Chinese buyer of Burgundy château named
28th August, 2012
by
Rupert Millar
The recent buyer of Château Gevrey-Chambertin has been revealed as an associate of one of Macau’s richest men.
Louis Ng Chi-sing; Photo SDR
Louis Ng Chi-sing is a businessman working for Macau gambling tycoon Stanley Ho and apparently has a deep passion for wine.
He plans to restore the château and upgrade the wine production of its two hectares.
Jeannie Cho Lee MW, who is a friend of Ng, told Agence France Presse that he is a “passionate and knowledgeable” wine collector and that: “Given his genuine love for wine and for Burgundy, he will lovingly restore Chateau Gevrey-Chambertin to its former glory.”
One of Ng’s representatives stated: “The château will be renovated by a French architect who is known for his work on sites of national heritage across Burgundy.”
As well as using French builders, local winemakers and vineyard workers will be employed throughout the year to look after the property’s viticultural needs.
This revelation may go some way to calming the nerves of the local syndicate’s president, Jean-Michel Guillon, who reacted to the announcement last week by saying he hoped the sale would not lead to a wave of foreign investment in the region.
The château was originally bought back in May of this year but no announcement was made until last week.
Ng is an associate of Ho an holds an important role at the latter’s SJM Holdings where he is responsible for managing VIPs.