Choi Jun-ho receives Jurade de Saint-Émilion, one of France's three top wine knighthoods

Recognized for expanding wine culture and content in South Korea

Choi Jun-ho (center), a wine and spirits buyer at Lotte Department Store, poses after receiving the Jurade de Saint-Émilion knighthood in Saint-Émilion, France. [Lotte Department Store]
Choi Jun-ho (center), a wine and spirits buyer at Lotte Department Store, poses after receiving the Jurade de Saint-Émilion knighthood in Saint-Émilion, France. [Lotte Department Store]

A wine and spirits buyer at Lotte Department Store has been awarded a "wine knight" title from the Saint-Émilion region of France, in recognition of his efforts to introduce French wines to South Korean consumers and broaden the market.

Lotte Department Store said Tuesday that Choi Jun-ho, a buyer on the wine and spirits team, received the Jurade de Saint-Émilion title last month. The honor takes its name from a traditional wine brotherhood in the Saint-Émilion region founded in 1199. The order was dissolved after the French Revolution but was revived in 1948 by local wine producers to carry on its traditions.

About 3,000 people worldwide currently hold the knighthood. They serve as ambassadors promoting the value and culture of Saint-Émilion wines in their respective countries. In France, the title ranks alongside the Commanderie of the Médoc region and the Chevaliers of Burgundy as one of the country's most prestigious wine knighthoods.

Choi is the first Lotte Department Store employee to receive the honor. Drawing on his expertise and understanding of the wine market, he has consistently introduced new wine content and products. Since joining as a wine buyer in 2021, he contributed to the opening of El Vino at the Incheon branch in 2023 and El Vino Wine Specialty Store at the Nowon branch in 2025. Through those openings, he has introduced customers to roughly 700 varieties of French wine. Lotte Department Store has sold approximately 800,000 bottles of French wine over the past five years.

From 2023, Choi took part in the "Art Special Edition" project, collaborating with prominent Korean contemporary artists. In 2024, he conceived and launched The V:lind, the first blind tasting competition organized by a major South Korean retailer.

Lotte Department Store plans to sell exclusively one red wine and one white wine from Château Mont-Pérat — a new edition curated by Choi in France — in late December.

"I am honored to have my efforts recognized — efforts to introduce the diverse appeal of French wine to customers in Korea and to help more people experience great wine," Choi said. "Going forward, I will continue to discover and curate a wide range of wines to offer customers new experiences."


soho0902@heraldcorp.com