3 Major Wine Knight Titles Awarded... 34 Recipients Worldwide This Year
Team Leader Kim Ung, Only Korean Recipient
All Leaders of Lotte Liquor Division Receive Wine Knight Titles
Lotte Mart and Super announced on the 9th that Kim Woong, head of the liquor team, received the French wine knighthood title of ‘Commanderie’ at Ch?teau Girod in Bordeaux, France, on the 25th of last month.
‘Commanderie’ is one of the three major French wine knighthood titles, along with ‘G?rard de Saint-?milion’ and ‘Chevalier’. Since the first knighthood was awarded in 1949, this year it was bestowed on only 34 people worldwide, with Kim Woong being the only Korean recipient.
Kim Woong, head of the Liquor Team at Lotte Mart and Super, is receiving the title of 'Commanderie' at the Ch?teau Girod winery in Bordeaux, France, on the 25th of last month.
The ‘Commanderie’ knighthood is an honor awarded to wine experts and dignitaries from around the world who have contributed to the development of Bordeaux region wines. At Lotte Mart, this is the second time the title has been awarded since Lee Young-eun, head of the liquor division at Lotte Mart and Super, received it. Kim Woong was recognized for his contributions to popularizing wine through exclusive importation of low-priced wines in the 3,000 KRW range in 2020, expanding imports of French Bordeaux Grand Cru wines targeting wine enthusiasts during the opening of Lotte Mart’s mega wine shop ‘Bottle Bunker’, and providing these wines at reasonable prices, thereby revitalizing the market.
With Kim Woong’s acquisition of the wine knighthood, all leaders of Lotte Mart and Super’s liquor divisions now hold knighthood titles. Lee Young-eun received the ‘Commanderie’ knighthood in 2019, and Park Hye-jin, head of the Bottle Bunker team, was awarded the ‘Dame Chevalier’ knighthood by the French Champagne organization OCC in 2023. Additionally, all members of the liquor and Bottle Bunker teams are wine experts who have completed the internationally recognized WSET certification course up to Level 2.
To commemorate the awarding of the Commanderie knighthood, Lotte Mart is holding a wine discount event until the 14th. At Lotte Mart’s offline stores, about 300 types of Bordeaux Grand Cru Class? and New World premium wines will be offered by vintage at reasonable prices. When paying with event cards (Lotte, KB Kookmin, Shinhan cards), customers can receive an additional discount of 40,000 KRW for purchases over 300,000 KRW and 80,000 KRW for purchases over 500,000 KRW, limited to one use per person per day.
Lotte Mart Mall, operated by Lotte On, is also offering limited-quantity pre-sales of premium wines. Featured products include Bordeaux M?doc Grand Cru Class? First Growth wines ‘Ch?teau Lafite Rothschild 2020’ and ‘Ch?teau Mouton Rothschild 2020’, each priced at 1,290,000 KRW, and Bordeaux Saint-?milion Grand Cru Class? A grade ‘Ch?teau Pavie 2020’ at 599,000 KRW. Each product can be ordered on Lotte On and picked up at any Lotte Mart store nationwide via ‘Smart Pick’.
Kim Woong, head of the liquor team at Lotte Mart and Super, said, “Although customer preference for American and Spanish wines is increasing, French Bordeaux Grand Cru remains popular and is the most chosen among wine enthusiasts. Having received the great honor of the Commanderie knighthood, I will strive to promote the charm of Bordeaux wines to more consumers.”
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