In Conversation With Mathieu Jullien on Bringing the World’s Most Exceptional Wines to India

Born in a winemaking family in the Southern Rhône Valley in France, Mathieu Jullien seems destined for his role as the CEO of LVMH Vins d'Exception. The division was founded in 2019 to unite four exceptional wine estates across France and the US that are owned, fully or partially, by the LVMH group. Jullien served as the Sales and Marketing Director of LVMH Vins d'Exception since its inception, and was elevated to its CEO in 2025. On his recent visit to India, we caught up with Jullien to know his take on what truly makes a wine exceptional, the stewardship of historic estates, and India’s potential as a serious market for fine wines.

Robb Report (RR): Tell us a bit about LVMH’s Vins d’Exception and why it was created.

Mathieu Jullien: LVMH’s spirits division has many iconic brands, including indivisuals like Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, and Hennessy Cognac. However, Vins d'Exception was specifically created to support the development of four wine estates—Domaine des Lambrays in Burgundy with an illustrious history going back to 1365; Château d'Yquem, founded in 1593 and the only premier Cru Classé Supérieur in Sauternes and in Bordeaux; Château Cheval Blanc, a leading Bordeaux estate located in Saint-Émilion, which was established in 1832; and Colgin Cellars, a highly acclaimed Napa Valley estate founded in 1992. Our focus isn’t on multiplying the sales; we cannot go from 100 bottles to 200 bottles as this business is nature-led. Instead, we’re looking at long-term value creation by managing the estates and passing their viticultural savoir-faire down the generations.

RR: How do you personally define “exception” in fine wine today, beyond rarity and price?

Mathieu Jullien: When you talk about wine, you need to talk about the vineyard, the way it is managed, and the overall quality of the terroir. You need to understand where the wine is made, and that's what defines these exceptional wines. Nowadays, especially with technique, you can make a very delicious wine in many parts of the world. But the ability to age and to improve and to reveal itself after ten, twenty, thirty years—that's the specific character of a great wine. The greatest wines will only go up in value over time.

RR: How has LVMH’s view of India as a luxury wine market evolved in recent years?

Mathieu Jullien: We divide our markets into two types—where we already have a strong historical distribution and we 'defend our position', and markets where we are not very well represented yet or not a,t all where we need to develop. Why India? The sheer size of the market is astonishing. We know that Indian consumers and collectors know our wines and drink our wines. But they drink them in London, Paris, or Dubai. But if they start drinking them in India, the middle class will take inspiration from this. I understand that weddings are a significant part of Indian culture, and if our wines could become a feature of the best Indian weddings in the country, it would qualify as a success.

RR: What factors do you think will help India emerge as a market for the world’s most prestigious wines?

Mathieu Jullien: We are here in India at a very lucky time, just when the free trade agreement with the European Union has been announced. While this opens up a big opportunity, there are many rules, regulations, and taxes at the state level. So, this could be a point of vigilance for us. We are meeting people in leadership positions who might have an overall influence on opening up the market to fine wines in the future.