négociant

[nay-goh-SYAHN] French for "merchant" or "dealer," used in the wine world to refer to a person or firm that sells and ships wine as a wholesaler. The extent of the role played by this intermediary has expanded over time. Traditionally, négociants bought, matured, sometimes blended, and then bottled and shipped wine. Over time, the role expanded to include purchasing grapes and making wine. Some labels may contain the phrase négociant-éleveur (see éleveur), indicating that the merchant played a more extensive role in producing the wine. In some transactions, there is another intermediary-a courtier or "wine broker," who helps establish the price paid by a négociant to a small producer. Some of the better-known French négociants are Barton & Guestier, Calvet, Cordier, Moueix, and Sichel.