Bourgogne Wine Board, the interprofessional organisation representing Bourgogne wines, has elected Laurent Delaunay and Michel Barraud as co-presidents, tasking them with steering the region’s strategy through 2035 amid mounting economic, environmental and societal pressures.
The leadership change was confirmed at the board’s General Assembly earlier this month in Beaune. Delaunay, who represents the merchant and négociant sector, and Barraud, representing winegrowers, were elected to four-year terms and will jointly oversee the development of a new 10-year strategic plan, which is due to be submitted for approval in early July.
The appointments follow the end of the mandate of François Labet, whom Barraud succeeds as representative of the winegrowing sector.
Speaking at the assembly, Delaunay described the current period as one of transition and collective reflection for Bourgogne, urging the sector to reassess the role and resources of its interprofessional body in the face of growing challenges.
He cited climate change, economic uncertainty, inflation, geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and what he described as the increasing stigmatisation of wine consumption in France and abroad as key pressures weighing on the industry.
Delaunay acknowledged that while Bourgogne wines continue to occupy a distinctive position, current indicators call for caution rather than complacency. “The first half of 2026 will be devoted to the collective drafting of our new ten-year strategic plan,” he said.
That plan, which has been under discussion since the launch of the “Vinosphère” forum last year, is expected to place a strong emphasis on efficiency and long-term ambition, with a particular focus on carbon neutrality as a guiding framework.
Barraud, newly elected as co-president for the winegrowing sector, opened his remarks with a call for unity across Bourgogne’s vineyard from north to south, saying he intended to act as “a unifying force” throughout his term.
He reaffirmed the central role of the Bourgogne Wine Board’s three strategic pillars: technical innovation, economic and strategic intelligence, and marketing and communication.
On the technical front, Barraud said the board would focus on helping producers adapt to climate change and recurring harvest losses while maintaining quality standards. He said economic intelligence would play a key role in shaping long-term strategy, notably through a forward-looking market study launched at the end of 2025.
Barraud also highlighted the importance of strengthening ties with consumers, particularly through wine tourism, pointing to the growing role of the Cités des Climats et vins de Bourgogne network.
“The future is nothing more than the present put in order,” he said, quoting Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. “You do not have to foresee it—you have to enable it.”
Under governance rules adopted in July 2025, the two co-presidents will share equal responsibility for representing the interprofessional body, with chairing duties and delegation leadership continuing to alternate every two years.
Barraud, 58, is a cooperative winegrower from the Mâconnais with deep family roots in the region and currently serves as president of the Cave des Vignerons des Terres Secrètes. Delaunay, 60, represents the fifth generation of a Bourgogne wine family and is head of Maison Edouard Delaunay, which he reacquired in 2017.
The Bourgogne Wine Board brings together winegrowers and merchants across the region and is responsible for representing the sector, shaping technical and economic policy, and overseeing marketing and communications initiatives.
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