With an altruistic twinkle in his hazel eyes and his imposing stature , Laurent is destined to become a force to be reckoned with in the white Burgundy echelons . Born in 1975 , he exudes confidence and drive and he has a crystal clear understanding of what constitutes a great Chardonnay de terroir . His formative years were spent as wine consultant for the fine wine section of a major brewery in Lyon and then a stint as commercial agent for Champagne BILLECART SALMON in Paris . This gave him a solid grounding in matters of marketing and sales .