A spirited family business

Michel Firino Martell's name may sound familiar to lovers of quality spirits. His family founded the world-famous cognac brand three centuries ago. Now Michel is seeking to make his own mark in the world of wine and spirits. Instead of tapping the mass market, he has his own business selling limited edition wine to Chinese and Asian markets, tapping into the growing demand for investment-grade wine in the region.

"My grandfather told me that you don't drink the bottle but what's inside," Martell said. "It has become my business motto because it reminds me that quality is the most important thing to lure customers."

The Martell fame began 300 years ago when Jean Martell, a wine merchant from the Isle of Jersey started the Martell company, the maker of what was until the late 1980s the most popular cognac in the world. In a landmark deal in 1988, Michel's uncle Rene Martell sold the company to Seagram for a significantly inflated price of US$850 million.

Sales of Martell fell by nearly 40 per cent in the 1990s because Seagram neglected the brand in favour of its own Chivas Regal whisky. Martell was then sold to its existing owner Pernod Ricard.

Under Pernod Ricard, Martell's sales have rebounded and jostle with Hennessy for the No 1 spot in cognac sales.

Michel started his wine career working for Seagram Americas in New York in 1994, and spent seven years with the company around the world.