HISTORY

What is PFV?

Primum Familiae Vini, the "first families of wine", known as PFV, is an international association limited to a maximum of 12 wine families. Officially created in 1993, membership is by invitation only and all decisions have to be approved unanimously. 

Each family owns vineyard estates, is among the most prestigious wine producers of its region, and produces wines that enjoy an international reputation. Each year, in turn, one member of the association takes over the Presidency. Following Egon Müller, the 2007/2008 President is Hubert de Billy fifth generation of the Pol-Roger family.

A Brief History

The PFV concept was first conceived during an informal meeting between Miguel TORRES and Robert DROUHIN in 1990. It soon became clear that both families shared the same philosophy, and both experienced the same problems facing family businesses. The idea of an association of similar companies began to grow, and by the following year they were joined by representatives of three more families: Robert MONDAVI, SYMINGTON and Piero ANTINORI, who hosted the group in Florence. During the period from 1992-1993, various meetings were held, in Beaune at DROUHIN in 1992; in Vilafranca del Penedès at TORRES and in Oporto with the SYMINGTON family in 1993. The philosophy and aims of PFV were established, its statutes defined, and new members co-opted in order to form a group of twelve families in all.

A visit to Alsace at HUGEL in 1994 brought together all 12 P.F.V. members for the first time. They met again in 1995, just before VlNEXPO, in Bordeaux.
The twelve PFV members

On 29 November of the same year, the group was received in audience at the Zarzuela Palace, Madrid, by the King of Spain, to whom they presented a special PFV Collection Case with one bottle of the flagship wine from each of the twelve members of the P.F.V. association. Subsequent annual meetings have been held at EGON MULLER in 1996, at JABOULET in 1997, at ROBERT MONDAVI in 1998, at POL ROGER in 1999, at VEGA SICILIA in 2000, at MOUTON ROTHSCHILD in 2001, at DROUHIN in 2002, at SYMINGTON in 2003, at ANTINORI in 2004, at Torres in 2005, at Hugel in 2006 and at Egon Müller in 2007.

On May 4th, 1999 the members of Primum Familiae Vini were received by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at the Royal Palace. Hubert DE BILLY introduced his colleagues to the  monarch and they discussed the objectives of their association. A PFV Collection Case was presented to the King who is a keen wine enthusiast.

After a six-year vacancy Marchese Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta of Tenuta San Guido - Sassicaia in Bolgheri was unanimously selected to fill the 12th spot on June 18, 2004.
Changes in the ownership and control of the Robert Mondavi company in January 2005 and then almost exactly a year later in Paul Jaboulet Aîné prompted both founding members' resignation from the association. The Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel joined PFV in January 2006.