Daniel Cathiard is perhaps best known as a former ski champion of the French Olympic team from 1965 to 1968. Prior to buying over Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte, Cathiard was running the family’s small supermarket chain. Within 20 years, he had transformed it into the tenth largest mass distribution company in France. Together with his wife, Florence, they worked together in managing the family business for ten years. In 1990, the Cathiards sold all their business interest to buy Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte. Ever since then, the Cathiards have taken pride in making one of the best wines in France.