ボルドー最高評議会
the Grand conseil du vin de bordeaux
CommanderIES, wine brotherhoods

Here is the speech given by the Maître of the Commanderie de Bordeaux in French-speaking Switzerland, Alexander Dembitz. 
For this splendid Autumn Ceremony & Gala, 82 people were present at the Grand Bellevue Hotel in Gstaad.

Dear Commandeurs, dear friends,

On 15^th February 2020, the Federal Council enforced lockdown. 18 months later, here we are, once again gathered as a community of wine lovers. The ordeal of these 18 pas months has affected many of us and I hope we have all come through stronger. I believe I speak for us all in saying that these ordeals have led us to appreciate family values, the importance of friends and our responsibilities within our communities. Lockdown deprived us of social events, theatre, concerts and sport.

Our Commanderie did its utmost to keep in touch with everyone. The Board was involved in organising the summer ceremony in Lucens and we are striving to ensure an unforgettable occasion to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the founding of the Commanderie, at the gala to be held at the Beau-Rivage Hotel in Geneva, on Saturday 27^th November in Geneva. On that evening, we will enjoy the company of Mrs Saskia de Rothschild, who will present the wines of Château Lafite Rothschild.

Our Commanderie really is “international”, because tonight we welcome friends coming from London, in particular my daughter Niki, accompanied by Martin Hoelzl, as well as Christophe Pechoux and Ana and Nick Evans. Karla and Delvis Herrera do us the honour of being with us from Paris and perhaps not international in the real sense of the word, our Commandeurs Dan Lubash and David Friedman, who join us from Zurich. And this is not all, because representatives from German-speaking Switzerland also include Michael Schütte, Amit Ben Sira and Kathryn and Alexandros Tomas. And even without including, Catherine and Francis Boutemy, we welcome 13 friends from Bordeaux, so that is to say 15% of our gathering, who do not live in French-speaking Switzerland.

Francis Boutemy, former Grand Maître of the Grand Conseil du Vin de Bordeaux, now Emeritus Grand Maître, who already did us the honour of attending in 2016, has worked with our Vinothécaire Andrew, our regent Jean-Charles and myself, to present you this evening with a range of Bordeaux wines. We are most grateful, Francis, for everything you do for our Commanderie, and especially that you allow us to welcome your wife Catherine. Dear Commandeurs, Dear friends, I invite you to give a warm round of applause to Catherine and Francis Boutemy.

Before moving on to the inductions, I ask those of you who joined us in Lucens to raise their hand. I remind you that the Commanderie de Bordeaux is also a matrimonial agency, because in Lucens I announced the engagement of our Commandeur David Berstein and Naava Mashiah, who met at our summer gathering in June 2019. Let us give a big round of applause to Naava and David, who were married last Thursday, 30^th September.

Let us now proceed to official matters, because we have 5 inductions to do. I hope you are all in good voice for the tradition “Yes, we do”. Lastly, a few words for Helena van Hoorn and the members of the Board, who worked with Tomas Pedroni and other members of this magnificent Commanderie to ensure the smooth running of this exceptional event. As in the past, the Olympic champion of organisation is Rosita, because she misses absolutely no detail. Thank you Rosita, who is following this speech from her home in Annecy.

Alexander Dembitz, Maître