Daniel Cathiard of Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte and Cathiard Vineyard, dies at 81
Daniel Cathiard, who restored the vineyards and reputation of Pessac-Léognan Grand Cru Classé Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, and founded Cathiard Vineyard in Napa Valley, has died aged 81.
Daniel Cathiard was born in a ski resort, Uriage les Bains, close to Grenoble, the grandson of a local négociant, but it was on the ski slopes that he made his name. As a teenager and a member of the French national Alpine ski time, Cathiard met his wife Florence, the two marrying four years later and subsequently going on on to have two daughters, Mathilde and Alice.
Cathiard took over the family grocery chain, Genty-Cathiard in 1972, and proceeded to expand the business, which encompassed a sporting goods chain, Go Sport. This was sold in the late 1980s for a reported US$40.8 million, and it was then that the couple turned to winemaking, acquiring the somewhat overlooked Château Smith Haut Lafitte, a Grand Cru Classé de Graves dating to the 14th century, in 1990. The following years saw the duo undertake a total transformation of the estate, including a complete restoration of the vineyards and the creation of underground cellars, in keeping with a pioneering, long-term vision.
Under their supervision and minute attention to detail, the chateau heralded a new style of viticulture, combining organic and biodynamic farming with a more sustainable approach. They also embraced wine tourism through hospitality, including a spa and hotel, wine experiences and art, with Florence working alongside her husband to build the estate’s international reputation and image. Artworks were prominently exhibiting at the estate, with Barry Flanagan’s hare sculpture becoming the estate’s personal emblem.
As its wines were increasingly recognized for their elegance and complexity Château Smith Haut Lafitte’s global reputation grew – the estate was picked to welcome Charles III in 2023, during his first visit to France since his coronation.
With Smith Haut Lafitte well in hand, the Cathiard’s embarked on a new challenge, acquiring land in Napa Valley, California in 2020. The couple had first first visited the US back in 1969, attending the famous Woodstock Festival but it was only many years later, that the opportunity to acquire Flora Springs estate in Napa arose. According to Florence, Daniel fell in love with the historic Napa property, situated in Rutherford and St. Helena at the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains, admitting that “we bought it too quickly”.
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Since then, the renamed Cathiard Vineyard has been renovated, its well-drained, predominately gravel and loam soils ideally suited to Bordeaux varietals. Several blocks of Malbec were replanted with Cabernet and changes have been made to the pruning and canopy management in order to move away from high yields towards better quality wines.
Last month, it was announced that responsibilities for the executive board would be transferred to their daughter, Mathilde Thomas, founder of global skincare brand Caudalie and and Alice Tourbier, the owwner of luxury hotel and spa chain Les Sources Hôtels, with Florence Cathiard stepping into an supervisory role.
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