Spotlight on Maison MIRABEAU
JEANY CRONK, CO-FOUNDER OF THE AWARD-WINNING PROVENÇAL WINE BRAND, SHARES HER JOURNEY
The vineyards and lavender fields of Provence paint the perfect picture of the good life, irresistible to many. In 2009, seduced by the region, Jeany Cronk and her husband, Stephen, relocated from London to the hillside village of Cotignac, with the dream of establishing a winery.
‘Before our grand adventure, we had a settled life in London with our three children. I’d begun training as an interior designer and Stephen had been offered a significant step up the corporate ladder,’ recalls Cronk. ‘He then confessed that he wanted to throw it all in for the wine industry, a career he’d first explored years before. After a fair few sleepless nights, we quit our jobs, sold the house and took off for the blue skies of Provence.’
With just Stephen’s prior knowledge of the industry, a shared love of rosé and a rusty command of the language, the couple set about establishing a new life for their family in France. But with vineyards demanding high prices, Cronk and her husband instead began cultivating relationships with local grape growers to create their wine. ‘We are negociants, which means we are expert blenders. It’s similar to how perfume houses create scents. We partner with some of the best vineyards and growers in the region and assemble the finest base wines.’
More than a decade later, their label, Maison Mirabeau, has a commanding presence on the global wine stage. The brand’s ethos, Cronk says, celebrates elevating the everyday: ‘We pride ourselves on creating moments of joy that go above and beyond expectation.’ The couple have now also achieved their dream of purchasing a vineyard. Spanning 20 hectares, Domaine Mirabeau is currently converting to organic practices and reducing water, waste and energy usage.
And when it comes to filling her home and larder, Cronk is spoilt for choice: ‘We’re lucky to have many markets locally. And I love Aix-en-provence, which has wonderful independent shops, including Bastide, with a great selection of scents; Patisserie Weibel, creators of the best cakes around; and L’apothicaire in Lourmarin, an interiors shop. Bayley & Sage (a deli in Wimbledon Village), Petersham Nurseries and Maison Margaux are UK favourites.