Bordeaux-Vineyards sold Chateau Pabus to American investor Robert Dow who, according to his website http://www.chateaupabus.com/ summarized his ambitions for this Bordeaux vineyard like this: “As part of our obsession with quality, I decided to call in the best experts and engaged Michel Rolland and his lieutenant Bruno Lacoste. Our shared objective was to promote precision in the vineyard and rational winemaking to bring out the very best of our terroir.”
Everything from the invitation onwards was exceptional. We know Bob well but it was nevertheless impressive to flick through the booklet that he gave all of his guests including a summary of his impressive career before Chateau Pabus.
“After serving in the US Army, then Colombia Business School in New York in 1972, shortly after his participation in the team of American fencing at the Summer Olympics in Munich. A receiving his MBA he started at Lord Abbett & Co as a quantitative analyst, and ten years later became head of investments. In 1996, he was appointed associate director and managed to hoist the firm in the top 30 of the largest investment companies in the US, increasing its assets from 18 to 135 billion dollars.”
Bob is not overtly extravert however, the celebration certainly was nothing but. As we enjoyed Chateau Mouton Rothchild 1982, Chateau d’Yquem 1994 and Dow Vintage Port 1977 we were treated to the imaginary story of the famous Bordeaux architect Victor Louis discussing politics, wine and architecture with Thomas Jefferson providing a wonderful backdrop to Bob’s love of Bordeaux wine and his purchase of a Bordeaux vineyard designed by Victor Louis.
Michael Baynes from Bordeaux-Vineyards had the opportunity to catch up with Michel Rolland and his valued associate Bruno Lacoste as well with the owner of Chateau Angelus Hubert de Bouard. But it was the finale that took our break away.
Bob had arranged a light show against the façade of his Bordeaux chateau from which our eyes feasted on displays of theatrics, dancing, fencing and finally an astonishing firework display.
Like his new Bordeaux wine, the celebration will be hard to beat.