Regional Bourgogne wines could serve as a “first date” for new wine drinkers, enticing them into a lasting relationship with Burgundy, suggests Frédéric Barnier, the chief winemaker at renowned Maison Louis Jadot, amidst a global decline in wine consumption.
Barnier notes that today’s younger consumers aren’t drinking as much wine as previous generations, a shift that Burgundy, with its “less heavy, less alcoholic, less rich” wines, is well-positioned to address.
Louis Jadot produces around 800,000 cases of wine annually, spanning from regional wines to rarefied Grand Crus, across approximately 150 different wines such as Beaune, Santenay all the way to its flagship wines of Corton Charlemagne, Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques.
Cultivated on 115 hectares of organically farmed vineyards in Côte d’Or, majority of which are estate-owned, Louis Jadot sees between 55% to 60% of its production coming from regional appellations, reflecting Burgundy’s overall production. Yet, it’s the top Grand Cru wines that often garner disproportionate attention among consumers.
“People are a bit crazy about the top wines. They are very frantic,” he sighed. “This is of course what people are dreaming about but it is not the real part of what people drink.”
According to the winemaker, its Macon Village and Chalonnaise are among some of the best value options out in the market. “I think probably no one has invested as we did to produce good Macron Village, good Bourgogne-Chalonnaise, good Beaujolais,” says Barnier. “The idea of Jadot is clearly to say we are what is Burgundy. We have a beautiful range of wine with accessible appellation.”
“The young people are looking to something more easy, casual, for different occasions. And for us at Jadot, we have to convince them that there is an accessible part to Burgundy,” he reiterates.
This initial encounter should serve as an introduction to the complexity and elegance of Burgundy, offering accessible appellations as the starting point. “You know, it’s the first date we could have with Burgundy. And the idea is to have another date”.
As consumers become more acquainted with these regional wines, they’re encouraged to explore further—moving on to the “second and third dates” with village wines, Premier Crus, and eventually, the illustrious Grand Crus.
The expected moderation in Bourgogne prices, thanks to more generous 2022 and 2023 vintages, should further entice consumers to explore Burgundy’s offerings. “In a certain way we are back to a level which should be clearly more accessible and stable,” he says.
But with climate change bringing about more erratic weather patterns, the winemaker admits that production is something that has become harder and harder to predict. Starting from the 2015 vintage, Bourgogne wines have shown more drastic vintage variations, according to the winemaker. The upside of this change, as he says, is adding diversity to the wines, but “the problem is unpredictable,” with frost, hailstorms, and storms threatening yields. To combat these issues, Louis Jadot is exploring viticultural techniques like delaying bud break and employing frost prevention techniques, albeit acknowledging the limitations and environmental concerns of some traditional methods.
Additionally, Louis Jadot is experimenting with new things to adapt to future challenges. This includes exploring new woodstocks, updating winery facilities, and potentially picking grapes at night to adapt to warmer temperatures. In terms of innovations inside the cellar, Jadot remains committed to its heritage of oak usage and remains cautious about the introduction of new materials such as stainless tank, concrete or amphorae.
The winery is using bigger oak barrels to age certain wines. For example, its grand cru wines are now aged in 450-liter barrel to retain freshness. “We need to keep this link with the oak… the idea is to keep a link and follow the roots we have. It’s going to work in the future.”
As for the Chinese market, though slow at the moment, Barnier expressed a dose of optimism, emphasizing the importance of a long-term approach to the market. Through its partnership with ASC, Louis Jadot aims to build a strong, loyal customer base by educating consumers about the depth and diversity of Burgundy wines, from regional appellations to Grand Crus.
“It’s not a question of volume, but we are very optimistic because of course the market will get more mature. And I think that’s the most important thing,” says Barnier. “We are developing the range of wines we are selling with the ASC teams. And I think we are doing it well.”
