Described by way of former colleagues as a “wonderful character” and “absolute star,” DB is also extraordinarily unhappy to report this loss to the United Kingdom beverages exchange, having loved Simon’s jolly business enterprise and beneficiant spirit over the last a long time.
According to Alan Montague-Dennis, prestige enterprise director at Mentzendorff, Simon – otherwise known as The Tank – began his career working for Blue Circle cement in Cheshire. Following inside the footsteps of his father, Anthony Leschallas, Simon joined Mentzendorff in 1978. He remained a director for 29 years, turning into “broadly recognized and respected for the duration of the wine alternate.
For Montague-Dennis, Simon might be high-quality remembered for his time working as emblem ambassador for Champagne Bollinger and changed into instrumental in forging sponsorships with the Open Golf, Royal Ascot, and the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. Following his departure from Mentzendorff in 2009, Simon shaped a brand new employer known as St Aubyn Leschallas Wines Ltd, particularly uploading Vondeling from South Africa and taking on a position as brand ambassador for Charles Heidsieck Champagne.
Simon became a past master of the Vintners’ Company and the Worshipful Company of Distillers and a trustee of the Wine Trade Sports Club. James Simpson MW, managing director of Pol Roger Portfolio and previous colleague of Simon’s at Mentzendorff, expressed his surprise at this tragic news, which reached him the day gone by. Describing Simon as “an absolute celebrity,” he said that “with his death, the alternate loses yet another top-notch person. Simpson, like Montague-Dennis, recalled Simon’s powerful role setting up Bollinger Champagne in the UK and also wrote the subsequent private tribute, which we have reproduced under:
“Happened to be a Lords closing night time watching the cricket once I heard; it changed into especially poignant in that, at some stage in my time operating at Mentzendorff, I had labored very intently with Simon in the Bollinger Tent at the corner of the Nursery Ground after which within the Dedans Bar. I had a few first-rate times there, starting widespread numbers of bottles, assembly some of the England cricketers, and making smoked salmon sandwiches to the accompaniment of the Real Tennis.
Yesterday was additionally the first day of the Open Championships, an occasion with which Simon changed into associated for a lot of his profession. He was a excellent host of the iconic crimson and white striped Bollinger Tent; I changed into fortunate enough to be there with him at seven Opens during my time at Mentzendorff; from torrential rain Lytham to baking warmth up at St.
Andrews (and a dip inside the bay every nighttime). And, despite my transferring to Pol Roger, Simon continued to be a extraordinary friend and the precise function version. He associated brilliantly to all and sundry he met (whether junior or senior). He had a captivating feel of humor and became a suitable Master of the Vintners’ Company to cap all of it.
