Fragrance house

Ginestet

Founded in Bordeaux in 1897 by Fernand Ginestet, Ginestet began as a wine-trading house shaped by its founder’s involvement in viticulture, wine commerce, and the organization of Bordeaux’s wine trade. In 1978, the Ginestet family transferred the business to the Merlaut family, and Maison Ginestet joined Groupe Taillan, where it remains listed among the group’s houses. Its identity is centered on selecting, marketing, and promoting Bordeaux wines, with attention to terroir, history, and the people behind them. The maison later entered perfumery through an oenological-perfumery concept: its compositions drew on primary aromas associated with wine rather than reproducing wine itself. Using dry white wine, red wine, and Sauternes as reference styles, the project identified aroma molecules for development in Grasse. Presented in 2008, Botrytis and Sauvignonne connected fragrance to Bordeaux wine references, with Botrytis associated with Sauternes and Sauvignonne with Sauvignon wine.