French wine clubs, featuring expensive memberships and private evenings in palaces, now act as networking and business platforms, rivaling their London counterparts. Founded in 1991, Alain Marty's Wine Business Club exemplifies this shift, with 1,100 business leader members today.
French wine clubs have evolved beyond mere wine tasting to become prime venues for professional networking. Alain Marty, founder of the Wine Business Club (WBC) in 1991, states: «Money is not a taboo. In many clubs, it's delicate to discuss it. With us, there's no beating around the bush.»
The WBC's early days were humble: the first evening, arranged partly through Serge Dassault's bodyguard, drew only fifteen guests, including Jean-Marie Messier and Alexandre de Lur Saluces, then owner of Château d’Yquem. Marty now jokes it was «catastrophic.» Yet, the club has grown: it now has 1,100 members, all business executives, with 70% leading mid-sized companies turning over between 50 million and one billion euros.
Events occur three times a month in spots like the Bristol, Shangri-La, or Petrossian, featuring tastings of three wine estates, a 60-minute business talk, and interviews with top executives such as Patrick Pouyanné, Christine Lagarde, or Vincent Bolloré. Annual fees range from 5,500 to 13,000 euros, excluding costs for global trips.
As Marty reveals, «We count about fifty transactions per year in Paris alone, including company buyouts among members, plus a hundred recruitments. Business is booming.» These clubs operate like private boxes, fostering connections among peers for tangible opportunities.