Burgundy’s wine expert!

Meet Marc Ragaine the world’s best wine expert

Marc Ragaine, 35 moved to Burgundy at the age of 3 with his parents, after having searched France high and low in order to find their dream in a run down watermill, in the Yonne which they turned into a flourishing restaurant. At the age of 10, Marc got his first taste of the food and wine industry by helping his parents in their restaurant, and from that moment on he knew just what he wanted to do later in life!

After having studied gastronomy, he decided to increase his knowledge about wines and embarked on wine studies in Dijon. Marc’s many talents even came to the attention of the famous gourmet restaurant ‘Le Tour d’Argent’ in Paris who offered him an apprenticeship, based on his potential and his already raving reviews!

Marc did so well that he actually became their wine expert! “It was a very interesting and responsible job, but unexpected things do happen and you have to keep your cool!.. Once, one of our clients ordered a bottle of 1966 Dom Perrignon and the Champagne literally exploded from its bottle. The cork smashed a window before landing in another client’s glass and half of the bottle of this very expensive champagne was lost. The restaurant manager’s face just went white!”

However, Marc’s Burgundy calling was never to be forgotten. I just missed the Beautiful Burgundy scenery Marc says and after his parents retired, he moved back to the Yonne region and became the proud owner of a wine cellar, Le Cellier des Agapes in Auxerre. Marc’s crowning glory came in 2003 when he became The World’s Best Independent Wine Expert, beating over 5000 other international wine experts!

“I love my work” explains Marc, “Wine is a more of a passion than a business to me. I get a real kick out of teaching my clients. I enjoy breaking their preconceived ideas about wines.” Marc spends every Monday hunting for and tasting different wines to offer even more choice to his clients and he spends every other evening doing research, “my friends think I’m crazy to put so much work into my wines, but I disagree, it’s worth every minute of it!” And judging by Marc’s results his work certainly pays off!

Marc even offers a series of free wine discovery sessions in Auxerre, where he helps clients discover different wines and even gives suggestions on how to combine wine with chocolate!
Marc’s web site is currently being revised but you can contact him at: [email protected]© Jacquie Boulton-Bridoux