The IWC lifetime achievement award honours a person within the trade that has shown dedication and commitment, and has made a significant difference to the global wine industry.
This was the 34th year of the IWC and after receiving the award, de Lencquesaing said: “I am honoured to be chosen by the IWC for this award. Wine has always been an incredibly important part of the journey throughout my life, and it’s humbling to be recognised in this way.
“Growing up and living in Bordeaux has been a great chance to learn and better understand wine and the people who make it.”
Having spent many years travelling the globe with her late husband, de Lencquesaing took over the family business in 1978, and following a successful tenure as head of Pichon Lalande – where she became known as ‘La Generale’ - she sold the estate to Champagne Louis Roederer in 2007.
In 2003, aged 78, she bought a fruit farm in South Africa now known as the thriving Glenelly Estate in Stellenbosch, which she runs alongside her two grandsons Nicolas Bureau and Arthur de Lencquesaing.
De Lencquesaing said: “Although investing in South Africa at my age was certainly a real challenge, I had a very clear vision of what I wanted to create and couldn’t pass on this opportunity.
“It has been my absolute joy to see Glenelly thrive and prosper as I envisioned all those years ago. It’s such an exciting time for South Africa and we are so happy to be part of an international wine culture where our wines are taken as seriously as the most revered wines in the world.”
