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Bourgogne Week to swing focus onto Régionale value from ‘dream’ vintage

Published:  06 December, 2019

The annual Bourgogne Week in London, running from 7-16 January, will see producers and negociants emphasising the value of Régionale AOC wines off the back of the generally acclaimed and big volume 2018 vintage.

The BIVB (Bourgogne Wine Board) will also be using the opportunity to promote ‘Régionale plus’ wines, a premium tier within the existing Mâcon and Bourgogne appellations, allowing the addition of a more tightly focused geographical denomination (such as village or a climat name) to the broader AOC.

The BIVB ran a masterclass on such wines at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust in London in November, aimed at sommeliers and specialist merchants, emphasising the combination of terroir and value to be found.

BIVB co-president of communications, Anne Moreau, described 2018 as “an absolute dream”, telling Harpers that both the quality and quantity delivered by the vintage made for an ideal springboard to “show the value that Burgundy can deliver” in the face of fast rising prices for the most famous wines.

This focus on value in Burgundy’s second biggest export market follows record €1bn global exports – 88 million bottles – from the region. Volume and value rises of wines exported to Britain were up 7.9% and 5.4% respectively in the first eight months of 2019 on 2017-2018, reversing two years of decline (BIVB figures).

However, and with an eye on the uncertainty surrounding Brexit and the generally challenging conditions in the UK, the BIVB is keen to capitalise on this reversal of fortune with what Moreau described as “great opportunities for more accessible wines”.

The January tradition of a busy calendar of Burgundy tastings is a long established feature of the UK wine trade and this year, a part of it’s support package, the BIVB has developed an online guide, www.bourgogne-week.com, with information on the tastings, producers and travel between locations.

The BIVB will also be supporting Bourgogne Week with an online and social media campaign.

Burgundy accounted for 11% of total AOC wines exported from France to the UK in 2018, representing just over 14% value.



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