I am always a little uneasy—perhaps wrongly so—about the many tributes on social media and in the press that follow the passing of a notable figure in the wine world. It often feels as though one must publicly display their compassion and, if possible, demonstrate some connection to the deceased, however distant it may be. For once, and against my usual habits, I will also write a few words for those who did not know Frédéric Panaïotis.
I knew Frédéric through our professional interactions, but also from a few occasions outside of work, such as dinners organized with mutual friends. Wine—and especially Champagne—was, of course, always present. “Fred” was an outstanding taster. Above all, he was a genuinely kind person: quietly brilliant, grounded in the real world, and insatiably curious—qualities often found in those rare, superior minds that help move the world forward.
Frédéric Panaïotis was born in 1964. He spent much of his childhood in the family vineyard, where he discovered his passion for vines and wine at an early age. After studying at the Institut National Agronomique Paris-Grignon, specializing in viticulture and oenology, he earned his oenologist’s diploma from the École Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Montpellier in 1988. His professional journey took him across France and to California to further hone his expertise. Returning to Champagne in 1991, he joined the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne, then the House of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin. In 2007, he became Chef de Caves at Maison Ruinart, where he played a major role in the house’s oenological development and communication, frequently traveling internationally.
Frédéric was also a passionate freediver. Two or three times a week, he trained in the pool, either very early in the morning or in the evening. He dove, he said, “to push himself and gain perspective.” He was a respected instructor and an experienced freediver, “practicing for over fifteen years and having completed numerous dives beyond 50 meters,” as the Apnée Grand-Est commission notes. On June 15, accompanied by three instructors from Reims-Palmes-Apnée, he was taking part in a training session in Belgium. During his second dive to 25 meters, the safety diver, not seeing him resurface, raised the alarm. Despite the swift intervention of his colleagues, Frédéric had become detached from the line.
There are never the right words or the right tone to convey such news—too flowery, too convoluted, or too blunt. Let us simply remember a good person who achieved great things. Rest in peace, Frédéric Panaïotis.
Olivier Borneuf