“In today’s world, the value and essence of life, quality, and authenticity are easily forgotten.”
You’ve previously worked for companies like Loro Piana and Zegna. What inspired you to return to your family business, Baron d’Avella? (Frédéric d’Avella, President of Baron d’Avella Champagne & Polo Club) I always knew I would be involved in the family business. Our father raised my brother and me close to nature, sharing his passion for our lands, our French and Italian family history, and our vineyards owned by our family since 1725. This heritage, both material and immaterial, is ingrained in us. My brother and I view ourselves as its guardians, committed to preserving our family’s tradition of exclusively crafting vintage champagne and refined wines, rooted in a deep affection for our lands. Our mission is to pass on this cherished heritage to future generations, ensuring its continuity and enduring quality.
“When you start your professional career and are in a phase of development, it is crucial to work with people who inspire you.”
(FDA) I am convinced that to be a significant asset in a family business, one should have developed one’s own strong experience. I chose to work in another industry: luxury menswear, as I could see many similar dynamics as our family business: Tradition, heritage, and craftsmanship. During my professional career, Shanghai was my home for 4 years, and I lived in Italy for over 10 years, both in Milano and Lake Como. My profession took me all around the world, offering invaluable experiences. I had the chance to discover and understand different cultures and their specific needs, as well as meet truly inspiring individuals. When you start your professional career and are in a phase of development, it is crucial to work with people who inspire you. I had the privilege to work with unique personalities who became true mentors, such as Adriano Cifonelli, Ralph Lauren, and Sergio Loro Piana — three men with a unique vision and unmistakable elegance.
(FDA) Once I felt ready to bring value to our family business, I naturally returned to take the lead in its development. Hervé Deschamps, our Chef de Cave at Baron d’Avella, is one person from whom we constantly learn. He is considered one of the best cellar masters in Champagne’s history, with over 40 years of professional experience.
“We believe that the pursuit of bringing like-minded individuals together is a privileged and vital mission in the world we live in today.”
(FDA) Each owner of our allocations has experienced our bespoke atelier with me or my brother, this makes each relationship very special. They have personally been invited by our family or one of our selected partners, this way we can ensure a full overview of our allocator owners and members. We believe that the pursuit of bringing like-minded individuals together is a privileged and vital mission in the world we live in today. Only in the last year, we have visited our private members in Jakarta, New York, St Barths, Palm Beach, Oslo, Stockholm, London, Ho Chi Minh, and many other locations. We are glad to be able to bring them together for different experiences through our selected locations and partners, it is our responsibility to make sure that each partner we share with our members delivers higher than their expectations. This is something I learned well from my previous professional experiences. I have always had a strong vision of how I wanted to invite our members into our family universe while crafting a handmade product from our lands, made by our team with care and attention. Further to have the possibility to enjoy the special moment of walking the lands with us. Weaving in our Neapolitan family history and lifestyle with the heritage from Champagne—a unique mix, perhaps the first of its kind in Champagne.
How did your passion for horse riding and polo begin? (FDA) Thankfully, it started with my dad’s determination and love for nature and animals. At a very young age, while we spent our weekends on our family estate in Champagne, my father introduced us to two sports: riding for me and golf for my brother, tailored to our personalities. To this day, riding in the countryside is the best way for me to relax and be mindful. Over the years, my father accompanied me to competitions all over the country. He was always there with me, always pushing us. It was me and my horse Apache, a small team of two. I believe it helped me to develop a healthy competitive spirit.
(FDA) As I grew older, I became curious about Polo, longing for a change and the opportunity to share that emotion with a team. The first time I hit the ball, I fell in love with the sport and knew it would become a true passion. The contact with nature, the unique adrenaline of being on a field with eight horses flying at high speed—it is the best moment for me to disconnect from my everyday life and recharge my energy.
(FDA) I started playing more while living in Milan, in a beautiful private club near Lake Como. After my years of working in Asia, I decided to buy my own Argentine polo horses, three sisters all named Gloria like their mum. Today, we have several horses, and the Baron d’Avella Polo Team is based in France. With the Baron d’Avella Social & Polo Club, (a private members’ club accessible by invitation only, regrouping the individual around the world, who own our Champagne allocation) we develop the first-ever private Polo Club in the Champagne region.
“My favourite remains Polo de Paris, a beautiful place in the heart of Paris, where you can feel its heritage and history.”
How often does the Baron d’Avella Polo team compete in matches? (FDA) Here in Europe, the main Polo season starts in May and ends in October. The Baron d’Avella Polo Team mostly plays in France and competes in tournaments almost every week, particularly in May and June in Paris and Saint-Tropez, sometimes during the summer. We have also played in Italy, and this season we are going to Palma, Spain. During the winter season, I try to play in Argentina or Wellington, Palm Beach, where I spent a lot of time this winter. I hope to bring the team there very soon. However, my favourite remains Polo de Paris, a beautiful place in the heart of Paris, where you can feel its heritage and history. The ‘Open de Paris’, one of the oldest tournaments in the world, is the peak of the season, and we love to share this moment with our family and members. For this occasion, it is very special to have our members with us to watch the game as part of our family.
(FDA) For us, the only importance is our members and putting all our time and energy into the excellence of our wines. Therefore, we decided very early on to not do much communication to the public, but only remain in personal contact with each of our members and allocators. Meeting you (Jay Kim), was a cherished experience, it was proof that the curiosity, expertise, and understanding of this kind of products and experiences as ours is still understood.
Why do you think it is important for premium champagne houses and members’clubs like Baron d’Avella to share their ‘art de vivre’, not just the product itself? (FDA)Baron d’Avella is, first and foremost, a family business. For us, the most important aspect is the word “family”. As I have mentioned, our members become our extended family, and to build lasting memories together. For us, spirituality is also very fundamental to us. That is why until today you can find in our Baron d’Avella logo the Saint Sylvestre cross, which is a reminder of the close relationship our family had with different popes. Especially John XXIII, our grandfather Federico d’Avella was his Cameriere di Spada e Cappa del Papa.
(FDA) Sharing our French and Italian heritage and way of life is the cornerstone of it. More generally, I understand that people seek unique experiences rather than mere products. In today’s world, the value and essence of life, quality, and authenticity are easily forgotten. Most of the luxury brands or Champagne Brands are owned by a few groups, their actions are easily identified as a marketing strategy, while we aim to offer our authenticity by sharing our way of life. That for us is to know that our product is made from our lands with our excellent team that transforms our grapes into each bottle.
“What we share with our members are our authentic beliefs and interests.”
(FDA) We are determined to provide people with a way to invite this special momentum into their everyday lives, as well as for special occasions in both champagne, wines and spirits. What we share with our members are our authentic beliefs and interests. From riding in the countryside in Champagne, to smoking cigars, weaving in the French and Italian cultures with Sunday pasta family dinners and Italian jazz music. Last fall, for example, we did our first Jaguar E-Type Rally with our friends and members who joined us for lunch at home with their vintage cars, cruising over the hills in Champagne. These moments are what we live for and believe is the beauty of life.
“For French and Italian traditions specifically, craftsmanship is deeply ingrained in the cultural identity of both countries.”
What do you think true craftsmanship is? (FDA) True craftsmanship, for us, is what we call in French “l’intelligence de la main”, meaning the combination of a unique cultural heritage and handmade techniques, all in service of a genuine aesthetic quest. We also speak of intangible heritage, like tradition and culture, which have shaped our way of thinking and our families over generations. True craftsmanship involves meticulous attention to detail at every stage of the process. It requires a high level of skill and expertise honed over years of practice. It embodies the beauty of imperfection, where artisans infuse a part of their soul into their creations. The aesthetic quest is our goal, a constant search for our expression of beauty and harmony. This perfect harmony is what we aim to do with the creation of our Champagne. Our family, together with our Cellar Master, Hervé Deschamps reveal the soul of our multi-secular Champagne estate, creating only unique vintage in the purest artisanal tradition.
(FDA) Craftsmanship draws inspiration from centuries-old techniques and artisanal practices, preserving and celebrating heritage while also innovating for the future. For French and Italian traditions specifically, craftsmanship is deeply ingrained in the cultural identity of both countries. In France, it is celebrated for its elegance, refinement, and attention to aesthetics. In Italy, craftsmanship is synonymous with artistry, passion, and dedication to excellence. We strive to incorporate both.
“I would say that Italy has the best craftsmanship, France excels in marketing, and the US focuses on distribution.”
Have you noticed any differences in business styles between the US and Italy when dealing with premium lifestyle products? (FDA) Overall, both the US and Italy have thriving markets for premium lifestyle products, but the approach to business, marketing, design, and distribution may vary based on cultural preferences and market dynamics. Having worked for both American and Italian luxury brands (Ralph Lauren, Lora Piana, Zegna), if I were to summarise, I would say that Italy has the best craftsmanship, France excels in marketing, and the US focuses on distribution.
“France and Italy have invented the concept of Art de vivre, where true ‘luxury’ is knowing how to enjoy any moment in life in any situation.”
(FDA) France and Italy have invented the concept of Art de vivre, where true “luxury” is knowing how to enjoy any moment in life in any situation. For us, simplicity is also part of luxury, what Italians may call “Sprezzatura”, a natural and nonchalant elegance. Most of Americans focus more on material comfort, while France and Italy create the dream of the ease of all your senses. We have wonderful allocators and members in America who are looking for more than just a product, they are embracing a cultural journey, and our mission is to welcome them into our world. In terms of business, Italian family-owned companies are a true example for me: they have an enduring vision, knowledgeable management, and a deep culture of craftsmanship.
What are your goals with Baron d’Avella in the coming years? (FDA) Our goal is to continue our aesthetic quest, our search for excellence, by sharing authenticity and art de vivre. We will continue to represent a traditional and true artisanal way of winemaking. Moreover, we aim to share more about our French and Italian family art de vivre with our community through unique experiences. We will also expand our champagne allocation, offering the possibility for more countries to access our champagne and wines. Additionally, we plan to open our family universe further by diversifying our hospitality and other activities, always putting our members at the center and making them part of our extended family.
