France has a wealth of expertise, particularly in the wine-making tradition, which is the envy of the world. And our role is to share this knowledge with as many people as possible, in order to promote the unique trades and techniques that work to delight our palates!
Châteaux, estates, appellations, grands crus, vintages… these are the stuff of dreams when you’re a wine connoisseur. But beware, there’s a bit of everything, and the classic consumer – you and me – can sometimes get lost in it. It’s also a demanding environment, where the men and women of this terroir, so dear to us, work hard to deliver a quality wine. Among so many winemakers, how do you choose, how do you recognize those who aim for excellence?
Based on this premise, committees, associations and groups of producers are mobilizing; and among them, one organization is leading the way today: the Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc. Many winegrowers in the Médoc region have fought to revive the “Cru Bourgeois” label. In 2009, the French governmentapproved the procedure, or rather quality approach, used to define a selection of crus bourgeois in the Médoc.
And since then, in 2010, 2011 and again this year, 2012, the Alliance has been working with independent partners to draw up an official selection of châteaux that have complied with the quality approach. Based on a set of factual specifications, the criteria include a visit to the winery, as well as wine tasting by professionals.
Year after year, the aim is to verify that the means and results are up to the Alliance’s high standards, to recognize the value of the wine. And in the end, to make it known to the general public while guaranteeing the origin of the cru via an innovative system of stickers with a unique number for each bottle. On the new Crus Bourgeois website, simply fill in the number to check authenticity and obtain information on the wine, its owner and the vintage in question.
Another major innovation is the use of a code that can be scanned onto the same sticker with a smartphone, enabling consumers to find out more about the Cru Bourgeois in their hands, directly from the point of sale, for example. As images sometimes speak louder than words, this few-second video will demonstrate.
In 2010 (for the 2008 vintage harvested the same year), 243 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc were selected as part of this quality initiative. In 2011 (for the 2009 vintage), 246 Crus Bourgeois were part of this official selection. And this year (for the 2010 vintage ), 260 châteaux from the following eight AOCs (Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Margaux, Listrac-Médoc, Moulis-en-Médoc, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe) have just been announced as “Crus Bourgeois”.
Quality and selection mean that not all the wines produced by these estates are recognized. On average, 38% of Médoc production will be marketed under the “Cru Bourgeois du Médoc” label. Moreover, the process and its special labelling validate the quality of the wine in a given volume, preventing any kind of counterfeiting. For example, in the Pauillac Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée alone, there are only five châteaux representing “crus bourgeois”, of which only 250,000 bottles will be found on the market.
I invite you to discover these pearls of the Médoc, the full list of which can be found at this link.
Whether you’re browsing the aisles of a wine fair or the shelves of your local wine shop, you won’t want to miss one of the 32 million bottles of “crus bourgeois” from the 2010 vintage! They’re your guarantee of quality, rigor, innovation and the collaborative work of a “family” of winegrowers who dynamically defend Bordeaux’s winegrowing heritage.
Enjoy your “Cru Bourgeois” tasting, always in moderation, to better appreciate its exceptional flavors.
Jessica Gauzi
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
