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Here is the translation of the August 2004 Midi-Libre Article

New York Wines Have a Poussan Accent

In New York, the wines from here have the accent of Poussan, the tiny village in the South of France where Sylvie's family produced wine for nine generations. An artist who, until now, had for a sole objective the design of jewelry, is on the way to becoming one of the ambassadresses of French wines, in particular Languedoc, in New York. Born in Poussan, Sylvie Oliver comes from a family of wine growers. Her grandfather, then her father worked their vines a long time, in the foot of the hills of Mourre. Today, one of her cousins, Jacques Bordenave, cultivates part of the grounds of their common ancestors. With a certain success, since his "Mas Cabrolous" succeeded in crossing the Atlantic. With the excellence of his product in AOC and with the talent of his cousin living in New York, Jacques Bordenave succeeds today. It is a family drama, in fact the death of her father, who pushed Sylvie recently in a dream to try to make known the light local wines to the American wine lovers. The idea was created in the mind of her husband two and half years ago: "He thought that while traveling regularly between the two countries and having two houses, one in New York, the other in Poussan, I could try to sell wine in New York". Sylvie Oliver was almost ignorant up to now "At the time, I did not even know what was a type of vine", she remembers. Self taught in the ways of wine, she had to learn all the subtleties of the export of the wines. To locate the interesting products is undoubtedly summarized "with a very good faculty of tasting and a to recognize which wine can join which foods. I am neither a sommelière, nor oenologist, but I have a perfect taste ", insists from now on Sylvie Oliver. In two and half years and after the first year that she describes as "torture", Sylvie Oliver all the same has succeeded in making her place among the French wine retailers in New York. Her work is recognized today: "In the profession, everyone trusts me from now on". A confidence which is found in the number of wines that she can from now on proudly promote on the tables of the best restaurants of New York. Thus, last year, she modestly started by "placing" two wines: one of Cahors, the other of the area of Pézenas and, this year, her prize list has six references, including two Languedocians. Wines from Pézenas and "Mas Cabrolous" of her cousin from Poussan. Her technique consists in spending approximately five months in France and devoting most of this time to locating wines. Then she presents them in New York, to her prospective customers, during a tasting. Sylvie praises them then negotiates the possible order... She does not hide that the Iraq has effects on Franco-American relations: the statements of the type "I will not buy French wines" do not deter me underscores Sylvie Oliver. Sylvie entered the spiral of a vibrating trade: " I take courses of oenology, tasting, I read and I attend all tastings which take place in New York", explains the American who ensures not to have become self absorbed: "I am not a business woman, I simply go to the best places and my goal is to propose my wines to the largest restaurants of New York" She dreams to see one day one of her Languedoc selections rated by the critics of the New York Times. For two years, she has also placed all of her French discoveries at Bayfield, a francophile distributor of wines in Brooklyn. Finally, very sure herself, Sylvie Oliver promises: "I will bring people to Languedoc wines gradually"

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