Bordeaux Supérieur = A.O.C. Bordeaux Grand Cru?

[AlexR]

This, in any event, is what the Syndicat des Bordeaux et Bordeaux Supérieur have just decided.

However, they now need approval from the INAO (whose initials have stayed the name, but now stand for Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité) before the name can be used.
I wonder if they will obtain this approval?
I'm sure there will be some fierce opposition...

Frankly, I'm not convinced it's such a good idea. How do you explain to a Chinaman (or someone in Hoboken, for that matter) that a grand cru in Saint-Julien and a grand cru Bordeaux are two very different animals?

Already, not one person in 100 knows the difference between a Saint Emilion grand cru and a Saint Emilion grand cru classé...

The Bx. and Bx. Sup. appellations account for over half of all production in the Gironde department.
It's true that, due to a variety of reasons, the wines aren't selling well, and the movers and shakers suffer from a certain amount of dross and a lacklustre name.

But still...

Best regards,
Alex R.

[stefan]

I wonder if, after a brief period when the new name helps sell Bdx, those who were drawn by the "Grand Cru" appellation will swear off Bdx altogether. To me it looks like a bad move.

stefan, confused Texasman

[Tom In DC]

Yup, adding to the confusion, ala the St. Emilion "Grand Cru" v. "Grand Cru Classe"...

The wines aren't selling well because they don't compete on price on the international market...nothing more, nothing less...

Might help sell within the country -- the French seem to be all about rankings -- but exports??? Not a chance. Hopefully the 1855 folks will fight this obfuscation.

Tom

[Claudius]

What a typically bureaucratic way of dealing with the issue.
Change the AC and the problem goes away.
Err, it will only serve to confuse and disappoint the market.

Maybe improving the quality of the wine would help?

[DavidG]

Just what France needs, more confusion and misdirection in wine labeling. Are they trying to compete with Germany?

My guess is this will have little effect unless accompanied by a big marketing push to make people think the wines are desirable.

[Houndsong]

I think it's a grand idea.

[Jon Burdick]

But is it superior?

If they wanted to sell to "Chinamen" perhaps they could create a Lafite appellation. For Hoboken, I'm not sure.....

[AlexR]

I posted this on two other boards.

I was shot down for being politically incorrect in my use of the word Chinamen.

I had no idea that anyone could possibly take offense at such a term!
You don't say "a French" or "an English", you say "an Englishman" or "a Frenchman".

I'm hard put to see why Chinaman should be radically different, but apparently it is so.

Alex