French jewel: Bijou’s big plans for 2024

Wine brand Bijou, in Languedoc-Roussillon, has thrived in international markets for more than a decade – and further successes are on the cards for 2024.

“BIJOU’S PRICE-TO-QUALITY ratio is better than anything on the market,” senior marketing and brand executive Molly Friskin says with confidence.

But this is not the only thing that sets Bijou apart. Launched 10 years ago, ahead of the Provençal rosé boom, the brand sources its wines from unique terroirs that are often lesser-known, but which reflect authentic profiles: Coteaux de Béziers, Coteaux Varois en Provence, and Haute Vallée de l’Aude in Limoux.

Bijou aims to transport the consumer to the heart of the South of France through the storytelling of its wines.

To pay homage to the area of production, Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose, for example, pays respect to the rich historic winemaking culture of the region, with the wine named after the women who fought tirelessly to improve their rights and working conditions in 19th-century Languedoc.

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Available in more than 40 countries worldwide, Bijou takes on notoriously challenging markets for rosé such as Asia and the Middle East, where it is seen as being less complex than reds and whites, in its efforts to highlight the diversity and food pairing prowess of rosé wines.

LUXURIOUS OFFERING

“Combined with our elegant minimalist design work, we have created a qualitative and luxurious offering for the market. Now, the focus on quality and vineyards has seen Bijou gain international recognition in both retail and the hotel and restaurant sectors,” Friskin says.

A particular example is Bangkok, Thailand, where in September Bijou obtained listings in premium hotels such as Shangri-La and the Park Hyatt to up its presence in Asia. Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose and Bijou Jolie Terre de Providence have performed particularly well, according to the brand.

Expansion isn’t limited to different territories, and Bijou has plenty of growth planned for its ranges in the next year, most notably the much-anticipated new wines of the Le Bijou de Sophie Valrose range. New additions will include a Vermentino and a Macabeu from the Roussillon region, as well as the limited production of an exquisite Pinot Noir made from grapes sourced from the higher-altitude vineyards of Limoux.