Cotes de Bordeaux
After years of false starts, the AOC Bordeaux Cotes will be going ahead from this 2008 vintage. They have had the nod from INAO and official bodies in Bordeaux, and just waiting for minister sign-off, which should come in December 2008.
This means you will start seeing wine labels on shelf from spring 2009 with the words Cotes de Bordeaux: Blaye, Cotes de Bordeaux: Castillon, Cotes de Bordeaux: Francs, Cotes de Bordeaux: Cadillac (formerly Premieres Cotes).
The cotes covers 1,600 producers, 120 million bottles (10% of Bordeaux's production), EUR360 million turnover, of which 14% goes to export. The hope is with the enlarged but simpler appellation, negociants will be ablet to make big enough brands to interest supermarkets etc in overseas markets, and therefore increase the visibility of these regions.
This means, pop-pickers, that Bordeaux will pass from 57 to 54 appellations from the 2008 vintage (the suppression of the four existing Cotes appellations, replaced with this one new appellation).
The new AOC Cotes de Bordeaux appellation:
Winemakers talk about what it means for them.
PANEL:
Cotes de Bordeaux: Blaye - CHÂTEAU LA ROSE BELLEVUE - Valérie et Jérôme Eymas
Cotes de Bordeaux: Cadillac - CHÂTEAU BRETHOUS - Cécile Verdier et Thierry Mallié
Cotes de Bordeaux: Castillon - CHÂTEAU MOULIN DE CLOTTE - Françoise et Philippe Lannoye
Cotes de Bordeaux: Castillon CHÂTEAU TERRASSON - Marie-Jo et Christophe Lavau
Cotes de Bordeaux: Francs - CHÂTEAU GODART BELLEVUE - Bernadette et Joseph Arbo
Cotes de Bordeaux: Francs - CHÂTEAU LALANDE DE TIPHAYNE - Renaud Limbosch et Franziska Zavagli
How will the new AOC Côtes de Bordeaux be different?
LRB: Clarity of the AOC on the export market, because the image of Bordeaux today is that of luxury wines that is driven by the Grands Crus. The image is of a range of high priced wines but wines of quality. The section of Bordeaux that the Cotes represent – enjoyable, uncomplicated wines that are excellent value – is under-promoted. In effect, during our frequent trips to overseas markets such as the USA, Hong Kong and Australia, we have realised that consumers have little understanding of where Blaye, Castillon, Francs and Premieres Cotes are and what they represent. The new AOC Cotes de Bordeaux can reassure them about them of the provencance of our wines, there quality, and their price.
CB: Since the introduction of AOC Côtes de Bordeaux, we have created B de Brethous. It’s a new wine, fresh and fruity, with a new label with the words 'Côtes de Bordeaux', modern and bright, intended for dynamic wine merchants in France and overseas. It sits within our existing range.
CMC: The new appellation will bring greater clarity for the consumer, and therefore for the buyer. It immediately means potential buyers can place where we are geographically, just as much in France (where people often think Castillon is from the Roussillon) aswell as abroad with people who really only know Saint Emilion and the Medoc. I hope that this will be a good example for other areas of Bordeaux.
CT: A new start for our communication, a new label. And for Chateau Terrasson, the joining together of two appellations (Francs and Castillon) in order to be more competitive and to have bigger volumes than we can currently manage with our 1.4hecatres in Cotes de Francs (sold essentially in Quebec).
CGB: The new appellations means I can sell bigger volumes in bulk to negociants, plus put together my Cotes de Francs and Cotes de Castillon to reach new markets.
CLT: Simplifying my range because I am currently working between both Castillon and Francs – and increase of possible volumes with each label.
What cost is involved in implementing this new AOC (labels to redo, promotions, leaflets and so on)?
LRB: After discussions with our suppliers, we have found that the financial impact is not too severe. In terms of marketing materials and our website, we should be able to redo our existing materials for less than EUR1000. Our budget for promotions remains the same (this means money for trips abroad etc) because the Union des Cotes through our contributions will organise marketing, advertising and various promotion activities in different markets.
CB: The budget is difficult to say exactly, but around €3000. I’m very interested in seeing how this new innovation works out in terms of our wines, and our communication.
CMC: The main cost for chateau owners is essentially redoing the wine labels. It can be seen as a good opportunity to redo and update an existing label. Commercially speaking, it is also a good pretext for recontacting potential leads to tell them about the new appellation. I don’t therefore see a huge personal investment – however, no doubt the funds required by the association to launch this new appellation will fall back on winemakers.
CT: It is difficult to say exactly how much this will cost, but I imaging EUR3000 is a realistic estimate. We thing that the investment will be more personal in terms of time and effort than financial. We need to be convincing in order to convince others.
CGB: We haven’t worked out the exact costings, but redoing the labels, the printing on cartons should cost around €1500. But we were planning to redo our labels anyway.
CLT: A little over €500 in pamphlets/brochures, €2000 on a general mailing. And although not our personal investment, at least €1,000,000 for the Association.
In your opinion, what will change for the consumer (both individual and professional)?
CRB: It will be easier to identity where our wines come from and therefore they will be seen as part of the heart of the Bordeaux offer. For example, during my last trip to Hong Kong, the wines of AOC Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur were sold at a higher price than other appellations that did not have the word Bordeaux on the label. We will gain recognition, confidence, understanding for overseas wine drinkers. It is important that we try to offer points of reference for consumers worldwide, and that we use them to give a better understanding of our wines.
CB: We hope that this will improve consumer’s knowledge of the Cotes, and that more and more people get to enjoy our wines!
CMC: For the private consumer, this will make it easier to select a wine from the Cotes. For those with a greater understanding, they will always be able to find the original appellations that are also indicated on the labe. The quality of the wines will remain as excellent as ever. For the professional buyer, especially Bordeaux negociants, there is the opportunity to launch a new brand and to open up new markets.
CT: For the private French client, it will have less effect than for overseas consumers. On the export market, it is an excellent opportunity to be more clearly linked to Bordeaux, as the name is a worldwide reference – but we are happy to also keep our own names on the label; Castillon, Blaye, Francs et Cadillac. We are part of a large family, but just as each child in the same family has a different personality, so do we.
CGB: For consumers, the simplification of the AOCs – where currently they can get totally lost. And of course bigger volumes means greater possibilities.
CLT: Better clarity for existing consumers, and for prospecting an easier communication of our offer – something that has been proved to be effective by other wine regions.