You would need a heart of stone not to laugh at the travails of Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger, honorary chairman of the Champagne house and grandson of its founder.
The British press seized with trademark salaciousness on the conviction of his former mistress, one Samira L, for a years-long campaign of harassment and threats following the break-up of their affair. She also harassed members of Taittinger’s family, as well as another of his mistresses. She had plenty to tell the court about his alleged sexual predilections and more.
Indeed Mail Online announced the story with the arresting headline: “Taittinger boss’s ex-mistress makes astonishing allegations about their hedonistic Champagne-fuelled sex lives as she is convicted for chasing him down the street with a knife and threatening to cut off his penis.”
It’s a far cry from Decanter. Except it isn’t, to the extent that this is really a story about money and how it bends people – and wine – out of shape.
Whatever the truth of Samira L’s lurid allegations, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger clearly has far too much money for his own good.
Never mind him attempting to placate his ex by shelling out €2,470 a month for four years on a Paris apartment to keep her in the style to which she was accustomed. As he told the Irish Times in 2016, “I am paid to drink, I am paid to eat and make love sometimes, and drink wonderful Champagne sometimes.”
The Taittinger family’s net worth has been estimated at $3.4 billion.
