About Us
Our mission is to import exceptional quality and price to value ratio wines from two of our most favored regions around the workd and offer them at the most competitive prices.
We focus primarily on limited-production classified and garage wines from Boredeaux, France, before they are discovedred by the media and other importers; and we import the wines as the exclusive agent for the USA. We also import eclusively into the USA the famed Hungarian TOKAJ wines in honor of our lineage.
Over the years, we have formed close relationships with Chateau owners and winemakers. This tight network allows us to obtain outstanding quality highly sought-after wines, and to import them directly from the producers or their negociants. We offer these wines at competitive prices throughout our network of distributors and brokers..
Our Management
The company is managed by Lou Kapcsandy, co-founder and president, and his son, Louis Kapcsandy Jr., co-founder and vice president.
Our Story
The story of Grand Cru Imports began in 1999. Lou developed a strong relationship with Michel Delon, patriarch and famed winemaker of Chateau Leoville-Las Cases. Monsieur Delon, impressed with Lou's palate, historical knowledge of France's illustrious wine industry, and technical knowledge of wine in general, encouraged him to start an import company.
The company was founded later that year, and in early 2000, Louis moved to Bordeaux. There, he worked as a technical consultant for Maison Joanne a powerhouse negociant firm (founded in 1862). There, he learned the many intricacies of the Bordeaux wine trade firsthand, through his association with Pierre-Antoine Casteja, one of Bordeaux's fiercest and most respected traders.
In July 2000, Louis worked his internship in the vineyards of St. Emilion, under the brilliant tutelage of Jean-Luc and Murialle Thunevin, Vanguards of the Bordeaux "garage wine" movement. The internship during the famous 2000 vintage lasted through vinification of many wines, most notably Chateau de Valandraud.
Lou and Louis visit Bordeaux and Hungary each year, selecting wines for import. Grand Cru Imports purchases wines directly from the winemakers or negociants "1er tranche en primieur", at opening prices a full two years before they are released for shipment. Therefore, many of the wines that the company imports are simply not available elsewhere, and are competitively priced because of the network that the father and son team have cultivated.
In 2000 the Kapcsándy family purchased the 20-acre famed Beringer State Lane vineyard. For twenty years, the fruit from this vineyard had been the cornerstone in Beringer's Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2001, the vineyard was completely replanted, and the 2004 vintage is Sold Out and the 2005 and 2006 vintages are currently offered for sale from the winery http://www.kapcsandywines.com or from distributors around the US.
Bios
Lou Kapcsandy
Lou's enthusiasm for wine started with the 1961 vintage of Leoville-Las Cases. From there he slowly amassed a collection of International and Domestic wines that today total over 20,000 bottles today.
But Lou's first career was in professional sports. Born and raised in Budapest, Hungary, he played premier league soccer and was a member of the Hungarian National Soccer team. He escaped to the United States after the 1956 Hungarian revolution, having to leave his entire family behind in Hungary. He served in the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C. Later, he played professional football with the San Diego Chargers before starting his business career.
Lou spent the next 15 years in petroleum and pharmaceuticals engineering and design field. For over 18 years, he headed up Baugh Enterprises, Inc; one of the largest commercial - industrial general contractors in the US, headquartered in Seattle. After retiring from Baugh in 2003 he and his wife Bobbie moved to their vineyard and winery property in Yountville, the tiny hamlet in Napa Valley, California.
Louis Kapcsandy Jr.
As Vice President and co-founder of Grand Cru Imports, Louis is responsible for strategical planning, business development, marketing and sales for GCI's portfolio of wines in the US. Previously he also held various positions in sales and marketing in the food and entertainment industries.
Louis began his career in the wine industry when he co-founded Grand Cru Imports and moved to Bordeaux in early 2000. He spent six months working with the highly respected négociant firm, S.A. JOANNE (established in 1862), to learn the intricacies of the Place de Bordeaux (network of chateaux owners, their agents and independent brokers). Throughout June-November 2000, he apprenticed with famed winemaker/consultants Jean-Luc and Murielle Thunevin of Chateau de Valandraud, St. Emilion, learning brilliant vineyard management techniques from Murielle and cutting-edge contemporary vinification methods from Jean-Luc. He is also grateful to oenologist Michel Rollan, Alain Vauthier of Ch. Ausone and Peter Sisseck of Dominio de Pingus for their continued consul and friendship. Louis currently lives in Napa Valley, CA.