They may not own vineyards or barrels, but their mark on Mallorcan wine is deep and refined. Since 1987, Redivins has been challenging the rules: known as Mallorca’s first French wine importer, but today, it’s much more than that. It has become curators of exquisite labels, partners to legendary wineries and cultural trailblazers on the island. We spoke to Joan Mut to find out how a small company can have such a big influence in the sector without bottling a single drop. The answer? A clear vision, genuine relationships and an unfiltered passion for well-told wine.
How would you define Redivins’s mission today? What has it become since it was first established?
Redivins has evolved hugely since its creation in 1987, when it was founded by Jacques Noris. These days we’re far more than an import company. We’re well established in the Balearic Islands and we also work in the Canary Islands and on the mainland. We represent Spanish, Mallorcan and international brands, but above all, we’ve built a strong identity thanks to our relationship with French wineries. We also take part in events in France, premières and events in Burgundy and Paris, which have allowed us to forge close ties with producers we now consider true partners.
What does it mean for you to be strategic partners with wineries like Domaine de Chevalier?
Representing a brand like Domaine de Chevalier, which we’ve always admired, is a major milestone. Their range, reds, whites and sweet wines, gives us powerful tools to position them in the Mallorcan market. These are versatile wines that work well, with a quality that fits perfectly with the island’s culinary offering, unlike other Bordeaux wineries that only produce reds.
One of your biggest milestones is the “Terroir” event. How has that developed?
This was the third edition of Terroir, and every year we’ve seen real growth, in terms of both the participation of wineries and turnout among professionals and the general public. We’ve had Spanish wineries like Muga, Roda, Cuentaviñas, Arzuaga, Chivite, Llopart, among others, as well as also Mallorcan wineries we’ve worked with for years: Ribas, Can Majoral, Miguel Oliver, Oliver Moragues, etc. We’re also continuing to strengthen ties with French wineries like Olivier Leflaive, Pol Roger, Domaine de Chevalier and Château Talbot.
You’ve also transformed your shop into a cultural space. What sort of activities do you put on?
Yes, the shop’s no longer just a wine shop. Each month we organise a three-hour event where a DJ plays different styles of music. We also host showrooms with creatives we know, from handbag designers to jewellers, and exhibitions of painted wine boxes. We want to offer a different angle, promoting wine culture through other disciplines.
We want to offer a different angle, promoting wine culture through other disciplines
What about the restaurant scene in Mallorca; how do you see it evolving, and what role does wine play?
The growth has been huge over the last ten or 15 years. Today, there’s a wide variety of high-quality cuisine. And that demands a wine list to match, in terms of both flavour and aesthetics. Restaurants are putting more and more thought into their image, and wine is part of that. If you offer good food, the wine should match it; it should elevate the experience.
What’s your ideal customer profile at Redivins?
Our perfect customer ranges from private individuals to restaurateurs or sommeliers who are passionate about wine and understand the impact it can have on their business. Wine doesn’t just add quality to the customer experience, it also affects turnover and the restaurant’s image. For people who get it the way we do, it’s a powerful tool.
You’ve got a very close relationship with your producers. How do you nurture that bond?
We try to keep things personal. We’re in regular contact with them, we share our needs and they help us place their brands in key areas. These days, the average wine quality in Spain is very high, but we always look for balance. We don’t want to take on brands that overlap with what we already offer. We prefer to stay loyal to the wineries we’ve worked with for years and build something long term.
You’ve also started releasing custom wines with local wineries. How did that come about?
It’s a response to specific gaps in the market. Sometimes we notice that a particular style of wine is missing and instead of looking elsewhere, we team up with Mallorcan wineries to create it. We explain what we’re after, do a tasting, define the style and then come up with the branding. The latest example is a wine called Betzol, which in Mallorcan means “foolish” or “silly”. With these labels, we also want to bring back old Mallorcan words that are slowly disappearing. It’s a way of connecting the product, place and culture.
