▻ The Bordeaux Market in the US
In conversation with Elin McCoy
Episode Summary:-
Bordeaux wine sales are booming in the US, having grown by 21% year on year, the highest increase since 1986, and this is despite the 25% tariffs put on the wines by Donald Trump. Elin McCoy investigates the reasons why Bordeaux is back in favour, with 29 million bottles sold last year. She has been talking to the US’s top retailers about their views on the market, and discovering which châteaux are their best sellers, plus who might be today’s poster boy or girl for Bordeaux. The answers are varied, but some names just keep turning up.
Elin notes that ten years ago, she felt she had to write an article entitled “In Defence of Bordeaux,” as Bordeaux-bashing was at its height, with sommeliers, press and consumers believing Bordeaux was just for rich grey-haired men. The Bordeaux producers started building the changes then and have been working hard ever since to connect with US consumers, with the leading chateaux holding tastings at US universities and law schools, where their new customers are found. She discusses the key role Jean Moueix of La Vinicole, a division of the negociant Duclot, played in introducing Bordeaux to young sommeliers when he came over to New York and began with the sole idea of convincing restaurants to carry Bordeaux (a cool New York loft downtown with tastings of great wine helped change several sommeliers’ minds).
Leading US retailers have been talking to Elin about which châteaux their customers are buying, and while there are some differences, the same names keep cropping up. She shares their insights and reveals who they believe are Bordeaux’s poster boys or girls today. Sarah isn’t surprised by some of the names. Every retailer mentioned two phrases: “value for money” and “quality-price ratio.” Elin discusses how changes in distribution and more smaller, dynamic Bordeaux estates appearing on lists have changed the image of Bordeaux. She reveals the insights and views of the major retailers who sell Bordeaux in the US; Jamie Ritchie, Worldwide Head of Sotheby’s Wine, Ben Nelson, President of Hart Davis Hart Wine Co, Shaun Bishop, CEO of JJ Buckley Fine Wines, Jeff Zacharia, President of Zachy’s Fine Wine, Benjamin Rousseau, US Director of Duclot La Vinicole, and Clyde Beffa, co-owner of K&L Wines.
Sarah asks Elin, as a veteran Bordeaux commentator, what her predictions are for the future. She is optimistic, as American consumers are very open and Bordeaux is embracing a lot of the issues which are important to young people, such as the environment, organic viticulture, facing up to climate change. She concludes, “I think the image of being classic is very important to Bordeaux, especially when they have people in Bordeaux updating what classic means.”
““Bordeaux is out of favour so long enough that it could become cool again.””
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 9.30
“Ten years ago I wrote an article entitled “In defence of Bordeaux,” which tells you how bad things were.”
– Elin talks about the reasons behind the popularity in the US of Bordeaux wine, which has grown by 21% year on year despite 25% tariffs.
– She also cites the proactive role some of Bordeaux’s châteaux took in winning over young consumers by holding tastings at universities and law schools.
– How Jean Moueix of Duclot came to New York with the sole idea of convincing restaurants to carry Bordeaux, and how he won over a generation of sommeliers. -
9.31 – 23.00
“Younger drinkers are dabbling, they are more interested in a wide variety of appellations, not just Saint Emilion, Pauillac, Margaux, they are also looking at Fronsac, Côtes de Bordeaux, lower price points.”
– Elin names the US retailers who champion Bordeaux.
– She evokes US retailers’ insights, what their customers think about Bordeaux and the retailers name their best-selling châteaux. -
23.01 – 40.02
“Traditional collectors collect Bordeaux with Napa, Brunello, Burgundy--Bordeaux is not quite the only one anymore.”
– US retailers tell Elin who they believe are the Bordeaux poster boys and girls of today.
– Elin analyses their insights and is surprised by what and who they didn’t mention.
– Elin has some predictions for Bordeaux’s future.
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