News Digest March 2024

by Valeria Tenison

Spring is in full swing in Bordeaux, and due to the warm temperatures in the second part of the month, many vineyards have already seen the first buds of the 2024 vintage. Overall, March has been a busy month for the local wine industry, full of political and legal drama.

The sale of Château Beauséjour for €72 million has landed SAFER (Société d’Aménagement Foncier et d’Établissement Rural) in hot water. On February 29, the Court of Appeal dismissed SAFER’s attempts to avoid scrutiny over the deal, allowing the Cuvelier family (Clos Fourtet) to challenge it in court. Despite SAFER’s efforts to sidestep criticism, the court ruled against them, paving the way for further legal proceedings. The sale, involving the Duffau-Lagarosse heirs and the Courtin family (Clarins cosmetics), is under dispute, with the Cuvelier family and their proposed candidate contesting the transaction.

Continuing the judicial theme, on March 15, after 11 years of legal battles, the Conseil d’Etat upheld the legality of the 2012 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classification, dismissing an appeal challenging the classification decision for Château Corbin Michotte. The ruling has marked the end of a lengthy process initiated by three châteaux contesting their demotion, with previous court rulings affirming the legality and reliability of the examination procedure.

March saw a spin-off of the legal process between Rémi Lacombe and two Bordeaux merchants, mentioned in the February digest. Expectedly, Cordier, one of the négociants involved, is appealing a €200,000 fine for buying wine at unfairly low prices. Rémi Lacombe, the affected winegrower, will fight Cordier’s appeal, signalling a prolonged legal battle with broader industry implications. The case has stirred much debate in the Bordeaux wine trade and caused a slowdown in business activity. The significant fine imposed on the merchants Cordier and Ginestet has prompted efforts to tighten contractual terms. The Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) has taken steps to enhance the security of contracts, yet questions persist.

These pricing tensions always intensify while the traditional spring wine sale “Foire aux Vins” at French supermarkets is under way. Bordeaux winegrowers are protesting against discounted prices offered by Lidl and Carrefour, with actions targeting logistics centres and store visits to raise awareness about fair remuneration. The Viti 33 collective and Young Farmers are mobilising to condemn the low prices, particularly highlighting Lidl’s and Carrefour’s multi-buy Bordeaux wine offers starting at €1.89 and €1.66 per bottle, respectively. Concerned about the sustainability implications for the wine industry, they urge consumers to support fair pricing to sustain the region’s economy and preserve jobs. The Viti 33 collective is pressing for progress in upcoming discussions scheduled for March 29, hoping to establish pricing standards that reflect the true value of Bordeaux wines. Acknowledging the distress among winegrowers, the CIVB is hoping to establish fair pricing mechanisms and promote transparency in bulk purchase contracts.

The same rebellious Viti 33 collective also proposes a bold solution to revitalise Bordeaux vineyards: allowing the term “Bordeaux” in two new settings: AOC Cru Bordeaux and IGP Bordeaux Atlantique (currently IGP Atlantique). This would, they suggest, allow them to maintain the Bordeaux identity while addressing production challenges, namely being allowed to use higher yields in the IGP bottlings with grapes from their current Bordeaux vineyards. They want this to happen as of the 2024 harvest.

Francs Côtes de Bordeaux region is hoping to follow Castillon in striking out on its own. While the Côtes de Francs appellation was first established in 1967, evolving into Francs Côtes de Bordeaux in 2008, local winemakers are now looking to re-establish a separate AOC. This initiative, launched in December 2022 and approved internally in January 2024 will now move to be considered by the appellations institute INAO. It will present Francs as a “hidden gem” of Bordeaux, known for its unusual terroir and range of grape varieties that allows both dry and sweet white as well as red wines. The suggestion for now is that producers will be able to choose if they bottle as AOC Francs Côtes de Bordeaux or AOC Francs. Alongside this, in a battle that has been ongoing since 2012, one single estate within Francs, the iconic Château du Puy, has been trying to establish its own single-estate AOC in the way that, for example, Château Grillet in the Rhone has done. Their request was repeatedly denied, although it has been with the Conseil d’Etat since spring 2023. This new AOC Francs appellation might allow them to find a middle ground…

On March 7 and 8, Bordeaux became the arena of a significant political event. The World Impact Summit (WIS) was attended by the former US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, alongside other prominent figures like former French President François Hollande. With over 300 speakers from 70 countries, the summit aimed to promote tangible actions for the environment and green energy transition.

The 21st Bordeaux Oenologists’ symposium, Matinée des œnologues, held on March 18, explored the theme of “Wines of the future and the future of wine,” focusing on adapting to global warming. At Château La Tour Carnet, doctoral student Marc Plantevin presented the initial results of an ongoing project at the estate looking at diversifying grape varieties to address climate challenges. Arinarnoa, one of the newly adopted ‘trial’ grapes in Bordeaux, emerged as a promising contender. Its late budburst and veraison, combined with resistance to drought, makes it a potentially good option for combating changing climate conditions. Micro-vinification trials over the past four vintages have revealed Arinarnoa’s potential for producing wines with a signature of existing Bordeaux varieties, garnering positive feedback from industry professionals.

On a lighter note, Cité du Vin in Bordeaux concluded a successful online auction held over the month of February, raising €347,739 for its Foundation for Wine Culture and Civilizations. The auction featured prestigious lots, including rare wines and unique experiences. Meanwhile, the collaboration between Cité du Vin and InterContinental Grand Hôtel Bordeaux brings an innovative gastronomic creation for Easter. Pastry chef Gaétan Fiard crafted chocolate Easter eggs inspired by Cité du Vin, with one egg featuring a red wine ganache with Château Trianon.

As briefly mentioned in last month’s roundup, Clarendelle and Domaine Clarence Dillon were the official wine partners for the second consecutive year at the 2024 Oscars ceremony, Hollywood’s biggest night. Clarendelle served its Bordeaux Rouge 2016 and Bordeaux Blanc 2022, while Domaine Clarence Dillon contributed La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion 2010 and La Clarté de Haut-Brion 2017. This partnership is particularly meaningful for Prince Robert of Luxembourg, CEO of the Clarence Dillon estate, who pursued a career in screenwriting in LA before joining the family estates in Bordeaux.

The Michelin Guide 2024 unveiled its list of starred restaurants on March 18. Only two new establishments in Southwest France made it into this prestigious circle this year. Nacre in Arès, by the Bassin d’Arcachon, received one star, as did Le Petit Léon in Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, Dordogne. Dirac in Charente received a green star for its commitment to sustainable cuisine. Michel Guérard, the owner and chef de cuisine of Les Prés d’Eugenie in the Landes region, remains the sole three-star chef in the South West.

This brings the number of Michelin-starred restaurants specifically in the Gironde (Bordeaux) region to 20:

1 star: Le Patio (Arcachon), L’Oiseau Bleu (Bordeaux), L’Observatoire du Gabriel (Bordeaux), Le Quatrième Mur (Bordeaux), Le Pavillon des Boulevards (Bordeaux), Maison Nouvelle (Bordeaux) , Soléna (Bordeaux), Ressources (Bordeaux), Tentazioni (Bordeaux), Le Saint-James (Bouliac), Le Prince Noir (Lormont), Maison Claude Darroze (Langon) Logis de la Cadène (Saint-Émilion), Les Belles Perdrix (Saint-Émilion), Nacre (Arès).

2 stars: Le Pressoir d’Argent (Bordeaux), La Grand’Vigne (Martillac), Le Skiff Club (La Teste de buch), La Table du Pavid (St Emilion), Restaurant Lalique (Bommes).

 

Sources: Sud-Ouest, Vitisphere, Terre de Vins, Echos de Bordeaux, CIVB