Discovery
By Camille Bernard – Photographs: courtesy of the estates, posted on 09 December 2024
Their names are Margaux, Moulis, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe and they are the Médoc’s village-designated appellations. They enjoy global renown and epitomise the excellence of Bordeaux wines. But in the current lacklustre economic climate combined with declining consumption, the pace of which continues to fasten, can these Bordeaux growths continue to rely on their long-standing attributes to secure a place in export markets? As the market undergoes a paradigm shift, does terroir still make a compelling case that will guarantee their survival and long-term success?
The Médoc’s village-designated appellations boast a reputation that spans several centuries and embrace some of the most celebrated vineyard sites in the world. The wineries located in these appellations enjoy unique geological conditions, viticultural skills that are passed down through the generations and a propensity for producing age-worthy wines that appeal to enthusiasts worldwide. They have always exemplified the promise of quality wines, some of them achieving excellence. Historically, these appellations had far superior price tags to generic Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur. Their reputation allowed them to flourish in international markets, and they became magnets for wine enthusiasts and collectors across the globe. But as the economy undergoes profound change, traditional markets become saturated and consumer trends transition away from traditional wine purchases, will their reputation be enough? These short-term issues are compounded by more structural threats like climate change which is already shifting production dynamics and the typicity of the wines. All of this begs the question: do the village-designated appellations in the Médoc have what it takes to continue to excel on the global wine stage?
Serge Barbarin, owner of Château Biston-Brillette in AOC Moulis.
Located in the heart of AOC Moulis, Château Biston-Brillette fully illustrates the diversity of vineyard sites in this village-designated Médoc appellation. “In Moulis, we have a kaleidoscope of all the region’s vineyard sites, and Biston-Brillette stands out for its sandy soils which lend our wines finesse and elegance”, explains estate owner Serge Barbarin. The terroir is particularly suitable for Merlot, offering Château Biston-Brillette wines supple, silky characters that make them accessible even in their youth.
The sandy soils in Biston-Brillette’s vineyards lend the wines finesse and elegance.
This unique feature is a valuable asset at a time when instant gratification is the new norm and consumers are loath to cellar wines for lengthy periods. “Our wines are well-suited to changing consumer patterns, offering immediate access but at the same time continuing to develop over time”, stresses Barbarin.
Château Biston-Brillette also stands out for its unique connection with its customers: “80% of our wines are sold direct to consumers, which provides us with instant feedback about the perception of our wines”, he adds. The tack was first taken by his parents and mirrors the family’s determination to remain independent. It is also a novel way of overcoming AOC Moulis’ lack of visibility. “They introduced this strategy well before it was fashionable to do so, convinced that because Moulis is not the Médoc’s most prestigious appellation, they would have to get people to come to them and sell the wines direct”.
“AOC Moulis may well be unfamiliar to people and have limited volumes – less than two million bottles a year – but it offers a great gateway to Médoc wines for those who want to learn more”.
Serge Barbarin admits that the winery now benefits more from its own reputation than from that of the appellation. Acutely aware that the wine industry is experiencing a period of drastic change, he concedes: “I think we need to change models. We perhaps haven’t done everything we should have to make our wines modern”. Insisting on the need for some soul-searching, he asks: “In what way can our wines seamlessly transition towards more modernity?”
Barbarin is of the opinion that part of the answer lies in what wine epitomises – conviviality and celebration. “Wine is part of the celebration and celebrating is universal. We are delighted that our wines accompany important occasions in the lives of our customers – their weddings, christenings etc. Wine should not be pompous. Most of all, it is about conviviality”.
Guillaume Barbarin, Serge Barbarin’s nephew, is taking up the torch.
With the arrival of a new generation of winegrowers in Moulis, represented at Biston-Brillette by his nephew Guillaume Barbarin, Serge Barbarin feels that positive change is afoot: “The newcomers will bring a new perspective with them”, he concludes, convinced that Moulis’ future lies in this open-minded approach and the determination to adapt.
3ème Grand Cru Classé in AOC Margaux, Château Desmirail.
1855 Third Classified Growth Château Desmirail in AOC Margaux is home to a unique heritage. Enjoying an ideal location along the famous Médoc chateau route, it offers visitors views of its 18th-century charterhouse and a late 19th century, gravity-fed Médoc vat house which is one of only a few perfectly preserved examples left.
Château Desmirail made a commitment to farming sustainably decades ago, outlawing all chemical weedkillers and insecticides long before it was certified High Environmental Value in 2018.
Denis Lurton, owner of Château Desmirail.
“Margaux wines are globally renowned for their elegance, their finesse and their roundness”, claims Denis Lurton, the owner of Château Desmirail, whose wines certainly live up to their reputation.
As is traditionally the case for Margaux and in particular the Classified Growths, Château Desmirail’s wines are mostly sold to the Bordeaux wine trade. Lurton admits that recent market changes require a review of marketing practices. He explains: “The current crisis is structural for the Médoc and Bordeaux but not for our wines which trade in the luxury segment. Nevertheless, we wait for inventories to be depleted and from that perspective, the En Primeurs campaign needs to be reviewed, particularly because certain markets like China have never subscribed to this system”. Outside France, Château Desmirail has in fact diversified its markets, breaking new ground in the United States and in China, in addition to its long-standing presence in England and more broadly across Europe. “Our reputation was not strong in the 1990s because I believed that the quality of the wine was enough. But nowadays, communications are essential if you want to make a name for yourself”, shares Lurton. The winery therefore leverages its ideal location along the wine route to develop wine tourism activities, welcoming visitors every day from May to October.
The barrel cellar at Château Desmirail.
Concurrently with this, Château Desmirail continues to champion AOC Margaux but also adapts to a changing global marketplace. “We have chosen to produce wines that make the most of the range of Bordeaux grape varieties so that we can offer elegance in the first few years, then complexity after some bottle age”, concludes Lurton.
Karin, Jérôme and Régis Bernaleau, the co-managers at Château Mongravey.
A family-run property situated in AOC Margaux, Château Mongravey exemplifies the elegance of fine wines from this prestigious village-designated appellation. At the end of the 1970s, Régis Bernaleau succeeded his father at the property’s helm. At the time, Mongravey – Mont for high ground and Gravey for gravel – illustrated the defining features of a unique vineyard site covering a single hectare.
“The first bottle of Château Mongravey emerged in 1981. Then, over the years, the property expanded as several vineyard blocks were bought, bringing its present-day footprint up to a dozen hectares divided between around thirty different blocks”, explains the estate’s co-manager Karin Bernaleau.
Karin Bernaleau manages the entire marketing department at Château Mongravey.
The vines thrive on gravelly hillocks dating back to the Quaternary Period which are replete with gravel and quartz pebbles, providing natural drainage and perfectly radiating heat back, thus creating ideal conditions for the grapes to reach peak ripeness. This mosaic of differing vineyard sites, where Cabernet-Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc flourish, offers all the requisite conditions for producing wines that fully reveal the elegance and delicacy of Margaux vineyards. Bernaleau believes that “AOC Margaux is a convincing proposition, even in times of crisis”. She adds: “70% of Margaux acreage is covered by the Classified Growths, which obviously promotes its reputation. The appellation is meaningful to people overseas and in fact our appellation is over-represented in the United States, particularly the Classified Growths and the Crus Bourgeois”. In fact, as a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur since 2018, Château Mongravey not only benefits from the visibility of AOC Margaux but also from that of the Crus Bourgeois category. By leveraging these dual credentials, it can stand out from the crowd in competitive markets, whilst at the same time safeguarding its identity. “We have made it our mission to remain faithful to who we are, yet also moving forward with the market”, stresses Bernaleau. The winery has therefore invested in modern, innovative winemaking techniques like the use of Italian amphorae to mature 10% of its wines.
Château Mongravey has introduced Italian amphorae to develop silky wines.
Although a large chunk of its wines are now shipped overseas (85%, including 35% to the United States), Château Mongravey continues to focus on its unique vineyard sites to make a name for itself. “Globally, our vineyards are still meaningful, but we also have to reinvent ourselves to ensure we communicate effectively about our wines”, she concludes.
Domaines Pedro own 14 hectares in AOC Saint-Estèphe.
A family-run property whose history dates back to 1830, Domaines Pedro own 14 hectares of vines in AOC Saint-Estèphe. Divided between Château Lavillotte and Domaine de la Ronceray, the vineyards produce a range of three wines, “designed to meet different consumer expectations both in terms of wine style and pricing”, explains the wineries’ technical director Sébastien Fraysse.
Château Lavillotte is located on stony limestone soils and covers 12 hectares. It produces wines with bouquet and rich tannins which soften with time. Domaine de la Ronceray, adjacent to Lavillotte, farms 2 hectares of vines and produces a generous, velvety wine with a distinctively harmonious lush feel, fat and length on the palate.
Domaines Pedro mature their wines in barrels from the most famous cooperages.
To adapt to current consumer tastes, Domaines Pedro have modernised their winemaking facilities. “We take a different approach to tannin extraction to produce rounder wines that are more accessible in their youth (three or four years)”, explains Fraysse. Installation of pulse-air technology has resulted in gentler extractions, instilling the wines with tannin presence but with much silkier tannins.
“Saint-Estèphe enjoys international visibility. People refer to Saint-Estèphe as ‘noble wines’”, claims Fraysse. With some 60% of their wines sold in France and the balance exported to markets like the United States, Canada, Belgium, Japan and to a lesser extent China, Domaines Pedro benefit from this recognition whilst also pursuing their policy of marketing consumer-centric wines.
The Bouey family owns 52 hectares in the Médoc.
In an interview with Jacques Bouey, CEO of Maison Bouey, for the winter 2023 issue of our magazine, he stressed how important the benefit of terroir is for promoting Bordeaux wines in saturated markets: “The Médoc’s terroir is a powerful resource that is found nowhere else. Our wines show the typicity consumers are looking for, particularly in developing markets”. Highlighting the Bouey family’s attachment to the Médoc where, as a reminder, the company boasts 52 hectares of owned vineyards, he added: “The land forms the cornerstone of our market approach”. Even then, faced with economic challenges and changing consumer patterns, Bouey explained the need “to understand the existence of a rift between mature and developing markets”, referring to the northern European belt and French on-trade for the former, and Asian countries for the latter. In mature markets, where he noticed a shift in demand, he believed it was essential to “reinterpret wine in order to understand consumers tired of traditional Bordeaux”. Conversely, in developing markets like South-East Asia, Korea, Japan and Africa, Bouey welcomed “renewed consumption of the Bordeaux wines we were producing ten years ago”.
Jacques Bouey is optimistic about new market opportunities.
Calling for “a balance between promoting Bordeaux terroir and adapting to new consumer trends”, he stressed: “We work across the entire spectrum, meaning our family-run properties – where for example we pioneered whole-cluster fermentation to add freshness and greater typicity to our wines – along with our brands. The aim is not to put an end to typical Bordeaux wines. Understanding and responding to the marketplace is a juggling act”.
Faced with a constantly changing market, the village-designated Médoc appellations are at a critical turning point. Although their history and unique terroir are compelling arguments, properties need to show great agility to respond to new consumer expectations and market challenges. The comments above demonstrate awareness of these issues, either through modernisation of winemaking techniques, revised sales strategies or greater emphasis on the value of their terroir in communications. Where Château Biston-Brillette focuses on the conviviality and authenticity of its wines to reach out to new Médoc wine enthusiasts, Château Desmirail draws on its history and luxury positioning to conquer new international markets. In Margaux, Château Mongravey takes a deliberately balanced approach between tradition and innovation to remain competitive, whilst in northern Médoc, in Saint-Estèphe, Domaines Pedro stands out for its commitment to making accessible, contemporary wines. Last but not least, Maison Bouey strives to reconcile respect for its vineyard sites with adaptation to new consumer trends. Ultimately, although the village-designated appellations of the Médoc are being put through their paces, they are also demonstrating their ability to adapt and persevere. The future hinges on their capacity to remain faithful to their heritage, whilst opening up to new opportunities.
Discovery
Discovery
Discovery