The Primum Familiae Vini are pleased to announce that the jury formed of one member of each of its twelve wine-making families has selected an independent eight-generation family-owned silk and wool manufacturer in France – Brun de Vian-Tiran – as the winner of the €100,000 PFV Prize “Family is Sustainability” of 2022.
11 April – Brun de Vian-Tiran was founded on the river Sorgue in 1808 in Provence and managed to survive through wars, crisis and international competition for 8 generations. Pierre Brun – 7th generation – searched for the descendants of Spanish merino sheep imported by Louis XVI in 1786 and there are now 15 local flocks with the original merino’s genes producing fine wool for them. Pierre and son Jean-Louis continue to buy wool from local shepherds in the Arles and Alp regions, but they also travelled to Mongolia to find local herders who were producing baby camel wool on the edge of the Gobi Desert, resulting in additional income for the herders, and creating a shining example of sustainability and the continuation of an ancient way of life.
The twelve PFV families believe that through this prize they can use their long histories – and the fame of their wines – to encourage independent family-owned companies to continue their projects and to encourage product excellence, generational succession and social responsibility. These values are para- mount to the twelve winemaking PFV members.
Priscilla Incisa Della Rocchetta, President of the PFV, said:
‘It was hard to select the winner from amongst so many good applicants, but our jury were impressed by the Brun’s commitment to family continuity, to its local community and to the origin of its raw-materials. Today with 50 employees (factory, shop and museum combined ) and with some of their staff being in the fourth or fifth generation working with them, they are a great model for all family companies.’
Jean-Louis Brun, Managing Director of Brun de Vian-Tiran, commented:
‘We are deeply touched to have received this prize because not only do we share the same family values as the PFV family members, we also have in common the fact we seek out the best nature has to offer, and seek to bring out its beauty through human intervention. Today I represent the eighth generation as head of this family firm and this PFV award will enable us to continue down the path of innovation by supporting development projects for product design. I am proud to keep the Brun de Vian-Tiran adventure going; an adventure that, by creating that timeless product – cloth – attests to a family’s commitment to French know-how and regions down the centuries.’
