Bordeaux (AFP)
A fine of 100,000 euros, partially accompanied by a suspension, was requested Tuesday against Hubert de Boüard, a great figure of Bordeaux and co-owner of the famous Château Angélus, accused of having been a judge and party in the classification of the great wines of Saint-Emilion by three failed properties.
M. de Boüard, 65, and Philippe Castéja, 72, an important merchant and owner of Château Trotte Vieille, responded to Bordeaux of "illegal taking of interest" for their alleged involvement, to varying degrees, in the development. between 2010 and 2012 of this prestigious ranking which guarantees significant commercial, financial and media benefits.
Concerning Mr. Castéja, the representative of the public prosecutor left a possible sanction to the "appreciation" of the court, which put its decision under advisement on 25 October.
In this trial scrutinized by the wine world and marked by technical debates, in particular on the classification criteria, the two defendants denied in block having used any influence.
In 2012, the classification promotes Angélus premier grand cru Classé "A", the top of the pyramid, and maintains Trotte Vieille "B", rewarding eight other properties for which Mr. de Boüard is a consultant or supervisor.
The two defendants are then members of the national wine committee of the INAO, attached to the Ministry of Agriculture.
This body validated the classification regulations and their results, drawn up by a commission whose members it had appointed.
In addition, Mr. de Boüard was a member of the Organization for the Defense and Management (ODG) of Saint-Emilion wines, which participated in the development of the specifications with the INAO according to the instruction.
"Small arrangements between friends" within "two organizations with incestuous links," said Eric Morain, lawyer for civil parties, according to which Hubert de Boüard played a "pivot" role in a "rigged classification".
On the civil action, he asked that the defendants pay for material and moral damage some 72 million euros to the three fallen properties, areas of modest size previously still classified.
"The price of the land and the labor of men," he said.
- "Completely vaporous" -
The criminal proceedings, which began nine years ago with a complaint against X and parallel to an administrative section still in progress, have seen many twists and turns, the most astonishing of which was in 2019 a rare appeal by the prosecution - who had requested the non- take place after the instruction of the decision of referral to correctional.
On Tuesday, deputy prosecutor Jean-Luc Puyo made a 180-degree turn, indicating that he "did not share the legal analysis" made at the time by the prosecution.
He underlined the "sometimes dynamic participation" of M. de Boüard "throughout the classification procedure".
He was "a defining, an impeller", he assured, judging Mr. Castéja "much more in retreat".
However, he required well below 5 years in prison and a fine of 500,000 euros.
The defendants' lawyers have each pleaded for acquittal.
"Obviously", said Antoine Vey, adviser to M. de Boüard.
"If you do not relax, then why continue to engage in public life? Mr. de Boüard is a man of integrity in the defense of his land".
In this "file that does not hold", "no element has provided proof of his guilt," said the lawyer, who has tried the offense of illegal taking of interest, "completely vaporous".
Annulled by justice in 2006, challenged in court since 2012, the classification of Saint-Emilion is also abused internally since the historic châteaux Ausone and Cheval-Blanc, first grands crus classified "A" since the origin, have not candidate for 2022, judging that it leaves too much room for "secondary elements" (notoriety, public reception ...) to the detriment of "fundamentals" (terroir, tasting ...).
"Drifts" described Monday at the helm by Bordeaux oenologist Franck Dubourdieu, who considered that this renewable classification (every ten years) was "sick".
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