When you discover Karl-Friedrich Scheufele’s alternative persona of winemaker, it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise. A meticulous horologist driven by the pursuit of perfection, he expertly helms the Chopard house alongside his sister Caroline. But this successful trajectory has not deterred him from exploring other passions. A motor racing enthusiast and car collector, he also has wine in his blood. His father and grandfather were both epicureans, and he and his wife Christine always dreamed of making their own wine. Their son Karl-Fritz will carry on the legacy.
After launching La Galerie des Arts du Vin, which offers great Bordeaux wines for sale by catalogue, the Scheufele family launched the Caveau de Bacchus wine merchant in Geneva, Gland and Gstaad, along with a wine bar in Geneva, the Bacchus. Their next step was to buy Château Monestier La Tour.
“We made up our minds after just two visits. As well as falling in love at first sight, it awakened an old memory of our honeymoon in the Dordogne in 1994. It was an easy decision,” confides Karl-Friedrich Scheufele. The estate in Bergerac, in the heart of the Périgord region, extends over 100 hectares, some 25 of which are planted with vines. The adventure began in 2012 with the restoration of the Château, which dates back to the 13th century, using traditional methods. The 17th-century wine cellar was also updated, the vineyards modernised and new buildings constructed using authentic materials and an understated design that blends perfectly into the landscape. The estate also transitioned to biodynamic cultivation and earned organic certification.
“Nature must be approached carefully. Wine doesn’t need chemicals to be good. Many of the world’s finest wines are produced using biodynamics. If I can respect nature, that’s what I will do. It is vital that we all respect nature and its resources,” states Karl-Friedrich Scheufele.
In short, every effort is made to produce the region’s finest wine. The inaugural vintage was unveiled in 2014. “Unfortunately, 2013 should have been our first vintage, but it was almost entirely destroyed by hail. That was our first real test as winemakers,” Scheufele recalls.
Time is a major theme for the Scheufele family, and is reflected in their wine labels featuring a sundial. The Cadran Bergerac range offers red, rosé and white wines, a blend of Merlot, Cabernet, Sauvignon and a hint of Malbec. The portfolio also includes a red named Grand Vin Château Monestier La Tour Côtes de Bergerac, and a white dessert wine, Saussignac, which is not made every year.
Annual production totals around 100,000 bottles, and its quality has been recognised internationally. The wine mirrors the values of the Scheufele family: precision, attention to detail and an aesthetic sensibility. This philosophy has served the watchmaking and jewellery industries well for decades, as the enduring success of the Chopard house clearly demonstrates.
