s departure from the house was announced by Pernod Ricard management last September (2018), Mumm has operated without a head winemaker.
Magali Maréchal who was Mariotti’s deputy was effectively doing the job, but the suspicion that she was not going to be promoted was strengthened when she was joined by Mumm Napa’s cellarmaster Lodovic Dervin later in the year.
As already reported in DI, Mariotti has joined Veuve Clicquot, working until the year end with his former colleague at Mumm, Dominique Demarville and he is expected to be confirmed as chef de cave at Clicquot, also in January 2020 with Demarville moving to Laurent-Perrier at the same time.
Persuading Fresnet to join Mumm is something of a coup for Pernod Ricard as he has established himself at Henriot as one of the region’s finest winemakers. Brought into Henriot by the late Joseph Henriot, who made several fine winemaker appointments, notably bringing Daniel Thibault to Charles Heidsieck when he ran that house, Fresnet leaves a gap there which will be hard to fill.
