Name: Stephen Cronk, Jeany Cronk
DOB: Stephen: 5/11/1963, Jeany: 21/12/1972
Place Of Birth: Stephen: Surrey UK, Jeany: Munich Germany
Fun fact: Stephen discovered his passion for wine cycling on a Tandem (the only bike left in the shop) through the Barossa Valley in Oz.
Jeany persuaded Stephen to locate to her dream location of Provence after spending her childhood holidays in the area. Luckily they both love Rosé in equal measure.
Of all the places in France and Provence… why Cotignac anyway? There are many idyllic winemaking regions, so what was the appeal? Asides from being super scenic and beautiful I guess?
As for Cotignac it wasn’t so much us choosing it, but Cotignac choosing us. I went to visit Tom Bove, who had just sold Chateau Miraval to the Pitt-Jolies, who lived temporarily in Cotignac.
As I was driving away from the little village, which is dominated by a impressive cliffs and has a cosy town square full of centenary old platane trees, I knew this was the place I wanted to move my family to.
So out of the window went the sensible plans to put our children into International School in Aix and continue our townie life in a place that would resemble our old, only with nicer weather thrown in.
Cotignac is a fantastic place, though small, the mix of people is incredible. We’ve met some of the most interesting people in our whole lives here.
It’s not unusual to have a chat with your baker, when you see Eric Idle stroll past with his market basket or stop for a coffee with foreign correspondent David Chater, who now battles with his rows of vines instead of the shrapnel of various warzones.
What is the Provencal way of doing things? I’d imagine a little more laid back than South West London…
Yes the Latin influences here are strong and you have to learn how to deal with people and motivate them. It’s not always easy and sometimes you feel like screaming to high heaven, as our reality is so pressurised and we have tight deadlines for everything.
But it’s also great to be reminded that people here take time for important things, such as food, wine and just being together and talking (work to live etc). People here would much rather sit in the square and talk than be on their iPhones or watch something on TV.
I admit the great weather helps and encourages the outdoors lifestyle and the social component comes naturally.
And what makes for a characteristic Provencal wine? I read that you guys work with quite a few vineyards around the area and so I assume that your wines fit the geographic profile somewhat?
Typical Provence Rosé (these days…) is a pale pink, dry, yet very aromatic wine with refreshing acidity that is just perfect for a summer lunch or evening, but is beginning to gain traction as a food and year- round wine.
Rosés here are made from red grapes, usually Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah and the length of contact of the juice with the skins dictates how pale or pink the Rosé will end up being.
We have decided to work in the same way as some Champagne houses and chose very good producers to work with, who are at the top of their profession in terms of agriculture and winemaking.
We then use the skills of our two amazing oenologues who work for us and blend those top end wines in a way that makes our wine unique and really delicious.
Subsequently great care is taken with all the tiny details of storage, transport and bottling that can make all the difference between keeping the delicate aromas in a Rosé and losing all the hard work to oxidation.
“Flawless winemaking and handling are the essential elements to good rosé.”
Did either of you have much experience with wine beforehand? I’ll assume you were both extremely passionate and enjoyed a glass?
I had a background in wine importing and we shared a passion for wine (and design) in our lives. Yet we’ve always loved wine that’s accessible and affordable and that gives you a great feeling at the end of a hard days work.
We don’t believe in the excessive decorum and pomp that is sometimes associated with wine and in a way that is why Provence Rosé suits us and our philosophies about life so well.
Wine is there to be enjoyed, it needn’t be complex and should be at a price level that you can treat yourself to!
Building on the above – do either of you have a ‘wine moment’ – i.e when you knew that you loved wine and wanted to be involved with it in a professional capacity?
I very much had a life defining wine moment when I fell in love with the subject during a lonely trip, peddling on a tandem (yes, a tandem by myself – the only bike that was left in the rental store) through the famous Barossa Valley of Australia.
The fact that I had previously been involved in the world of wine has been a critical part of our success at Mirabeau and has given us the conviction to do things a little differently.
Considering that was only 6 or so years ago you seem to have come very far – regularly making top 10 listings for the region, getting a lot of kudos in both the on and off trade. How have you done it?
The truth is sheer hard graft, imagination, not taking “non” for an answer and sometimes someone obviously smiled kindly on us and gave us the name of someone who helped us reach the next milestone along the way.
You cannot overrate networking in this (or any) business and getting to know people in and out the trade is essential.
We also decided to invest into good winemakers right from the start, as we knew that we didn’t have the level of knowledge and sophistication of palate to design the wines without help.
We really enjoy keeping in touch with the people who buy our wines, and do so through multiple communication platforms, and we also regularly talk to the press and others in the trade to keep a good communication about wine and Provence going.
Leading from above, it seems that one of your real strengths is in the talent that you have assembled. How did you attract such a good team, considering you didn’t have any track record? I’m thinking Jo Ahearne MW, etc!
Our first winemaker and the only other person who believed in Mirabeau right from the start was Angela Muir MW (Master of Wine). She’s a real personality in the world of wine but was nearing retirement and this was something that she took on to help us get off the ground and because she too loved Rosé from this region.
She accompanied us for three vintages, with some help with an amazing team of local winemakers, and then she suggested fellow Master of Wine Jo Ahearne take over. Jo and our local winemaker Nathalie Longefay work together brilliantly – Mirabeau have gone from strength to strength in terms of quality.
Our wines recently were awarded 91 and 89 Points from Robert Parker, as well as a bevy of other medals and we couldn’t be more chuffed.
Is it difficult working with your significant other? And are the kids involved all that much?
The short answer is yes, it is complicated and work constantly spills over into our “private life” (of which you have none any more!). I am away travelling a lot of the time opening up new markets and when I’m home we regularly wake up in the middle of the night and discuss Mirabeau stuff.
We are both passionate and slightly stubborn personalities, so there is conflict, but we usually find that it is “creative conflict” and that we end up with something that’s better than if one had just agreed with the other. I do remember Jeany threatening divorce over a choice of font once… I knew I had to let her have that one!
We would never do anything else but we do miss the way you could leave the day-job behind and be free to just flop in front of a good TV series with a glass of, well chilled Rosé, natch. But then our day jobs have become more rewarding than anything else we’ve ever done and creating something that people love really gives us so much satisfaction.
The kids are involved and want to be so, which is nice. Of course they have their moments where they wish their parents led a more normal life with less pressure, but then again they do enjoy being part of our family journey and Mirabeau. We think/hope.
What’s a ‘day in your lives’ like? Could you give us an insight into wine making in Provence? I assume each of you has different responsibilities aligned to your personal strengths?
There is really no typical day in Provence, there is no real routine in our lives. We manage a showroom in our little village, so Jeany usually gets all of that going, having dropped the kids to school, and if I am around I will go to our office or drive off to meet my winemakers and producers.
I am travelling a lot to support the retailers who sell Mirabeau so inevitably I spend a lot of time on planes and in hotels. Luckily I love travelling and Jeany enjoys staying home more, so our partnership works well in that respect.
Living in Provence also means that you constantly rubberneck the sheer natural beauty you find yourself in, the colours, the scents and the landscapes are just astonishingly beautiful and it’s great to appreciate them on an almost daily basis.
What’s your greatest/most memorable professional moment been, so far?
Without a doubt when we got our first order from Waitrose. We knew then we could really make a go of this business and we are still very grateful to have such a fantastic partnership with them.
Where do you see the world’s wine ‘scene’ going in the next few years?
Certainly dry Provençal style Rosés will become more popular, following the trend here in France where it makes up nearly 30% of what us consumed here (versus 17% white). I don’t expect it will ever reach those percentages in the UK but I see it strengthening still further as a category.
I also see the millennials demanding more choice in drinks and being more prepared to explore different wine regions. Meanwhile I see cocktails and craft beers challenging wine as an aperitif and even with food.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had, how did you overcome it, and what did you learn from it?
We’ve had our fair share of challenges and set-backs over the past 6 years. Each of them seeming insurmountable at the time but somehow we get through. We’re keeping notes and will write our memoirs one day.
But I think the most challenging of them is the campaign being waged against us by a few of the local wine estates who don’t like the fact that we’ve turned up and are making better wine than them, without owning a vineyard.
Who’s the person who’s most inspired you in your work – food industry or otherwise? Is there anyone that you draw inspiration or strength from? Do you have any specific culinary influences?
Lots of people have inspired us and continue to do so. Jamie Oliver for being so approachable and bringing fun cooking into the homes of so many, something that we feel also needs to happen with wine is one.
Jo Malone and Chrissie Rucker for their impeccable design ethos and dedication to their products, as well making their long- term connection with their customers.
Each of them has a common thread of extreme passion and belief in what they do combined with a relentless pursuit of perfection.
What do you enjoy most and least about what you do?
The sheer joy when things go right, when you get a good write-up, a medal or best of all see the smile on people’s faces when they’re tasting. It might sound corny, but it’s true – that real-time feedback is awesome as we don’t usually see the people who drink our wine.
Being free to be our own bosses is, while sometimes stressful also fantastic. We don’t have to ask ourselves for permission, but on the flip-side, the buck stops with us…
There’s no safety net, no one to pick up the pieces if we get this wrong. So it’s both satisfying and hairy at the same time.
What advice would you give to aspiring food and drink entrepreneurs or winemakers who’d want the kind of results that you’ve had?
Be 100% sure this is really what you want to do.
The idea of being the ‘master of your own destiny’ always seems great when you’ve had a bad day at the office but the reality is tough. So you need a great plan, huge focus, unerring belief and shed-loads of passion. Make a plan and socialize it with people who will challenge it.
It’s far better to have your dream ripped to shreds than to destroy a career and if it still stacks up after the criticism, then perhaps you’ve got something there.
But also remember that a lot of people won’t want you to do something different – sometimes because they’re worried you might fail, but perhaps sometime because you might succeed. Oh, and one more thing – do the numbers.
If you could go back to the beginning and start over, what would you change or do differently?
Absolutely nothing. We’ve learnt so much by doing it the way we’ve done it. Sure, I’d like to be a qualified winemaker, but perhaps I wouldn’t be as good at sales or marketing if I’d spent years learning how to master wine making.
And that’s why we employ awesome winemakers – probably better than I would have ever been anyway.
If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you be doing instead?
Now there’s a really good question. I carried a little black book around me for years when I was in telecoms, always writing down ideas for breaking away from the corporate world. But this was really what we wanted to do so I imagine I’d still be in telecoms if not here making wine.
If you could get anyone to try the wine (fictional or real, living or dead) who would you pick and which of the wines would you like them to try? Assume that they go on to be your brand ambassador…
I love these questions…they’re mad! I’d love to have met David Niven and I think he’s have loved our wines and been a very cool brand ambassador.
My comic hero, the sadly recently deceased Robin Williams used to love Cotignac and I would love to have sat on our terrace here overlooking the village square knocking back a few glasses of Mirabeau rosé.
But there is one person who we’ve recently met who we both adore and that’s Jodie Kidd. She loves our wine and is already being super helpful to us.
Leading from above, what’s your ultimate aim and goal for Mirabeau? If you could achieve anything with it, what would you pick? Money and reality are no obstacle, so shoot for the moon…
I’d love to sponsor the Wimbledon tennis championship. Our rosés would suit this classic British event so well.
Where next for you and the business?
Now that we’ve established Mirabeau as a leading Provence rosé brand distributing in over 40 markets around the world, we’re ready for the next step – which is to put together an investment group and go buy an awesome wine estate here.
And we always ask three customary ridiculous questions…
If you had to have any character from Egyptian mythology come and work with you at Mirabeau, who would you employ?
I think it better be Isis, goddess of magic, marriage, healing and perfection. We can always use help in all of those areas!
If you had to employ any character from Game Of Thrones to come and work with you guys at the vineyard, who would you pick, and why?
This is a tough one as we’ve never watched it and in fact don’t really watch TV anymore. Our friend watches it for us and she said “John Snow because he is nice eye candy, loyal, valiant and a good leader…the bad news is he’s dead.”
…but I don’t know what she’s talking about…
If you were forced to fend off an alien invasion and singlehandedly save mankind using only the tools available at Mirabeau, how would you do it?
Simple, pour them a glass of Rosé and chillax. Everyone just seems so much friendlier after a few sips of our wine. Just need to make sure they don’t cart it all off to Mars, as we need to keep some back for our lovely earthling fans of Mirabeau.