The ‘Crus Bourgeois’ of the Medoc... From classification to “recognition”

Primeurs 2009 Médoc

The ‘Crus Bourgeois’
of the Medoc...

From classification to “recognition”

In our previous issue, we touched on the main features of the process of the 'Crus Bourgeois recognition' that will be written on the labels of the 2008 vintage, further to the cataclysm of the cancellation in 2003 of the Crus Bourgeois classification. We wanted to know the opinion of Thierry Gardinier, chairman of the ‘Alliance des Crus Bourgeois’, on the matter: “This mention, in France as abroad, is fundamental and vital for the economic stability of the Médoc. It is unthinkable to leave a gap in the law. It represents an additional advantage for the sale of the wines as well as an extra profit, an image and a reference point in particular on the Asian and American markets. We have been working for nearly 6 years for this recognition being validated according to a process and an impartial tasting, in order to create the first system of openness of a brand in the wine world.” After reflection and concertation in the vineyard, the producers of the eight Médoc appellations thus agreed to perpetuate the traditional mention Crus Bourgeois, and this for the 2008 vintage. New specification and check plan have been validated for the ‘Crus Bourgeois recognition’. From September 1st 2010, only the estates having the name of their châteaux registered in the national brand register kept by the INPI* can present their wines for the “Crus Bourgeois recognition”. This recognition will be reappraised for each vintage and on a declared volume.

“The traditional mention Crus Bourgeois protects more than a brand from a legal point of view. We have secured the process to guarantee a real credibility to the customers as the 'recognition' is a right for the owners but also the duty to respect this mention and the quality of the produced wines. We hope the alliance of these two cultures -on the one hand rigor though the certification by Bureau Veritas**, and on the other hand our wine culture by searching quality- will be a source of example for other traditional mentions. We would like the State to approve the 'Alliance' and the process of 'recognition' to give it more legitimacy.” T. Gardinier concludes.
During the “Primeurs”, 198 châteaux presented their 2009 cuvée to nearly 750 professional tasters of all around the world and 50 journalists at the “Château de Malleret”, located in Pian Médoc. In the context of this vintage and the expectation of the list of the wines recognized as Crus Bourgeois, this tasting caught the attention of numerous medias but also the television through reports. The list of châteaux recognized as Crus Bourgeois will be officially announced on September 15th.

F. Varaine

* INPI : Institut National de la Propriété Industrielle: National Institute
for the Industrial Property Right.
** Bureau Veritas: independent certification organization.

Alliance des Crus Bourgeois : union and promotional organization of 282 members in 2009 in the Médoc (nearly 10000 ha).

For further information :

www.crus-bourgeois.com to know the specifications

and the check plan.

www.crus-bourgeois.com