The French oenologist and scientist Émile Peynaud (1912-2004) was one of the most important wine critics in the field. He entered the service of the wine trading house Calvet at the age of 15 and collaborated under the guidance of the chemist and "father of wine science" Jean Ribérau-Gayon (1930-2011) on analytical methods to determine the quality of purchased wine. After the Second World War, Peynaud completed a doctorate at the University of Bordeaux and was awarded a chair there. From 1949, he directed agricultural and oenological research. From 1968 to 1977, he was director of the Institute of Enology. The selection of only healthy and above all physiologically ripe grapes was an important concern for him and he made a special effort to give Bordeaux wines more balance and longevity. From the late 1940s onwards, he acted as a consultant for many châteaux in Bordeaux.
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