Press Release

Press Release
Thompson’s Bordelais eaux-de-vie shakes up
some of Bordeaux’s most fashionable
cocktail bars and restaurants as demand grows
Thompson’s premium spirits range is available in many
countries around the world, but the brand’s presence in
some of Bordeaux’s most fashionable bars and restaurants
confirms its position as both a popular premium product
and a coveted crowd pleaser on its home turf
B
ordeaux, May, 2014:
Bordeaux-based Simon
Thompson, Founder of
Thompson’s spirits range –
otherwise known as
“An Englishman in Bordeaux”
– has announced that the company’s
range of spirits is now available in some of
Bordeaux’s trendiest venues.
The Philippe Starck-designed Mama
Shelter – an achingly fashionable hotel
with a buzzing cocktail bar and restaurant
– now has Thompson’s spirits on the
menu, as does Belle Campagne, a young
“locavore” restaurant catering to trendy,
avant-garde crowds who consume
only locally-made, quality products.
www.thompsons.fr
Thompson’s unique Bordelais
grape-based vodka was described
by Markus Del Monego MW
(Best Sommelier of the world 1998)
as “brilliant and clear”
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Simon Thompson,
known as “An
Englishman in
Bordeaux”
is the founder
of Thompson’s
Those who liked Thompson’s in the
restaurant can take a bottle home
from the owner’s fine food “epicerie”
just across the cobbled street in old
Bordeaux. Thompson’s can also be
found at, among others, Hôtel de
Sèze’s restaurant, a four-star hotel
positioned in the heart of Bordeaux,
and the stylish dockside Quai West
restaurant which overlooks the
River Garonne. It is also available at
wine shops La C.U.V and Le Wine
More Time.
The company’s extraordinary range
of spirits is inspired by France’s
ancient tradition
of winemaking
and Bordeaux’s
most famous
export, its
world-
“The company’s extraordinary range of spirits is inspired
by France’s ancient tradition of winemaking and
Bordeaux’s most famous export, its world-class grapes”
class grapes, along with the region’s
age-old relationship with England.
“The shared history between
Bordeaux, Aquitaine and England
is long and rich, dating back to the
14th century with the monasteries,
royalty and private people who had a
taste for claret,” said Simon. “Back then,
many of the old ‘négociant’ or wine
merchant families in Bordeaux built
up their business through trade with
the English and the Thompson’s range
promises to add a new page to that
special relationship.”
Thompson’s range comprises a
grape-based vodka; a Bordelais
brandy; a 30-year-old Fine Bordeaux
AOR (Appellation d’Origine
Réglementée) scoring 90/100 on
Robert Parker’s Wine
Advocate Rating
System; and Fine
Bordeaux AOR Brut
de Fût vintages 1979
and 1986.
The latter is a
prestige numbered
edition scoring 88/100 on Robert
Parker’s Wine Advocate Rating
System, and is described by Andreas
Larsson (Best Sommelier of the World
in 2007) as having a “fine nose of
wood, leather and spices” and
as being “warm but balanced
with a spicy finish”.
“This rare Fine Bordeaux is the very
essence of the Bordeaux area and is made
from Ugni Blanc and Colombard grapes that
are double-distilled in traditional copper pot
stills and aged in Limousin oak barrels”
Thompson’s Fine Bordeaux (left)
and Bordelais brandy
(above) have won many
internationally recognised awards
An entrepreneur at heart and a premium food and drink
marketing connoisseur, it was Simon’s discovery of Fine
Bordeaux – a 30-year-old distilled wine product – that first
propelled Thompson’s into the premium spirits market of
the drinks industry.
While researching why Bordeaux was the only wineproducing region not to have its own spirit, Simon
discovered the last remaining stocks of this unique
eaux-de-vie, and bought the casks so he could bring it
back onto the market.
That is why Thompson’s now boasts limited editions of
30-year-old Fine Bordeaux as well as very rare numbered
editions of the 1976 and 1986 vintages.
www.thompsons.fr
“This rare Fine Bordeaux is the very essence of the
Bordeaux area and is made from Ugni Blanc and
Colombard grapes that are double-distilled in traditional
copper pot stills and aged in Limousin oak barrels,” said
Simon. “It is classified as an AOR, which confirms the origin
of eaux-de-vie products, and is the equivalent of the
AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) that is given to
French wine.”
Thompson’s grape vodka is described by Markus Del
Monego MW (Best Sommelier of the world 1998) as being
“brilliant and clear” and “aromatic with spicy notes and
rather good length” and scored 88.5/100 on Robert
Parker’s Wine Advocate Rating System.
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Thompson’s is working
on an Isle of Arran
whisky with a Sauternes
finish (the Isle of Arran is
pictured) and a new
Bordelais brandy, also
with a Sauternes finish
The Bordelais brandy scored 85/100
in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate Rating
System and is described by Andreas Larsson
as being “young and fruity in style with
some grapey notes and spices, medium
body and a whisky-like finish”.
As demand increases for Thompson’s spirits,
the company is working on new products: a
Bordelais brandy with a Sauternes finish,
a Bordelais gin (”London dry gin” style with
typical Bordelais botanicals individually
macerated then distilled in Bordelais eauxde-vie) as well as a 1996 Isle of Arran
whisky, single cask, cask strength, with a
Sauternes finish.
The latter is currently maturing in casks in
Scotland and will be launched towards the
end of 2014. Thompson’s Sauternes-finished
Scotch whisky and a blended Speyside malt
will follow early in 2015.
New gift packs were launched at Prowein
2014 – the world’s number one trade fair for
the wine and spirits industry – to elegantly
“frame” the silk-screened bottles with their
distinguished glass stoppers.
Notes to the Editor:
Simon Thompson, Founder of Thompson’s
and known as “An Englishman in Bordeaux”,
was born in 1968 in the UK, but grew up in the
commune of Bourg Charente, in the heart of the
Cognac region.
His father, Brian, worked for Booth’s Gin and
was the managing director for Cognac Hine in
the region until 1988. Having studied at Liverpool
University, then at the ESCP in Paris – one of the
most prestigious “grand écoles” in France – he
completed his studies with a Masters, near Cognac,
in law and business applied to the spirits industry.
After graduating he became the brand manager
for premium spirit brand Mandarine Napoléon
and worked for various multi-nationals in the food
and drink industry.
With a successful marketing career that also
included Marketing Director for Leonidas, a
famous brand of Belgian chocolates, and Regional
Manager of Exports for Ab-Inbev, in 2010, Simon
set up his own marketing and sales company,
Tailormade Sales and Marketing, so that he
could create his own brand of drinks: Thompson’s.
Thompson’s has existing distribution
agreements in selected export markets
and welcomes interest from potential
strategic distribution partners in domestic
and travel retail markets. Further details
can be obtained from Thompson’s.
Contact information:
Simon Thompson
Email: simon@thompsons.fr
Website: www.thompsons.fr
Facebook: Thompson’s Spirits
www.thompsons.fr
New gift packs have
been lauched to “frame”
the silk-screened bottles
with their glass stoppers