Winds Of Change In Bordeaux

Recently, Bordeaux wine producers announced that they will introduce 7 new grape varietals into their blends beginning with the 2021 vintage.

Those varietals are: (RED) Touriga Nacional (the predominant grape in Port, as well as the wines of Douro and Dao); Marselan, a cross of Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache; Arinarnoa, which is a cross of Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon; Castets (an obscure French varietal from Southwest France); (WHITE) Albariño (from Spain and Portugal – discussed here in June); Petit Manseng (widely grown in southwest France and a major component of the wines of Jurançon); and, Liliorila (a cross of Chardonnay and another obscure grape from southwestern France -- Baroque). 

This decision was a surprise to many, coming from what we generally view as a very conservative wine region deeply rooted in its traditions. However, it is less surprising when you consider that it was the result of a 15-year project triggered by growing concerns with climate change.

The 2003 vintage in Bordeaux presented many challenges, mostly the result of a lengthy and brutal heat wave. While 2003 was an outstanding vintage, with both banks producing great wines, it was not an across-the-board great vintage – there was a lot of overripe fruit with low acidity producing a lot of jammy wines with a very short lifespan.

Climate data suggests that winters in Bordeaux are becoming progressively wetter and stormier, as summers become progressively hotter and drier. This creates greater danger of crop loss from late frost, followed by grapes that ripen too early, are lower in acidity and aromatics, and higher in sugar (producing wines with very high ABV levels). These trends, depending on how far and fast they progress, threaten the viability of Merlot (an early ripening grape), and to a lesser degree Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot is the most widely planted grape in Bordeaux, accounting for a little over 60% of the acreage under vine. It is typically 70% - 100% of Right Bank blends, and 20% - 40% of Left Bank blends.

These factors, along with the 2003 experience, prompted the French National Institute of Agricultural Research, supported by the Bordeaux Wine Council, to undertake the study that ultimately led to the announcement regarding the new varietals. Grapes that thrived in some of the warmest areas of Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece were evaluated and, in 2009, 52 candidates were selected for an experimental planting in Pessac-Leognan. These 7 were the most promising.

While all of this seems “revolutionary” on its surface, closer examination suggests a more conservative logic. While, finding grapes with the proven ability to cope with warmer conditions was a basic consideration, the key was finding ones that would continue to afford Bordeaux wines their traditional character. In other words, if and when the current Bordeaux varietals start to deliver something other than what we have come to expect in a Bordeaux, they will be able to substitute new varietals that will enable them to retain the essence of what makes a Bordeaux a Bordeaux.  

Also, the 2021 vintage will not see widespread introduction of these varietals. They will only be allowed in the Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur appellations. This is not a small area. These two appellations account for 55% of Bordeaux vineyard acreage, and a similar percentage of total production.

Finally, the new grapes cannot comprise more than 10% of the blend, and the producers can only plant their vineyards to a maximum of 5% of total acreage with these new varietals. So clearly, rather than a radical departure from tradition, this is a measured approach to keep a tradition alive – to keep the “Bordeaux” in Bordeaux. Cheers!