Bordeaux chateau declassifies itself January 23, 2007
Jane Anson in Bordeaux
Chateau la Dauphine in Fronsac is bucking the Bordeaux system by
declassifying one of its properties to boost production of its most popular
wine.
Chateau Canon de Brem in Canon-Fronsac will be declassified and become part
of the Chateau la Dauphine production. La Dauphine will also start producing
a second wine.
Despite Canon-Fronsac being traditionally seen as the most prestigious of the two Bordeaux appellations (Fronsac and Canon Fronsac are both just west of Saint Emilion) the chateau has decided to buck the usual rules of Bordeaux and simplify its label over the intricacies of the AOC system.
Guillaume Halley, the 29-year-old owner of La Dauphine and director of two Bordeaux supermarkets, told decanter.com, 'Every year Chateau La Dauphine sells out, but we still have stock of Canon de Brem, despite the fact that they are from effectively the same terroir, are vinified in the same winery, and are given equal amounts of investment and marketing. Clearly, this must be an effect of the label.
'In reality, only professionals know the difference between Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac, whereas today it's the chateau name that is most important. We intend to concentrate on that.'
The name of the new wine is yet to be decided, but is likely to follow the same protocol of other second wines of well known chateaux, such as Alter Ego de Palmer or Les Carraudes de Lafite.
The changes will take place from the 2006 vintage.
La Dauphine was previously owned by the Moueix family of Chateau Petrus.
'For them it made sense to have two different chateaux to segment their market,' Halley said.
'But for us, since taking over in 2000, we have invested heavily in the vinification cellars and the chateau of La Dauphine, and we receive all our visitors at the property. To tell visitors that our 'best wine' was Canon de Brem confused our overall message. We have decided to keep it simple.'
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How very sad that the supermarket shelves are now the judge and jury for good wines resulting in the death sentence of a well loved friend, Canon de Brem in Canon Fronsac. This Chateau has been a very reliable brand at a fair price which my family and I have enjoyed through several of their successful vintages. It seems that my undelivered case of 2005 de Brem will likely be the last, doubly sad as it is reported to be the best wine ever. Goodbye Canon de Brem, you've gone out with a bang and with our thanks. How many will now join you in the memory of fine wines as the inexorable march of supermarket efficiency moves forward to deal fatal blows to those charming smaller Chateau that give us wine to lift the heart.
Laurence Measey
Canon de Brem is going for the Euros rather than the Kudos. The label will probably have a little doggie on it named "Bremmie" who will just be so cute that herd America can't resist buying it. This will offset the cost of the beancounters camping in the vineyards to implement any cost cutting possibilities. The bottle will say Cabernet Sauvignon and More on the label, and they will forego the Chateau rendering in favor of "Bremmie's" doghouse. Other suggestions include calling it 3 Euro Charles (pronounced Sharl) to compete with 2 Buck Chuck.
Michael Sarro, Grapemaster, St. Martin's Grapeschool
This is clearly a decision made with the head and not with the heart, I do not imagine for a moment that it has been made without considerable thought.
Whilst Canon de Brem will be removed from the age old classification system we have all become used to, it does not mean that the wine will become supermarket designer plonk, it remains the same highly regarded well made wine that it always was. The winemaker remains the same, the terroir remains the same these are the two most important factors to be considered.
More power to them for bucking the tired old inflexible classification system.
Steve Holmes
The decision of the Halley family is most sensible and will be supported by anyone who bothers to look at the facts. Though in the 19th century the wines of the Fronsadais were better known and more expensive than those from most of St Emilion and Pomerol - why otherwise would there be all those impressive chateaux? - they fell out of favour in the middle of the 20th century. Madame de Brem made superb wines, the best in the appellation, from her three chateaux La Dauphine, Canon-de-Brem and Pichelebre in the 1960s and 1970s, yet for family and financial reasons she was obliged to sell. Ets J-P Moueix seemed the perfect saviour, yet after the necessary modest investments, even Christian Moueix could not turn a profit. He said as much to the Halleys when they bought La Dauphine and Canon de Brem and congratulated them on their optimism. The Halleys put their money where their mouth was, the result being the excellent wines made in 2004 and especially in 2005, once again leaders of the appellation.
Everyone knows that the Bordeaux chateaux are brands. The decision to support a well-known brand by declassifing the produce of a superior appellation into this brand would seem to benefit the consumer. If it benefits the Halley family, they will be able to continue to invest for even more quality. A win-win situation, one would think, not one for cause for concern and even less one for criticism.
Steven Spurrier, London, UK
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How very sad that the supermarket shelves are now the judge and jury for good wines resulting in the death sentence of a well loved friend, Canon de Brem in Canon Fronsac. This Chateau has been a very reliable brand at a fair price which my family and I have enjoyed through several of their successful vintages. It seems that my undelivered case of 2005 de Brem will likely be the last, doubly sad as it is reported to be the best wine ever. Goodbye Canon de Brem, you've gone out with a bang and with our thanks. How many will now join you in the memory of fine wines as the inexorable march of supermarket efficiency moves forward to deal fatal blows to those charming smaller Chateau that give us wine to lift the heart.
