Bourgogne wines have their sights set on Sweden and Norway in March with masterclasses and press dinners.
On 6 and 13 March, Bourgogne wines will be in Oslo and Stockholm respectively for masterclasses and press dinners. Sweden and Norway are two loyal markets, respectively the 7th and 8th biggest importers of Bourgogne wines around the world. Highly appreciative of top-of-the-range wines, these mature markets will benefit by opening up to Village and Régionale appellations with a geographical denomination, that are lesser-known but which offer a varied range of more affordable wines.
On 6 March, Norway will be hosting two masterclasses on Régionale appellations with an additional geographical denomination. These will provide an opportunity for participants to discover this accessible, varied, and high-quality range. These wines account for 16% of the total production of Bourgogne wines.
The first session will be for local restaurateurs and sommeliers. The second will target journalists, importers, and market influencers. Both sessions will be hosted by Bourgogne wine ambassador Liora Levi.
The press dinner, which will be held in a traditional Norwegian restaurant, will feature some lesser-known Village appellations such as Fixin, Viré-Clessé, Pernand-Vergelesses, and Givry – a different range to discover or rediscover.
In Sweden, on 13 March, the spotlight will be on Chablis. Chablis wines have always been very popular in Scandinavia, and Sweden is their fifth-biggest export market. Two Masterclasses will be dedicated to exploring the entire range from Petit Chablis to Chablis Grand Cru. The first one will be for professional restaurateurs and sommeliers, while the second will welcome journalists, importers, and influencers.
Following this, a press dinner will extend the experience with some intriguing food and wine combinations.
At your service
The 4th edition of “Bourgogne Wines on Tour” is set to return to the UK
After the success of the events in 2017, Bourgogne wines are back in the United-Kingdom with 5 new session of the “Bourgogne Wines on Tour” experience.
Two of these will allow market players (such as wine store owners, importers, wholesalers, and sommeliers), and journalist to discover an often-overlooked segment of the Bourgogne wine offer, namely Régionale appellations with an additional geographical denomination. They will run on the 4th of March in Leicester and 28th May in Newcastle.
Also, three of the sessions will be Chablis-specific and will focus on the stylistic nuances of the Petit Chablis and Chablis appellations. They will be held in Birmingham, then Durham on the 29th April, and Canterbury on 17th June.
Master of Wine Michelle Cherruti-Kowal will host the events, offering her analysis of a selection of these appellations that correspond perfectly to the British market, thanks to their excellent value for money and drinking pleasure.
A new tool on www.bourgogne-wines.com
The Bourgogne wines Media Library is a rich source of information and documentation.
With maps, guides, diagrams, and videos, the Bourgogne Wine Board’s (BIVB) Media Library has everything you could ever want. This tool brings together all the documentation produced by the BIVB, and makes it freely available to all.
Maybe you need a map of the Bourgogne winegrowing region. Or perhaps the latest production figures. All of this and more is available for download from the Media Library, and you can be sure all information is up-to-date and has been validated by professionals.
You can also find objects for sale, such as bottle-openers, sommeliers’ aprons, and sparkling wine stoppers, along with plenty of gift ideas, such as neckties, shopping bags, and games for the kids to help you share the Bourgogne wines experience.
6 March in Oslo Masterclass on Régionale AOCs with a geographical denomination, and press dinner featuring lesser-known Village appellations (see above)
13 March in Stockholm
Masterclass and press dinner on the entire Chablis wines range (see above)
3-7 June in Tokyo
Bourgogne Week
10 June in Shanghai Masterclass on Régionale AOCs with a geographical denomination and a press meet-and-greet
Economic Update
Hong Kong: A mature market that loves high-quality Bourgogne wines
Hong Kong is the 4th biggest market in terms of value for Bourgogne wine exports. It is gradually opening up to some of the region’s lesser-known appellations.
Revenue from Bourgogne wines was up 24% in the first 11 months of 2018 to 55.5 million euros - a new record, following on from strong growth in 2017. This sets a new record in terms of value, after the two years of 2016 and 2017, which already saw strong growth.
Over the same period, the volume of Bourgogne white wines exported to Hong Kong continued to grow, reaching the equivalent of 490,500 75cl bottles. Revenue was up a healthy 43.5% to 13.46 million euros. This is quite unusual in Asia, where markets are traditionally oriented towards red wines.
Bourgogne Régionale red wines dominated the market, with 39% of total exports (down 6.3% on the first 11 months of 2017). Village and Village Premier Cru appellations of the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits came second, with 31% of the volume exported and 29% of all revenue (up 25.6% on the first 11 months of 2017).
In specialist wine stores, Bourgogne wines remain well represented.
Bourgogne wines did well in this sector, in second place in terms of the number of references per point of sale among the worldwide offer of wines. They were available in 91% of the stores surveyed, accounting for 17.8% of the offer.
Click here for more information about this growing market
Bourgogne Côte d’Or, an AOC born from the rising sun!
Did you know? Created in 2017, the Bourgogne Côte d’Or AOC is the “youngest” of the Régionale appellations with a geographical denomination in Bourgogne.
In 2017, the producers of the Bourgogne Régionale appellation on the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits obtained the additional geographical denomination of “Côte d’Or”, and Bourgogne Côte d'Orwines were born. This geographical denomination is reserved for still red and white wines produced within 40 communes within the defined region.
Terroir
The vines of Bourgogne Côte d’Or grow over a diagonal shape running northeast to southwest and arranged across a succession of slopes at between 200-450 meters above sea level in a temperate climate that tends to be hot and dry. The vines mainly face southeast and grow on the foothills of the Côte, on old alluvium made up of clay scree and colluvial deposits, clay loam, and gravel at the ends of the valleys.
The reds are cherry in color with hints of deep ruby. The nose offers touches of cherry, blackcurrant, and blackberry, with hints of pomegranate and peony. In the mouth, they are smooth and delicate, with fine tannins and a fleshy fruitiness that peaks with a fresh and light finish.
The whites are pale straw gold in color with touches of silvery yellow-green. The nose reveals touches of lemon, pear, almond, acacia blossom, and hawthorn, sometimes with notes of aniseed, peach, lime blossom, mint, and pineapple. The mouth is full of well-rounded fleshy fruitiness that grows more saline and lemony towards the finish, with aromas of licorice and brioche.
Around 250 Bourgogne wine industry professionals, including producers, sommeliers, traders, restaurateurs, representatives of cooperative cellars, and journalists, will select the most representative wines of each appellation and vintage from some 500 wines, with a focus on quality, pleasure, and authenticity.
This edition for spring 2019 will be presided over by Éric Goettelmann, Executive Head Sommelier for the Bernard Loiseau group, and Meilleur Ouvrier de France in his category in 2018.
Contact us if you’d like to be a member of the jury.
The Chablis wine competition was held in January, under the presidency of Tim Atkins, Master of Wine and world-renowned wine critic.
This competition is unique in that Chablis producers are not allowed to judge the wines that could be their own. The 86-strong jury is thus made up of journalists, restaurateurs, sommeliers, traders, enologists, and wine lovers.
The competition has two stages. The wines are first tasted by the jury, then those with the highest scores go before a super-jury which awards the medals.
The winning wines are used by the BIVB during marketing and training events in France and abroad and act as the worthy ambassadors for Chablis wines throughout 2019.
Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine Dijon being a center for vine-growing. But this was once the case, just a few hundred years ago. In the 17th century, there were more than 300 winemakers in Dijon, but times have changed. From 1,000 hectares in the 19th century the vines of Dijon now cover less than 40 hectares.
Paul Aegerter explains the estate’s decision to breathe new life into the city’s vines: “The heritage of the Bourgogne region is unique, and it seemed obvious to us to help resurrect the Climat of La Rente de Giron. We acquired two hectares this year that we have replanted with Chardonnay.”
In the Middle Ages, the wines of Dijon often featured on the tables of the Dukes of Bourgogne. First produced by monks, these crus enjoyed a good reputation for their quality.
Today, it is the desire of the City of Dijon and its winegrowers to see the creation of a Bourgogne Côtes de Dijon AOC. On this clay-limestone terroir, the vines grow on breezy slopes that are sheltered from bad weather.
For the Domaine Aegerter, the first harvest is expected in four years time.
Since 2017 and the creation of the Village AOC, the name Vézelay can no longer appear on any wine label other than those of the appellation. The Henry de Vézelay cooperative, a key player in producing and selling wines from Vézelay, has naturally had to adapt.
Some 80% of the cooperative’s wines are from the Vézelay appellation, but it does also produce some Bourgogne reds and rosés, along with some wines from the Melon de Bourgogne varietal.
Its new name, Les Vignerons de la Colline Eternelle, is more suited to the identity of this cooperative adventure created in 1989, which brings together 12 producers of all ages. This new chapter in its history is accompanied by a brand-new visual identity.
Producers of Mâcon-Pierreclos white and red, the Domaine Lapalus owns 17 hectares of vines in the southern part of Bourgogne. It has been making wine in Pierreclos for three generations.
In order to respond to growing demand from society as a whole for greater respect for the environment from farmers, the estate decided to commit to a greener approach that is certified by an independent body recognized by the French Agriculture Ministry.
The wines of the Domaine Lapalus in Pierreclos will be able to continue sporting the Haute Valeur Environnementale label for three more years, indicating a more sustainable approach to production that respects the natural world in a more balanced way.
The family-run Maison Albert Bichot has appointed Guillaume Deglise to the post of Managing Director. He takes over from Benoît de Charette, who was responsible for development at this Beaune-based producer for the past 27 years, working alongside Albéric Bichot, Chairman of the Management Board.
After working in the Champagne region, first for Bollinger and then with Laurent-Perrier, Guillaume Deglise (44) joined Vinexpo in 2013 as Managing Director, where he was responsible for driving growth both in France and abroad.
A graduate of the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Dijon, Guillaume Deglise now returns to the Bourgogne region, bringing with him a wealth of experience in the challenges of the world of wine.
Bourgogne vs. Burgundy: to re-affirm their identity, the region and the producers are reverting back to the original French iteration of the name, Bourgogne.
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