The Union of Grand Cru Chateaux

A POWERHOUSE FOR THE ENTIRE BORDEAUX VINEYARD :

PROMOTION : In 2009, this club of 132 top class châteaux members organised 50 marketing events throughout the world.

Every day, the “beating drum” of Bordeaux wines can be heard in the wine world’s market places : hundreds of merchants sending their troops out to spread “the good word”, but also hundreds of producers prospecting and selling their wines themselves.

Within this vast marketing machine which enables the sale of 800 million bottles per year in France and abroad, the Union of grand Cru Châteaux plays a key rôle (1). This club was started 35 years ago and unites 132 top-of-the-range estates from the Médoc, Graves, Libourne and Sauternes regions.

This organization, whose membership is accessible by co-optation only (election by votes of existing members), held its annual general meeting yesterday. The venue for the meeting was Château Gazin, a Pomerol estate owned by the Bailliencourt family. Sylvie Cazes, from Pauillac, who is the Union’s president, seized the opportunity to take stock of the organization’s achievements in 2009, in the presence of some of the industry’s major players, local political representatives, and “préfet” Dominique Schmitt.

33,000 contacts :

“We have organized around fifty promotional campaigns or events in france and abroad. Through these marketing operations, a total of 26,000 professionals (importers, distributors, restaurant owners, merchants, retailers and journalists) have become more aware of our wines, explains Mme.Cazes, in her dual rôle as president of the Union of Grands Cru and Bordeaux city councillor.

“Furthermore, we have a policy of openness and collaboration with the general public. This has enabled us to reach 7,000 wine enthusiasts during the various campaigns in 2009. All in all, a consequential total of 33,000 contacts have been made. We also see our rôle as being that of a powerhouse for the entire Bordeaux wine industry. Despite the current challenging circumstances, we will continue our in-the-field involvement in 2010.”

Rendez-vous in Bordeaux :

This involvement, like in previous years, will entail tours of the United States, Asia and Northern Europe, promotional events in Paris, in Italy or in Switzerland : each time with a large team of organizers - 100 people were part of the U.S.campaign held last month.

Good news has just arrived for all those involved in the development this marketing campaign, in the shape of a European Union subsidy. Indeed, within the framework of various subsidies allocated by Brussels for the promotion of wines in non-member countries, the UGCB should receive one million euros per year for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 campaigns.

This will double it’s current budget, whose sole ressource until now is based on its member’s subscriptions (the last member to join being the Château de Pez, AOC Saint-Estèphe). The year 2010 will also include events in Gironde : beginning with the traditional “Primeurs” (or futures) week, between the end of March and the beginning of April. Thousands of professionals will come to Bordeaux to taste the new 2009 vintage.

The expected high quality of the vintage is already attracting attention, as was the case for 2000 or 2005. Next, the UGCB will be organising its “Weekend des Grands Amateurs” (great wine lovers’ weekend), to be held on the 5th and 6th of June. On the weekend’s agenda will be tastings, dinners and vineyard visits open to all. Lastly, the UGCB has entered into partnership with the Masters of Wine, who will be holding a conference during “Bordeaux Fête le Vin” (the Bordeaux wine festival), which is held at the end of June and which is attracting more and more wine world events. The general public will be able to sign up for an original dinner menu and of course a tasting of great wines.

This groundwork seems to tend towards making the approach to great wines more democratic, with the help of educational methods. After that, the decision to go ahead and buy is up to the individual.

PHOTO : (Stéphane Lartigue SO) : UGCB President Sylvie Cazes.

(1) www.ugcb.net

César Compadre SO 11/02/10

Author:César Compadre
Photo:DR SO

logo_so1