Bordeaux Buying Languedoc Wine
Jancis just wrote a very cleverly titled article “11 into 33 does go” (you have to subscribe to read the whole thing). This is more than just a simple math question. It’s a reference to French department numbers. 11 is Aude (Languedoc) and 33 is Gironde (Bordeaux). And this article talks about the sad truth that nobody likes to discuss.
While tons of our region’s wine cooperatives flounder and go out of business, there are still some cooperatives and negociants with tankers pumping wine nearly 24/7. It makes you think that there’s a lot of hustle and bustle. But where is the wine going? And at what cost?
Well, a short inspection of the license plates reveals a lot. All the tankers filling up with Languedoc wine have license plates that read 33. Gironde. Bordeaux. It’s nearly impossible to prove what happens once the wine gets into the winery since the French classification system is almost 100% enforced by paper trail alone. But that’s where the wine is going. Or at least, that’s where the trucks came from.
I’m really happy to see a writer of Jancis’ level talking about this issue because it’s a real wine story. Not a lot of that in wine journalism today.
August 21st, 2010 at 12:56 am
@Ryan, I didn’t read the Jancis article, but I’ve heard that argument ever since I settled in the Languedoc (for more than 30 years now…) – and I think, that it is for a big part one of our local myths.. just keep in mind, that a great part of the big bottling companies, who deliver worldwide cheap bottled wines, are based in the Bordeaux region – so nobody never proofed, that those 11 and 34 wines, which go to Bordeaux don’t come on the market under the right label – even if for VdT for exemple, it is even forbiden, to mark the local origin, they at least will have “Vin de France” insteadof AOC Bordeaux on their label.
Just look while traveling by train in France, most of the wines offered come from Monsieur Sapin, big structure situated in 33, even if the grapes were grown in South Africa (as for their Cabernet) or in the Languedoc:-).
August 25th, 2010 at 6:44 am
I agree with Iris that this could be a case of big brands marshalling their supplies for further processing i.e. removing all but neural flavours and bottling.
The key thing here is that none of us would be suspicious or care if the wine drinking public didn’t pay a premium for a wine just because it says Bordeaux on the label.