The 20th
anniversary
edition
March 14 & 15, 2025
at UNESCO • Paris

Could you provide us with some essential information to understand the House of Hennessy, its market, and its territorial roots in the Cognac region, as well as its commitment to environmental issues?

Laurent Boillot: For nearly 260 years now, Hennessy has been creating exceptional cognacs that are appreciated worldwide. We are the largest spirits house globally, present in 150 countries, with the heart of our business based in Cognac. We work closely with our 1,600 partner winegrowers who cultivate 33,000 hectares of vines.

At Hennessy, the vine, the land, and the people who cultivate it from generation to generation are at the core of our business. This is why we made early commitments to sustainable development. Hennessy established its sustainability department right after the Rio Summit in 1992. And in 1998, Hennessy became the first wine and spirits house in the world to be ISO 14001 certified. Today, we have a sustainability-focused executive committee led by Nathalie Meurer.

Hennessy has strong commitments, particularly regarding the regeneration of forests, soils, and water management. "Living Landscapes" is your mantra. Could you tell us what this represents and your ambitions in terms of regeneration?

When I took on my role at Hennessy, I had the intuition that trees could play a much more significant role than they had until then. Trees provide powerful solutions. Someone wisely used the term "vineyard desert" to describe the vineyards of Cognac—vineyards without trees or hedges. This expression, "vineyard desert," struck me. Where had the trees and forests gone?

My project for the Cognac AOC can be summed up in two words: Living Landscapes. "Living Landscapes" is the idea that we can design resilient, vibrant, tree-filled landscapes that will continue to bring renown to our cognacs for the next 300 years.

In Charente, we have the "1000 Palisses" project, aiming to plant 1,000 kilometers of hedgerows over 10 years. In France, we have a partnership with the ONF (National Forests Office) focused on the sustainable management of the Braconne Forest. Globally, with Reforest’Action and local NGOs, we aim to regenerate 50,000 hectares of forest ecosystems.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the University of the Earth on March 15, 2025, at UNESCO to testify about the symbiotic link between "Water and Forests." What message will you carry regarding this?

Trees have an incredible power: to bring rain to all life on Earth.

For several years, scientists such as Antonio Nobre and Anastassia Makarieva have been studying a little-known hydrological phenomenon: biotic pumps. This mechanism, also known as "flying rivers," helps create powerful currents of humid air above forests. Forests absorb groundwater and pump billions of tons of water vapor daily into vast "flying rivers." The water vapor released by the trees drives the winds. These winds cross continents and bring rain to distant regions.

Forests, therefore, are rainmakers. Without them, there is no rain, and without rain, nothing survives. This is a grand project for the world, and a source of inspiration for us to understand how this "biotic pump" phenomenon could be applied to the Charente region.

The nerve center of your House is located in the Cognac region, where you are deeply engaged. You work with many local winegrowers, helping them transition to decarbonize their activities. Why is this local presence important for the House of Hennessy, and how do you lead all your partners toward energy transition and sustainable agricultural practices?

On all these topics of transforming our landscapes and agricultural practices, we have a real challenge in bringing along our 1,600 partner winegrowers. Of the 33,000 hectares that supply us with eaux-de-vie, Hennessy owns only 180 hectares of vines, most of which are located on our estate, La Bataille. It is here that we rethink our viticulture models, take risks, and experiment with agroecological practices that are more respectful of life and biodiversity in the vineyard.

Our challenge is to move from the parcel level to the territory level. At the territorial level, we have worked with all stakeholders in viticulture to develop the new Environmental Certification for Cognac, which aims to strengthen sustainable viticulture practices.

You recently stated, "Hennessy and Martell are like Federer and Nadal in tennis," explaining that beyond your rivalries with other Cognac giants, you work "together when it comes to the common good." How are these actions reflected, and what are your next common challenges?

With the Cognac houses and viticulture stakeholders, we share an exceptional common asset: the Cognac terroir, which has given us so much and has been the foundation of the success of our cognacs. This common good is now threatened, especially by climate change, which is disrupting our natural ecosystems and production systems.

This urgency must push us from collective action to coalition. Although the Cognac houses are competitors in their markets, for the first time, they are coming together for the common good, particularly by encouraging winegrowers to subscribe to the new Environmental Certification for Cognac.

"Living Landscapes" goes far beyond just our vineyards. By planting hedgerows, trees, and creating ecological corridors, it is the entire region that becomes more virtuous. Our project is to make our Cognac region the most beautiful and sustainable.