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The Domaine Lafage from Roussillon takes over the highly indebted winemaker cooperative Groupement Interproducteurs Collioure Banyuls (GICB) in southern France. The court in Perpignan approved the offer from the family winery a few days ago, several French media report. The new owner intends to continue the operation under the name "Terrasses Vermeilles".
The GICB accounts for about 60 percent of the wines of the AOPs Banyuls and Collioure. About 500 grape producers cultivate around 500 hectares, mostly steep terraced locations on the Côte Vermeille. Since March 2026, the cooperative has been in a restructuring process due to debts of around 20 million euros. A purchase price was not disclosed.
The problems have intensified over the years: declining sales of sweet and red wines, drought, low yields, and rising production costs burdened the cooperative. At the same time, production fell from around 23,000 hectoliters in 2011 to about 9,000 to 10,000 hectoliters recently. Revenue collapsed during the same period from 25 million to around ten million euros.
Jean-Marc Lafage does not plan to make any major changes before the upcoming harvest. After an observation phase, producers are to receive higher grape prices, which will also be paid out more quickly. Exclusive supply contracts are intended to secure the company's supply and offer particularly younger winemakers a perspective.
Of the last 135 employees, about 80 percent are to be retained, according to reports from French media. The historic cellars and well-known brands such as "Terres des Templiers" and "Abbé Rous" will also be preserved. Lafage had previously exported some wines from Abbé Rous abroad.
The takeover prevents the impending liquidation and initially secures the 2026 harvest. Whether "Terrasses Vermeilles" will be successful in the long term depends primarily on better marketing and higher utilization of the production facilities.
(uka – Photo: GICB)
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