Indies to receive £250 for Bordeaux Wine Month
Applications to participate in Bordeaux Wine Month this September have opened, with independent wine merchants receiving support to celebrate the best of the region.
From 1–30 September, Bordeaux Wine Month returns for its ninth edition, giving the spotlight to the southwestern French region in key UK retailers. Featuring Bordeaux’s whole spectrum – the iconic reds, yes, but also fresh whites, characterful rosés, inimitable sweet wines and even sparkling – the event has built a firm following.
Independent wine merchants now have the chance to get involved. Applications for this year’s campaign are open until Wednesday 8 July, with successful candidates receiving marketing resources and £250 per store to contribute to their activations.
Through these grants, stores will have the means to offer tasting events, educational sessions and food and wine pairing experiences. Through such sessions, consumers will be able to explore Bordeaux from the comfort of their local wine shop.
Bordeaux Wine Month is the biggest promotion of its kind in the UK calendar. It featured 115 retailers in 2025, a 15% increase compared to 2025.
While consumers clearly benefit from the month’s focus in discovering new styles and learning about the famous region, retailers stand to win as well. Bordeaux Wine Month is an opportunity to increase footfall and create conversations. That translates to sales: last year, participating retailers reported an average increase of more than 130 additional bottles sold in each store.
Applications to join Bordeaux Wine Week are now open on this link. Retailers have until Wednesday 8 July to sign up.
Modern twists on a classic region
Bordeaux may have a high level of recognition among customers, but this year’s events will be the perfect chance to reacquaint customers with the full breadth of its production. Indeed, Bordeaux is in a period of exciting reinvention.
Although full-bodied reds and investment-worthy fine wines are still part of Bordeaux’s charm, it has recently emphasised other styles that it produces: lighter reds, rosés, white wines and even crémant.
Lighter styles, in keeping with global trends, have seen their star rise in recent years. Production of Crémant de Bordeaux has increased fourfold in the last decade, as drinkers explore the world of good value fizz. Bordeaux Blanc, meanwhile, has been able to make the most of Sauvignon Blanc’s international popularity.
For red wines, meanwhile, the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) introduced a completely new category earlier this year. The official designation of Bordeaux Claret has been created for younger red wines that can be drunk chilled, reflecting a broader shift away from heavy reds.
Bordeaux Wine Month will also give consumers the chance to explore the region’s rapid progress on sustainability. While it was once considered too maritime to become truly sustainable, in the past 15 years, Bordeaux’s vignerons have proved themselves up to the challenge. In 2014, 35% of wineries held some form of environmental certification; now that figure is 75%
Even if customers (or even retailers themselves) think they know Bordeaux, its continual evolution means there is always more to discover. Bordeaux Wine Month will be the perfect opportunity to reintroduce the region – with independent retailers supported to celebrate the month in style.
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