Bordeaux not ‘too expensive’

Bordeaux’s new advertising campaign has been designed to dispel the notion that the region is too expensive and too complicated according to Allan Sichel.

A poster from the new promotional campaign for Bordeaux

“We want Bordeaux to be accessible, and we are trying to correct two misconceptions,” began CIVB vice-president Allan Sichel, during a meeting with the drinks business in Bordeaux last week.

Continuing he said that consumer research had shown that Bordeaux was widely perceived as “too expensive” and “too complicated”, before commenting that, “people feel they don’t have the required knowledge to drink Bordeaux”.

Sichel said that both were myths, and dispelled the first by reminding db that just 3% of Bordeaux’s annual production by volume is from grands crus classés châteaux. “We are proud of the expensive wines, but they are only 2-3% of production, so 97% of the volume of Bordeaux is not expensive and does provide a very good price to quality ratio”.

He also dismissed the idea that the region is too complicated, but admitted that the appellation offers a broad range of wine styles.

“We are trying to say that Bordeaux is not complicated, but diverse, and you’ve got to start looking.”

The campaign, which comprises a series of colourful, abstract images focused on the “technical aspects of wine” (pictured above and bottom), was unveiled last month and replaces the region’s former promotional images, which were linked with the strapline: ‘Good food would choose Bordeaux’ (see image, right).

The previous campaign for Bordeaux focused on its food-matching capabilities

As previously reported by db, the CIVB is also increasing its promotion of white Bordeaux.

“There is a desire to put a strong emphasis on Bordeaux’s white wines and gain recognition for them,” said Sichel.

Noting the small proportion of Bordeaux hectarage given over to Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, he said that only the best white wine producing vineyards have survived in the region.

“40 years ago, white wine producing vineyards were 50% of the appellation, but today they are just 8%, and 2-3% of that is for sweet whites, so those who have stuck to making dry white wines are on top white winemaking terroir and white wine specialists,” he said.

The new campaign is designed to focus on the ‘technical aspects’ of Bordeaux according to Allan Sichel