Labid Al Ameri did not start his career in the wine business. But today, he runs Domaine Bousquet, Argentina’s biggest wine exporter, as president and partner.
In 2011, the world-traveller, economist, winemaker, and businessman joined his wife’s family in the winemaking business. Taking up the torch after his father-in-law retired, Al Ameri now runs Argentina’s largest wine exporting operation.
Labid Al Ameri: the entrepreneurial spirit now behind Domaine Bousquet’s quality
Al Ameri began his career with degrees in Finance, Economics, and Business Administration. He then spent seven years as an international equity trader at Fidelity Investments, before radically turning his life around, moving yet another time, and choosing wine as his career.
He fell in love with Argentina on his first visit. In fact, this visit inspired him to first begin considering a career shift.“There are a lot of businesses setting up, and I really got a feeling of entrepreneurship here – everyone has the idea of ‘I want to do something’,” he recalls. “I liked that a lot.”
“We try to preserve the purity of the fruit,” says Al Ameri. “And not to expose the wine too much to barrels, too much extraction, or maneuvers that winemakers do to change the wine – so people can taste fully the fruit.”
The result: a series of highly praised wines, with most ratings between 4 and 5 stars across the board.
From life partners to business partners
Anne, Al Ameri’s wife, and her father had a passion for wine that Al Ameri himself came to share.
In 2009, the pair moved to Argentina. But the decision was a long time in the making. “Walking through those vineyards had a big impact on us,” says Anne of their first trip in 2001. Before Anne and Labid, Anne’s father followed his ancestor’s generations-long tradition in wine. Its continuation, therefore, preserves a rich tradition for the couple’s family.
Even before the move to Argentina, Al Ameri knew how to travel. In fact, he hails originally from Kuwait, born to Iraqi parents. After fleeing Saddam Hussein, their small family stayed briefly in Syria, then moved to Spain where Al Ameri grew up. Eventually, he landed in Minnesota for school. Labid and Anne originally met in Minnesota while at Saint Cloud University, Minnesota. They moved together to Boston and then to Belgium for their careers in economics, before their final move to Argentina.
Anne and Labid Al Ameri lead wine and community activism
Domaine Bousquet produces 4 million liters of wine a year and exports 95% of that quantity to over 50 other countries. It is one of the highest vineyards in the world, located at 1200 meters in Tupungato, Argentina.
The winery is dedicated to organic grapes because the result is better fruit and tastier wine. They are among the top wineries in Argentina, and are the #1 leader in organic wines.
“It’s not something we do to sell more,” Anne tells The Huffington Post. “It’s something we believe in.”
“You cannot force a plant to produce more than it can,” explains Al Ameri. The relocation and subsequent success of their business has helped the local community boom. Domaine Bousquet has sponsored the building of roads, local events, and supported local schools.
Peruse Domaine Bousquet’s story and offerings on their official website.
