Lionel THEVENOZ 

We meet Lionel Thevenoz at the family estate, right in the heart of the village of Soral. His five-and-a-half hectares of vineyards are situated in the communes of Soral and Laconnex, as well as, to a lesser extent, in France, in Viry and Saint-Julien. Among the many grape varieties grown by Lionel are Chasselas, Gamay, Chardonnay, Gamaret, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. If you take a short trip around the area, you’ll notice that our winemaker’s estate also includes arable crops.

‘I'm passionate about mechanics!’

Lionel’s first love is mechanics, which was also his initial training. It is therefore only natural that he loves maintaining his farm machinery. Speaking of his job, he adds that he particularly appreciates the chance to be outdoors, to be his own boss and to observe what is happening in the woods and in nature at every moment. When asked about his free time, it becomes clear that our winegrower is deeply involved in his local community and enjoys getting things done: he has served two terms on the local council and, as a lieutenant in the local fire brigade, spent a year as acting commander. That’s quite an achievement!

Unlike many of his colleagues, Lionel doesn’t really have a favourite season: he loves them all! He does admit, however, that – unsurprisingly – spring is definitely the most stressful time of year.

“Support amongst colleagues is essential.”

When talking about his work, Lionel is keen to highlight the spirit of solidarity that prevails amongst winegrowers. For him, good relations and mutual support are essential values. He adds that to be a good winegrower, you need to be organised and proactive, but above all you need to be forward-thinking and pay close attention to the weather, in particular.

Lionel began his career by working in the automotive industry for over twenty years. He initially divided his time between the company and the family estate, before eventually taking over from his father, Georges, who had also been a winegrower at La Cave de Genève since its inception.

Memories, memories…

When he looks back on his childhood memories, Lionel fondly recalls the times when the whole village would come to help them when they had to pull up and replant a vine by hand. There were so many people there – it was such a lively place!

As for his taste in wine, he tells us he loves a good glass of Merlot to go with a lovely piece of meat. Lionel isn’t really a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, but since he tasted the one from La Cave, he has to admit his opinion has changed!