Ginestet

Ginestet began life in 1897 when Fernand Ginestet founded his wine company in Bordeaux. The firm established itself on the Quais de Bacalan and became closely linked to the local trade structure; Fernand Ginestet created an “Estate and Trade Union” that was a forerunner of what later became the Bordeaux Wine Council in 1948. For much of its history, Ginestet was known for Bordeaux wines and associations with notable châteaux.

In the 2000s the house extended its expertise in wine into perfumery. Working in collaboration with oenologists and a Paris-based perfumer, Ginestet set out to translate the character of specific Bordeaux wine styles into fragrance. In 2008 the company launched three perfumes built around this concept: Sauvignonne, inspired by dry white wine; Botrytis, modeled on Sauternes dessert wine; and Le Boisé, reflecting a woody red wine aged in oak. These scents use notes such as honey, fruits, woods and spices to mirror the flavor profiles of the wines they reference.

Today Ginestet’s perfume line is small but distinctive, positioned at the intersection of wine culture and niche fragrance. The perfumes often lean into gourmand and vinous accords, with Botrytis in particular gaining attention among enthusiasts for its honeyed, wine-like richness. Distribution remains relatively limited compared with mainstream designer brands, reinforcing the label’s specialized, wine-centric identity within perfumery.