The Felix, spirit of the land
L’YONNE RÉPUBLICAINE
Posted on 03/06/2015
"Members Independent Winegrowers since 1988, Hervé and Marie-Claire FELIX, winegrowers in Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, are present on the internet sales site, open by the union for a fortnight.
A Irancy, A Côtes d’Auxerre Rouge, A Saint-Bris, all of them become vintage 2012 and A Côtes d’Auxerre Blanc 2011 : at Saint-Bris-Le-Vineux, Domaine FELIX chose to focus on online sales in joining to the site, recently launched by the Independent Winegrowers.
Too early to know if the adventure e-commerce will be profit. For this moment, we do not have any order, but it is a little bit new. Our kid pushed us to join them, acknowledges Hervé Felix. We selected four of our wines. Four products that we don't have in stock anymore.
A land of 32 hectares.
Because after two years of small crop is a little square the circle among winemakers. 'Our stocks are at their lowest. We sell annually between 120,000 and 140,000 bottles, of which 25% is exported, with a production potential of 200,000 to 240,000 bottles.'
At the head of 32 hectares, essentially on the vineyard area of Saint-Bris, although historically the Felix family soak its roots in the soil of Irancy, Hervé and his wife Marie-Claire did develop the work of Jean, Robert's father, uncle.
'When I returned to Saint-Bris in 1987 (after several years in public works), my father had ten hectares. With my wife, we replanted and expanded the area by leasing area in order to be able to produce three French top quality wines: Saint-Bris, Chablis and Irancy.' Furthermore, Hervé and Marie-Claire Felix urged the modernization of production facilities, invested in stainless steel tanks, pneumatic presses, optical sorter...
'Since 1996, we work closely with a technician whose mission is to follow our plots, this allows us to cultivate the vineyard viticulture.'
In 1988, Félix chose to join the Independent Winegrowers. Wishing to improve the marketing of their wines, they participate each year in a dozen exhibitions, organized by the union.
'We have good consumers', ensures Félix Marie Claire. 'In addition to sales directly to our customers in Saint-Bris, these exhibitions are an opportunity to get cash immediately. If we feel the crisis like everyone else, competition of many shows, we feel that people like to see the head of the winemakers. They looking for the spirit of the land. Sometimes people do not taste!'
By attempting e-commerce today, Felix hopes to diversify its customer. Maybe touch 30-40 years old. 'Conditions are very interesting. Above the 300€ it is carriage paid. With the possibility to mix the order. For us, this is as a cost. But once the pallets shipped, we do care about anything. A company is responsible for storing products in Macon (Saône-et-Loire) and deliver them.' "
