CASTEL Réunion marks a strategic turning point : for the first time, the leading group in the wine sector in France and a major international player bottles one of its flagship national brands on the island ; Old -fashioned. This initiative is part of a vision of sustainable local development, by aligning quality, industry and responsibility.
The announcement was made by Alain Castel, general director of CASTEL-VINS, and David Cailleux, general director of CASTEL La Réunion, during the inauguration in May 2025 of the renovated and modernized CASTEL La Réunion factory : “Our Reunion industrial tool is now adapted to market developments and opportunities. It is the most demanding environmental standards. These new investments will make it possible to develop high quality traffic jam in Reunion. We will thus bottle our historic brand Vieux Papes locally., Created in 1949, our first brand on the French market”, explained Alain Castel*. These last years, CASTEL La Réunion has invested massively in its bottling site : upgrading, modernization of installations and improvement of team skills to guarantee production in compliance with metropolitan standards. So far, only wines under brands specifically created for the Reunion market were produced on site in the factory located at the Port (Royal, Robitaille, Compelled, Straw-In-Queue…).
A lever for local industry
Also the production of Vieux Papes constitutes a major lever for the local industry. It is a national production, locally anchored, with all the advantages that this anchor represents. Local traffic jam : Vieux Papes is bottled directly on the island, guaranteeing quality and reducing logistics costs and carbon footprint. Drawing on demand : bottling is done at the pace of needs to optimize freshness and stock management. Planning and sustainability : with better organized production, limiting overproduction and using resources efficiently.
A concrete economic impact
The local economic impact of the production in Reunion of the Vieux Papes brand is of course in supporting employment and strengthening partnerships with Reunion suppliers and mobilizing local stakeholders. (logistics, packaging). It is also in the creation of local value : the project strengthens the industrial fabric of Reunion Island, promotes local skills and stimulates employment. Local production allows for an optimized sales price : by reducing logistics costs, CASTEL can offer a national wine at an affordable price, without any compromise on quality. Finally, the local production of Vieux Papes is recognition of Reunion know-how : this first demonstrates that Réunion has the technical and human capacities to produce according to the standards of a group of international dimension. “This first national bottling of CASTEL in Reunion symbolizes a strong commitment to responsible development, local and sustainable at the service of the Reunion economy”, summarizes David Cailleux.
* Leader Reunion 243, September 2025.
