Our Master Blender

Her origins and background
Mother of two boys, Cécile Roudaut lives in a small town of 3,000 inhabitants, in a former post office surrounded by vineyards. Born in nearby Saumur – as was Coco Chanel before her – she loves the mild climate, landscapes, white lime-stone, vines and light in Anjou in France’s lower Loire Valley.
As a young adult, Cécile’s interest in the grapevine was noticed by the local grape-growers and cellar-masters in Angers and Saumur who showed her how wine was made. She later joined a winery and developed her passion for the product by studying oenology.
Inspired and encouraged by this experience, Cécile joined Rémy Cointreau in July 1997, working in the Research & Development department. That was where her close relationship with St-Rémy began, culminating in June 2016 with her appointment as Master Blender, following the retirement of Martine Pain.
Aware that her job involves the transmission of knowledge to a wider audience, Cécile Roudaut has been giving courses at the University of Angers for the past 15 years, in the fields of sensory analysis and food biochemistry.

A Master Blender with an open mind
Cécile Roudaut defines her role as Master Blender as follows: “I work on selecting eaux-de-vies and nurturing them whilst they are aging in oak barrels; I then taste them and create the blends which will become St-Rémy brandy.” She focuses on pursuing this ancestral task by respecting the brand’s values: “St-Rémy has strong roots – tradition, history, and a real elegance. My role is to ensure that the brand retains its authenticity.”