Imagine you own a car company that intended to compete against Rolls Royce. How exactly do you prepare for that challenge? Most wouldn't even try. Yes, Jay Dhillon couldn’t say no when he was asked to partake in building a champagne company. Throughout his life, Mr. Dhillon has founded several businesses and holds multiple US patents that led to successful product development. But a champagne company is a first for him. And why champagne? Because it is the ultimate and most noble of wines. Its limited sourcing and quantity are irresistible. Besides, it is pretty cool to own a champagne company!
Jay became involved with the Le Medaillon Champagne company 3 ½ years ago when he met his business partner from France, Laurent Panfilo. Laurent told him about a new champagne that he was creating. Laurent’s family has been growing and bottling wines and champagnes in Champagne, France for more than 200 years. Given that he already had the best analogs in the region, for the previous five years he had been utilizing the best attributes of the greatest champagnes in the world to create what is now Le Medaillon Champagne. Yes, he is a bit of a wine mad scientist.
When Laurent approached Jay regarding his involvement, Mr. Dhillon did his due diligence, including blind tastings by sommeliers against popular champagnes such as Veuve Clicquot, Moet Chandon, Bollinger, Billecart Salmon, Dom Perignon etc…and Le Medaillon won every taste test! The next step was to create a notable name/brand (the Le Medaillon logo and Medaillon) and ship the product to the USA to begin a soft marketing campaign.
Since then, it has been quite a journey. The Le Medallion champagne company has sponsored and participated in events from coast to coast, including the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America show where they received a tremendous response, not to mention the fact that they have scored at the highest level against their competitors with score of 92 points on Wine Spectator! But perhaps the most exciting step thus far would be their success at both the Grammys and the Oscars. Many of Jay’s friends in the entertainment business in LA tasted Le Medallion champagne and absolutely loved it, so they put him in contact with right people to have the product placed at numerous events for both the Grammys and Oscars. This was amazing for the brand as it received great content and exposure.
The company also has had conversations with a number of “A” list celebrities who desire to become partners. Though exciting, Jay and the people at Le Medallion remain firmly committed to organic growth, and they believe that their product speaks for itself. Le Medallion champagne is aged almost double the time of its competitors to produce its unique taste, nose and consistency that consumers enjoy so much. And if not champagne, there is a Le Medallion product for everyone and every occasion. If you want to impress, choose the Cuvee Reserve, of which only 12,000 bottles are produced annually. If with family and friends, the Brut is the perfect choice.
Of course, it hasn’t all been success stories. Building a company from the ground up means never ending hours, promotions, money, launching a new product, being frozen out by distributors, finding shelf space at retailers and limited advertising, especially in a market as old as champagne. The most visible champagne companies in the marketplace have been in business for hundreds of years. Le Medallion, therefore, does not and cannot compete solely on price. The company must compete on the basis that their product really is that superior to their competitors. In addition, distribution of the product is the key to full market penetration, and convincing a distributor to carry the product, and incur the wrath of the other champagne brands continues to be a significant issue. It is a challenge but one that Mr. Dhillon embraces. He believes that the unique quality and taste of his product is what will enable his company to overcome the obstacles and thrive.
As for the immediate future, the company may have a surprise in the next few months, but its current focus is on what they do best: bringing the best of French champagne to America. As a firmly based US company, Jay intends to focus on growth from the Midwest as well as the both coasts. Since champagne has historically been “Europe centric,” it is Jay’s goal to imbue his product with a bit of American flair, and as an owner of this brand, he intends to make this an American success story.
Le Medallion products, including a 750 ml Brut, a 750 ml Rose and a 750 ml Cuvee Reserve and “spilts” 375 ml Brut and a 375 ml Rose. Products can be found at alcohol retailers such as Binny’s, Cardinal Liquors, Walts, Kenwood etc. and restaurants such as Gibson’s, Bin 36, Redstone etc.