The Irish Times Magazine - Joe BreenMay 27th, 2006

Terra Incognita

Bordeaux is venturing into the unknown with the attempts to emulate the success of mass-market brands such as Jacob’s Creek

Some months ago, Thierry Gardinier of Château Phélan Ségur told me that Bordeaux needed a brand, one that appealed to people who find wine a mystery. He cited the success of the Australians and Americans in creating vibrant labels such as Blossom hill, Hardys, Jacob’s Creek and E&J Gallo (recently renamed the Gallo Family)
It must be all they talk about in French wine circles, because in recent weeks I have been introduced to two initiatives, one spanking new and the other stretching its wings, aim and providing consumers with an easily identifiable brand that will guide them through France’s maze appellations, styles and flavours.

Terra Burdigala which takes its name from the roman term for the Bordeaux region, began in 2001 with the aim of pulling together a select group of winegrowers, often from less fashionable parts of Bordeaux, to produce and market “undeniably good value-for-money wines”.
This is high-end branding, as Terra Burdigala’s Bernadette Thienpont happily admits. Thienpont’s family, particularly her brother Alexander, has deep roots in Bordeaux, including the iconic Château Le Pin and Vieux Château Certan.
Although Terra Burdigala wines are a couple of notches below that standard, they are still very impressive, particularly the stunningly intense La Violette Côtes de Castillon 2005. Theses wines are still not cheap, however, and price is becoming one of the Bordeaux biggest problems.

All Terra Burdigala wines carry common logos and design, as do the product of Chamarré, a new fresh company formed to take on the New World usurpers at their own game -which is to say producing price-conscious, easy-drinking, flavour-filled reds and whites. The difference is that they are made in France.
Chamarré wines are not in the same league as Burdigala’s offerings. But then, they don’t want to be. They have more modest ambitions. Expect to see them soon on the supermarket shelf near you.