The beleagured Alliance des Crus Bourgeois is set to fill the vacuum left by last month's government decision to scrap the 2003 classification and ban its mention on wine labels.
During a specially convened General Assembly on 24 July, members voted to adopt the term 'Label Cru Bourgeois' – not as a classification, but as a mark of quality.
Frederique de Lamothe, director of L'Alliance, told decanter.com, 'A month ago, a lot of people said we were dead in the water, but we want them to know that we are very much still here, and working towards a resolution of our difficulties.'
She added that their intention was to revive the classification, but they aware how long that would take. 'In the meantime we still need some mark of quality to reassure consumers, and to assist winemakers. This Label Cru Bourgeois is a suggestion that we will now take to the various organisations and associations in the Medoc.'
The Alliance hopes to introduce the Label Cru Bourgeois from the 2007 vintage. It will be an annual certification of quality, open to all Medoc wines, based on production and quality standards. It will work in a similar fashion to the Label Rouge programme in France, which denotes artisan, quality food products.
Lamothe said the group needs the agreement of other bodies in the Medoc before they take the idea to the government.
'And of course the certification will be carried out by an independent body, to avoid any of the problems that we had before. But it offers the chance to put an end to the confusion.'
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I don't really understand what determines a Cru Bourgeois from a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionale?
Clint Sloan, Sommelier / Beverage Director, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
I'm very happy that this important group has found a way to move forward on its issues. This is very necessary, and any other outcome would really hurt an important part of the Bordeaux trade at a time when it's truly under enormous threats to its survival.
The wines of the various 'Bourgeoise' groups over the years have probably brought me more sheer pleasure than any others, in terms of economical quality. These wines have been actually ones I could afford to drink regularly and showed forth both their indentity quality.. Most of them were noticeably in advance of the rest of their peers in achieving economical quality. Oftentimes the market in the past has not rewarded their efforts as much as it should have. And now the difficulties with the government. Life is not fair!
However, we now have reason to hope, since the 2007 vintage may not have to be sold without a designation identifying the wines of the group from the 'run of the mill'! Let's hope it's so, and is going to work out.
John Trombley, Piqua, OH, USA
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