The Contour of Luxury Summer 2019 | Page 476

Furthermore, the Wertheimer’s are so adamant about keeping their wealth, as well as Chanel’s wealth, under wraps, that even Chanel’s sales numbers had never been published until 2017, which was a first in 108 years. The annual sales for Chanel for 2017 was revealed to be $9.62 billion, bringing to light the value of the brand operated by such private brothers. Chanel is not the only thing the brother inherited. They also acquired Wertheimer et Frere, the Wertheimer family’s horse breeding and racing business, which is rather appropriate since a horse race is were their grandfather Pierre Wertheimer first met Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. Over the years the brother have amassed around 200 horses spread across the four ranches they own in Chantilly, California, Normandy, and Kentucky. Horse racing is another business that the brothers successfully own along with Chanel. Their horses have won first place in prestigious races, including the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Race, the French Derby, and the Breeders’ Cup Turf. In addition to Chanel and Wertheimer et Frere, Alain and Gerard also own Bordeaux winery Chateau Rauzan-Segla and the St. Supery winery in California’s Napa Valley. The Napa Valley purchase solidified the brothers’ wine merchant status in the winery industry.