Anthéa Bruno, oenologist of the Groupe Charlois , as told by Stéphane Ebel

Between wines and Oak

Her Mediterranean accent doesn’t go unnoticed—it’s melodic and welcoming, just like her. Anthéa Bruno, 31 years old, hails from Berre-l’Étang, near Marseille, a region steeped in agriculture. Anthéa came to the area four years ago for love and stayed for her passion: being an oenologist.

On this March morning, Anthéa welcomes a group of about twenty students to Murlin—students specializing in forest management. The agenda for the day includes a tour of the Bertranges Forest, followed by a visit to the facilities in Murlin: from the stave mill to the cooperage, with a stop at the wood yard. For Anthéa, “These visits are a real pleasure; I enjoy them a lot. It’s a particularly enjoyable part of my work. Sharing the group’s story, the facilities, and the craftsmanship is pure happiness.”

The other side of Anthéa’s job is oenology, a field she discovered almost by chance during her studies.

The Revelation of the Vine and the Wine

Her knowledge of wine was initially scientific—specifically chemical. With a degree in oenology, Anthéa arrived in the Loire Valley, in Sancerre, for an end-of-studies internship, seeking work in a region where wine and vineyards are considered sacred. From her native land, she retains a love for terroir and the agricultural world. My parents, my grandparents, were tomato producers in Berre-l’Étang. It used to be the tomato capital before Spain, particularly Andalusia, started producing on an ultra-intensive scale. Taking over the family business? The question arose. But while agriculture is deeply ingrained in Anthéa’s DNA, she decided to turn toward biology and biotechnology. She pursued a BTS in biotechnology, followed by a first year of a Master’s in plant biology and microbiology. I quickly realized during an internship that working in a fundamental research lab didn’t excite me. Then I heard about a Master’s program in Vine and Wine, and it immediately resonated with me. She headed to Montpellier, to the agronomy school, where she discovered a world that would become her true calling.

In the Right Place, at the Right Time

Today, Anthéa works at the Exact laboratory in Murlin, in the Research and Innovation section. A job she landed just over three years ago, almost by chance. “I was in the right place at the right time,” she says modestly. “I discovered the region during an internship at SICAVAC in Sancerre, an experience that only confirmed I’d made the right choice in pursuing a career in the wine industry.” Soon after, Anthéa applied to several wineries in Sancerre and decided to settle there in search of a job. Things quickly took a turn. Through a connection, she sent a spontaneous application to the Charlois Group. “I was told that my profile might interest them,” she recalls. She was right. A month later, Anthéa joined the group./p>

Oak in the Service of Oenology

In addition to staves destined for wine barrel production, the Charlois Group has developed a wide range of oak-based products and services for various professionals: coopers, winemakers, cork makers, and more. Enhancing wines and developing aromas using high-quality oak-derived products are some of the tasks Anthéa oversees.

“Oak has natural properties that affect wine directly or indirectly. Toasting, barrel aging, or even adding raw materials directly into the wine—these are the aspects I work on in collaboration with the group’s sales teams and winemakers. It’s fascinating; I learn something new every day. And what a pleasure it is to work with such a noble material for prestigious houses, and for a group that is committed to excellence, innovation, and continually pushing the boundaries of research and development to meet its clients’ needs,” Anthéa shares enthusiastically.

The Forest, Trades, a Family

In three years, Anthéa has learned a great deal about the Charlois Group. To say she knows it like the back of her hand would be an understatement. All it takes is attending one of her tours to understand. The trades of stave-making, cooperage, wood maturation, the forest, oak and its derivatives—not to mention the Charlois Group and family, whose story she knows by heart.

“I come from an agricultural background, from a family-run farm. I understand the value of the land, the terroir, and family values. These are the same values I find here in Murlin and in the group’s other subsidiaries. The men and women here have remained humble and approachable. It’s a joy to work in this atmosphere; it makes you want to give your best, to go further, all together. We have the resources to do our work well, and that’s exactly what we do. It’s no coincidence that Charlois is the leader in its field. Like the oak tree, it grows stronger without forgetting its roots. That resonates with me. My life is here now!”.

Photo © Christophe Deschanel