Nicolas BONNET 

Nicolas Bonnet owns 17 hectares of land between Satigny, Dardagny and Bardonnex, where he cultivates 14 different grape varieties, including Sauvignon Gris – which he was, in fact, the first to introduce to Switzerland on behalf of La Cave de Genève – Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Dunkelfelder.

A meeting with Nicolas Bonnet is one of those fleeting moments in life that captivate us and seem to remain suspended in time.

What is he like?

This lover of winemaking, life and good causes possesses undeniable authenticity and emotional depth, as well as unfailing discretion – yet he is by no means one to mince his words. He is passionate about his craft, of course, but that is not all. When he sets to work, it’s all about the music – and that’s that. As you’ll have gathered, at the Comtesse Eldegarde estate, music reigns supreme!

‘Don’t even mention retirement to me!’

The Bonnet family have been winegrowers for 200 years, with the exception of his father, a former cantonal archaeologist. After qualifying from a mechanical engineering college and then the agricultural college in Marcelin, Nicolas studied oenology at the Changins School of Engineering. When he took over the family estate in the mid-1980s, he started from scratch. Everything had to be built from the ground up. But when Nicolas is working, to be honest, he feels a bit as if he’s on holiday. He enjoys every aspect of his job, but what he loves most of all are the moments spent chatting with his customers. If, however, you’re lucky enough to bump into him along the way, whatever you do, don’t mention retirement to him.

This man behind the scenes, whose unwavering dedication to La Cave de Genève has spanned 35 years, emphasises teamwork as the key to producing quality wines – indeed, great wines – together. His greatest source of pride? In the summer of 2018, Gault & Millau ranked La Cave de Genève amongst the top seven wine producers in Geneva. And he certainly has his favourites among La Cave’s wines! From Chef Philippe Chevrier’s wines to the Syrah Gamaret or the Chasselas Vieilles Vignes, Nicolas would find it hard to choose just one. Although not particularly keen on sparkling wines, he is keen to point out that he is impressed by the Baccarat range.

To conclude, Nicolas tells us: “If you’re passionate about it, you can really enjoy this job. But you do have to work hard.”