News Digest: June 2025

A heatwave sweeping through Bordeaux in the second part of June threatens sunburn on exposed grape berries, especially those at the early stage. While leaves are unlikely to be affected, berries risk necrosis at surface temperatures above 43°C, which can cause shrivelling and unviable fruit. Growers paused leaf removal, delayed shoot positioning, and avoided sulfur treatments to minimise damage. However, it seems that the vines are well-hydrated this year and can withstand some heat stress. Additionally, the working hours of employees were adjusted to earlier times to minimise health risks. Typical for this hot weather, severe hailstorms swept through Gironde on June 14 and 15, impacting specific areas — particularly in the Entre-deux-Mers region. In just eight minutes, some producers saw up to half their vineyards destroyed, with shredded canes, scorched leaves, and damaged grapes. Despite this stress, for the majority of Bordeaux the 2025 vintage is off to a promising start with early flowering and low disease pressure, suggesting a healthy crop ahead.

Despite the intense heat, Bordeaux Fête le Vin 2025 drew massive crowds to the Garonne quays for four days of tastings and celebrations under the sweltering sun. From June 19 to 22, over 250,000 wine tastings were served across nine pavilions, with visitors enjoying everything from white and rosé to red and crémant. In total, around 35,500 tasting passes were sold — slightly up from 35,000 in 2024 — thanks in part to the introduction of a new “Pass 4” (offering four tastings), which proved highly popular alongside the traditional Pass 10+. Visitors also enjoyed spectacular drone light shows that lit up the sky on Friday and Saturday nights. A new online shop extended the experience, allowing guests to purchase wines sampled at the event. The festival also highlighted sustainable initiatives, including the return of reusable wine bottles. At the “Green Box” pavilion, visitors learned about France’s goal of 10% reusable packaging by 2027 under the Agec law.

On a national scale, a pilot project launched on June 12 to reintroduce reusable glass bottle deposits in French supermarkets, starting at Super U in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire. Led by Citéo and a growing network of reuse operators, shoppers can now return reusable bottles marked with a purple sticker via dedicated machines and receive a deposit refund of €0.10 to €0.20 as a voucher or credit. While the wine sector still lags behind brewers in reuse systems, a standard R-Cœur wine bottle is expected by early 2026. Currently active in 80 stores, the system aims to expand to 800 locations by year-end, shifting from recycling to a full reuse economy—one bottle at a time. Not yet in Bordeaux, if successful it is expected over the next few years.

Meanwhile, Bordeaux now boasts its first microbial soil atlas, cataloguing over 10,000 bacterial genomes and 40 million genes from vineyard soils on both banks of the region. Created by local startup Starfish Bioscience, the project aims to harness beneficial soil bacteria to improve vineyard resilience to drought, erosion, and pathogens. Using high-resolution DNA sequencing and AI, Starfish plans to develop custom wettable powders tailored to each vineyard’s needs—enhancing water retention, soil structure, nitrogen fixation, or pathogen defence. After Bordeaux, the startup intends to expand its regenerative microbiome technology to other French wine regions.

On June 10, a major fire broke out at Château Puygueraud in Saint-Cibard (Gironde), destroying half of a 500 m² wooden storage facility and resulting in the loss of 244,000 bottles. The flames, contained by nearly 40 firefighters, spared the vineyards and other estate buildings. However, losses included reds from Château Alcée (Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux) and Château La Prade, as well as whites from Château Les Charmes Godard (Francs Côtes de Bordeaux), spanning vintages from 2016 to 2024. “We’ve lost our depth of range,” said estate manager Nicolas Thienpont. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and the estate is now focused on informing clients, as some of the destroyed stock had already been sold.

In the midst of social tensions, Aldi France sparked outrage in Gironde by promoting €1.99 Bordeaux wines as still “respecting the grower.” In response, local agricultural unions FDSEA and Jeunes Agriculteurs staged peaceful protests on June 18, condemning such pricing as below production costs and threatening vineyard survival. Vines and banners marked “€1.99” were displayed outside Aldi stores in Langon, Blaye, and Saint-André-de-Cubzac, urging retailers and consumers to reconsider pricing amid Bordeaux’s ongoing crisis.

Despite notable price reductions, the 2024 Bordeaux En primeur campaign seems to be one of the most disappointing in decades, according to longtime négociants. While the vintage is considered good, châteaux like Haut-Bailly, Pape-Clément, and Meyney have cut prices significantly, but buyer interest was muted. Factors cited include a lack of consumer trust, unclear value propositions, and lingering confusion from past pricing inconsistencies. Demand remains weak in the U.S. and U.K., with only modest gains in Asia. Calls to reinvent the En primeur system and rebuild ties with both professionals and consumers are growing.

A new summer wine trend is making waves: “blouge,” a pale, ultra-drinkable light red wine, often made by co-fermentation of white and red grapes, supposed to be served chilled. Celebrated for its freshness and versatility, blouge reflects a shift toward hybrid, easy-drinking styles that align with evolving consumer tastes. In Bordeaux, this is echoed by the revival of “claret,” a historically lighter red. A new AOC specification, debuting with the 2025 vintage, promotes fruitier, low-tannin reds served chilled, allowing up to 7 g/L residual sugar for roundness—though the INAO has rejected a proposed sweetening allowance for now. Meanwhile, the long-discussed Médoc blanc white AOC has just completed its approval and will soon join Bordeaux’s appellation family.

The latest 2024 data reveal a slight decline in organic farming in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France’s second-largest organic region. The number of organic producers fell by 1.8%, with organic farmland shrinking by 4%, mainly due to losses in large-scale crops and viticulture. For the first time, more producers left (675) than joined (532), raising the exit rate to 7.45%. Organic livestock numbers also dropped, notably a 23% fall in pig herds, while dairy sheep rose 2%. Downstream organic businesses declined by 5%.

Finally, for its 2024 En Primeur campaign, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste presents the exclusive “Variation” Case — a unique collection including one double magnum, two magnums, and four bottles featuring both their flagship Grand-Puy-Lacoste and the more approachable Lacoste-Borie. Designed as a multi-format tasting journey, it celebrates heritage, family, and the passage of time. This limited edition is ideal as a meaningful gift — a time capsule to be opened over 5 to 20 years — and includes a special invitation for four guests to visit the estate and meet the Borie family, intending to deepen the connection between the consumer and the winery.

by Valeria Tenison

Sources: Vitisphere, Sud Ouest, Wit, La Depeche, Actu, Fédération Régionaled’Agriculture Biologique de Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste