As I visit this site, I certify that I am of legal age to consume alcohol in my country of residence.
I am over 18 years old
Olympic swimming champion in London in 2012, this sprint specialist has a second passion: Saint-Emilion wines. Inducted into the Jurade during the 2014 Ban des Vendanges, Fabien Gilot shares with us some of his tasting memories.
SAINT-EMILION, A FAMILY HERITAGE
Like many, Fabien Gilot discovered Saint-Emilion wines through his family: “my grandparents are wine enthusiasts. At family meals we were always served great wines. I learnt to like them little by little”, the 30-year-old swimmer remembers. Fabien Gilot has since perpetuated thetradition, with a marked taste for Saint-Emilion wines: “red wines came to me a bit later”, now “they are systematically served with a good meal”.
SAINT-EMILION WINES’ NOBILITY
Wine enthusiast, Fabien Gilot also salutes men and women who make it. In Saint-Emilion, in the renowned castles or in the less well-known ones, the swimmer says that everywhere he found: “this same love of wine, this same passion”. Attached to perfect wine-making, Fabien Gilot also emphasizes the winemakers’ attention to detail in their work: “there are so many particularities to make a good wine, so many things that can make or break a wine, I find this fascinating”.
FABIEN GILOT, NEW SAINT-EMILION AMBASSADOR
During the 2013 Ban des Vendanges celebration, Fabien Gilot was inducted into the Saint-Emilion Jurade. He is now an ambassador of the Saint-Emilion, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Lussac Saint-Emilion and Puisseguin Saint-Emilion appellations. “It’s a huge honor to me, Saint-Emilion wines are part of the French heritage”. Apart from wine, Fabien Gilot also really enjoys local produce. When asked what he likes to eat with a glass of Saint-Emilion, he simply says “a good piece of meat or a good selection of cheeses go really well with those wines!” With Fabien Gilot, the family meal tradition is in safe hands!
