Author: Vy Nguyen

From its design to its marketing strategy and the sensory perception it prompts, a wine label has become so much more than just packaging. As a conveyor of meaning, it tells a story, influences consumers and acts as an effective selling point.

Contents:

• A distinctive feature… as old as wine itself
• A buying cue and a medium for expressing identity
• Identify your target and find the right words
• A search for both meaning and nature
• Strategic innovation

A distinctive feature… as old as wine itself

Even before the first paper labels emerged in the 18^th century, wine merchants were already promoting the contents of their amphorae. At the Louvre, a fragment dating back to the era of Ramses II (1279 to 1213 BC), found in Egypt, indicates the origin of the wine it contained. Present-day labels do not just provide information, they are eye-catching and guide consumers’ hands when choosing a wine. According to a survey by OpinionWay for French Independent Winegrowers (2023), seven out of ten French people view them as an important buying cue at point of sale. Recent research by Washington State University also reveals that label design influences our perceptions and our buying intentions.

A buying cue and a medium for expressing identity

The American female consumers surveyed preferred labels with visual cues described as feminine – flowers and faces for example. “They were also expecting their overall sensory experience to be better, and they were more likely to purchase the wine”, comments Ruiying Cai, the study’s main author. This is also true of the most knowledgeable consumers: “The gender cue influence was so strong, it trumped the effect of that knowledge,” said co-author Christina Chi. During a blind test, the same wine was perceived as fruity and sweet with a  feminine label and more mineral with a masculine version. “The label is a genuine medium for expressing an identity. Just as you stick it on the bottle, so too do you symbolically display what the wine represents, which is so much more than just a product” confirms Sophie Javel, co-founder of Exceptio, a design studio specialising in wine and spirits in Gradignan.

Identify your target and find the right words

As the first visual contact with the consumer, the label is a marker designed to reflect the uniqueness of the product. “The packaging implies coherency between what you see and what you drink and more broadly speaking is part of an overall communications strategy. The issue is about telling a story but without necessarily inventing anything. Storytelling does not imply making up stories but rather making what you do meaningful”. Consequently, the right label needs to speak to the right audience, in the right way. “You have to define your target and stick to it. The packaging is not the same for a heritage wine steeped in history as it is for a young, more accessible wine designed for everyday drinking”, adds Javel. The tone, the colours, the shapes and the typography need to be adapted. And that goes for the sales outlets themselves – wine merchants, super/hypermarkets…

A search for both meaning and nature

So can a fine wine use fanciful labelling cues? Can a natural wine don classic cladding? The answer is yes, but subtly. “In addition to fashion trends, graphic freedom expresses itself within clear pointers for consumers who are mostly tired of a lack of meaning. A truly successful label conveys something legitimate. It recounts the contents of the bottle, how they were made and the intent, irrespective of whether it is colourful or minimalistic”. Another trend is heightened environmental awareness. But shortcuts need to be avoided. Being responsible does not necessarily imply choosing recycled paper with a debatable carbon footprint. “Is your primary ethos about being planet-friendly… or making a good wine which factors in a certain number of parameters?” questions Javel, alluding to a number of options such as thinner paper, water-based inks, lack of gilding and easily removable labels on shapes of bottles that can be recycled. This type of restraint can be invisible but coherent. Even the visual language is changing, with fewer depictions of chateaux, particularly in Bordeaux, and more landscapes “to put vineyards back in an ecosystem and demonstrate their rooting in a living environment”.

Strategic innovation

Technology is also a part of the packaging: the now mandatory QR code for new regulatory information is often coupled with a more narrative QR code leading to a website or augmented reality. But these practices remain marginal. “The link between a physical label and digital technology will probably increase. However, modernity no longer lies in technical innovation but in the way these elements are skilfully combined to make the whole experience more evocative”, concludes Javel. Innovation is becoming an issue of blending, just like wine itself, and labelling now crystallises issues that go far beyond just product presentation. Labels are in no way turning their backs on tradition, rather they are updating it by factoring in newly-minted expectations – more meaning, more sincerity and more responsibility. Some companies have turned them into a stand-alone art form. Every year since 1945, Château Mouton Rothschild has commissioned a different artist to design the label of its latest vintage. For the 2022 vintage, Gérard Garouste rose to the challenge. As a collectible item and a marketing cue, sometimes a simple paper rectangle is worth a thousand words…

Florence Jaroniak© Taka/AdobeStock

For more information:

https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010073861

https://news.wsu.edu/press-release/2024/10/01/women-more-likely-to-choose-wine-with-feminine-labels

The wine list for premium class passengers is a strategic resource for airlines and one that continues to gain in prestige. A booming market, it mobilises substantial investments, propelling some wineries towards new horizons.

Contents:

• A high-flying magnet for passengers
• Ongoing premiumisation
• A booming market
• Ambitious winery strategies
• Education and expertise

A high-flying magnet for passengers

The seats are reclined and the lighting subdued – in first class, the flight attendant suggests something to drink. Champagne, what else? Since December 2024, Singapore Airlines has been serving 2015 Cristal as part of its agreement with Louis Roederer. Emirates, on the other hand, has remained loyal to its 33-year partnership with Moët Hennessy, holding exclusive rights to eight exceptional vintages. The days when in-flight services stretched no further than a sandwich and soft drink are long gone. But in actual fact, as early as 1927, Air Union – subsequently subsumed into Air France – introduced an innovative gourmet food service on its Paris-London flights that would not have looked out of place on the Orient-Express. Since then, wine has become a signature staple of all high-end travel. By the 1960s, Air France for instance began honing its selection, recruiting the help of independent winemakers. It would subsequently hand over curation of its wine and Champagne list to the Best Sommelier in the World, Paolo Basso, before commissioning Xavier Thuizat, 2022 Best Sommelier of France, 2023 Best French Craftsman (MOF) and the 2024 leading sommelier award-winner in the Michelin Guide.

Ongoing premiumisation

The airline company currently serves over 9 million bottles a year. Its wine list is renewed three times a year and its premium offerings are ever more ambitious. That’s because in-flight comfort is no longer enough to sway travellers – wine now factors significantly into the equation as carriers wage a battle to attract passengers to the most lucrative front-row seats. Such is the race to excellence that competitions such as the Cellars in the Sky Awards and Wines on the Wing award the finest airline selections. “As a major asset in the passenger experience, the wine list is designed to offer travellers a pleasurable moment and let their tastebuds travel by exploring new appellations and new talents. Its aim is to mirror new aspects of wine regions and trends, like the propensity to drink less but better or to favour more palatable, elegant and refreshing red wines” explains Xavier Thuizat, who focuses primarily on wines that have the ability to spark emotions. “I need to feel sense of place and its authenticity when I try a wine”.

A booming market

On the ground, wine consumption is declining, but in the air it is literally soaring. Lufthansa, for example, issues 30 to 35 calls for tender a year involving a dozen tastings by in-house and external wine tasters. The market is bullish and reflects that of the airline sector itself. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), airline companies expect to transport 5.2 billion passengers in 2025, up 6.7% on 2024, generating record profits of 36.6 billion dollars (+16.1% year-on-year). For wineries, featuring on an in-flight wine list is a golden opportunity to sell their wines and establish a reputation among an international audience that can subsequently seek out the wines once back on terra firma. Some of them have successfully turned the opportunity into a springboard for their export strategy. To do this, though, they have to get on board first – a single order can total 60,000 bottles, a quantity that few producers have the means or the desire to supply, especially as some airlines tend to drive prices down.

Ambitious winery strategies

Conversely, many have taken the opposite approach and invested significant amounts of money. Since 2006, Emirates has injected over a billion dollars in its vineyard programme. It owns its own winery in Burgundy, where 7.4 million bottles are maturing, some of which will not be served until 2037 and beyond. Each of the company’s four cabins has its own selection, with the Premium range tailored to the taste preferences of passengers in six different regions of the world. To further perfect its service, Emirates even launched a training programme in 2024 titled ‘The art of wine’. Over 1,000 cabin staff have already taken part in the three intensive course levels with a goal of 22,000 by 2026. The initiative illustrates how enhanced personnel skills are increasingly adding value to the customer experience.

Education and expertise

“Just like the chefs who make the food served on board, I put together training resources for the crew with the teams at Air France. These are short videos explaining the wine list and providing advice and anecdotes about the wineries and appellations”, stresses Thuizat. Singapore Airlines trains its staff with Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) certifications, whilst Delta has introduced its Sky Sommelier programme with Andrea Robinson. Pushing the boundaries even further, British Airways even has a wine club, The Wine Flyer, where passengers can buy wines online after experiencing them on BA flights. And New Zealand has spread its wings by venturing into winemaking and launching its own label, Thirteen Forty Five, with Villa Maria. As the airline industry hones its skills to improve differentiation, some wineries are ensuring they stay ahead of the curve: Mumm has designed its Cordon Rouge Stellar for future human spaceflights. It’s one more illustration how wine continues to push back the final frontier, where no man has gone before…  

Florence Jaroniak.

© Air France.

Sources:

https://corporate.airfrance.com/fr/actualites/xavier-thuizat-devient-le-nouveau-chef-sommelier-dair-france

https://www.emirates.com/media-centre

https://www.lufthansa.com/fr/fr/decouvrez-l-offre-de-vins

https://www.businesstraveller.com/features/on-cloud-wine-cellars-in-the-sky-2024

www.globaltravelerusa.com

https://www.iata.org/contentassets/f32de4cd05e2498a824e67fadd658cb7/2024-12-10-01-fr.pdf

To address the challenges of climate change, regenerative viticulture is establishing itself as a sustainable alternative. Hinging on the soil, tree and water triangle, it aims to recreate a more resilient and productive ecosystem.

Contents:

• The soil as the model’s core focal point
• Animals and plants
• Regenerative hydrology
• A holistic approach

The soil as the model’s core focal point

If you’re looking for a definition or a single official endorsement you won’t find one. Regenerative viticulture has neither, even though certifications aimed at providing a framework and promoting the practices it embraces are emerging. Foremost among these is the Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) programme created in 2017 by the Regenerative Organic Alliance in the United States. “Winegrowers interested in the approach take the view that healthy soils produce resistant vines and better quality wines”, explains consultant viticulturist and winemaker Alain Malard (Permavinea), an agro-ecology educator and author. In a bid to restore the qualities in the soil that have been either deteriorated or lost, some producers start by introducing compost, biochar and cover crops. “Sowing grass on soils that have been compacted by tractor passes and harvesting machines, however, is counterproductive”, believes Malard, who stresses the need to break up compact soils beforehand “to allow the roots to go down, the earthworms to come up and water to filter through”.

Animals and plants

Fertilising and aerating the soil also involve introducing animals, and not just sheep or chickens. “Wild fauna also plays a part in organic soil enrichment and sows tomorrow’s grass. Provided, that is, you give careful consideration to the choice of cover crops because birds and rodents do not find rye or vetch very appetising”, points out Malard. Although revitalised soils provide better storage capacity for the water vines need, the choice of resistant plant material also has to be factored into the equation. Malard mentions longer rootstock in future plantings or replacements which guarantee deeper roots, thereby helping vines to improve water and nutrient management. The next consideration is making changes to slow runoff, improve distribution and infiltration and harvest rainwater at block, winery and watershed level. Techniques that can be used include drainage channels, ponds, tiered trenches and even keyline design, a full-fledged strategy for spatially managing water resources.

Regenerative hydrology

“Drainage channels are particularly suitable for planting trees or shrubs in the form of hedges which create a beneficial micro-climate, combat erosion, promote biodiversity, sequester carbon, and recreate the natural water cycle both towards the atmosphere and the soil”, explains Malard. To put it simply, plants literally make it rain, as Simon Ricard, a training consultant with engineering consultancy PermaLab and regenerative hydrology designer stressed during a webinar hosted in July 2023 by the Côtes de Provence wine producers’ organisation. “Two-thirds of continental rainfall comes from evapotranspiration, directly linked to plants and soils, known as green water”. Without it, the water cycle dysfunctions, causing alternate spells of drought and floods. Hence, “in addition to taking natural and artificial paths for water and hydraulic installations in vineyards into account, nurturing green water involves agronomy, through living soils for short-term water management and through agroforestry for long-term management”

A holistic approach

To summarise, regenerative viticulture requires a holistic approach geared to each vineyard. It intersects practices and goes beyond block level to create a sustainable ecosystem. “For it to become the norm, winegrowers now have to raise their game”, believes Malard. “The model has to be a means of going beyond organic viticulture and not occasionally avoiding its constraints by making exceptions and retaining the option of treating with synthetic products, at the risk of destroying all the efforts made to promote biodiversity”. The transition needs time and prior thought and implies learning and a paradigm shift, with yields that can be lower to start with. But it surely has to be worth the effort…

Florence Jaroniak. ©sofa12345678/pxhere

For more information:

https://regenorganic.org

www.regenerativeviticulture.org/

Although the market for organic products in France is stalling, the picture for organic wines remains generally positive. As the organic wine industry prepares to travel to Montpellier from 27 to 29 January 2025 for Millésime BIO this can only be good news.

Contents:

• Positive signals (almost) all round
• The conversation rate slows
• Organic winegrowers in positive spirit

Positive signals (almost) all round

Millésime BIO, the world’s largest exhibition for organic wines and alcoholic drinks, traditionally kicks off the trade events calendar. This year, it is due to be attended by 1,500 exhibitors and 11,000 visitors from 27 to 29 January, and the mood is expected to be relatively upbeat. In 2023, organic vineyard acreage rose by 1.6% in France, bucking the general trend for organic crops which declined for the first time according to Agence Bio. Totalling 171,265 hectares, France’s organic vineyards account for nearly 22% of total area under vine, versus just 6% in 2010. Another reason for satisfaction is that sales of organic wine in France are going against the general flow of the market for organic products, increasing both by volume (+6%) and value (+7%). The organic wine industry is worth 1.56 billion euros, over one third of which stems from exports, and continues to be buoyed by direct-to-consumer sales. Accounting for half of organic wines sold, the channel grew by 14.3% in value, with wine merchants rising by 12.4%. Only super/hypermarkets saw a decline in sales (-4.6%), mirroring a drop in the number of organic wine SKUs in the majority of stores.

The conversion rate slows

This overall growth, however, is not enough to offload extra output stemming from the surge in vineyard conversions between 2018 and 2020. Nevertheless, the imbalance may improve as acreage in the switch-over phase declines (-33.5% in 2023 compared with 2022). SudVinBio, the trade association for organic winegrowers in Occitanie and exhibition organisers, links the trend to two factors. Firstly, “the potential to convert vines mathematically decreases as more land is converted”, and also “the industry’s development has always alternated between phases of growth and slow-down in order to balance supply and demand in response to cyclical changes”. Despite this, hazardous weather, compounded by the economic crisis, is putting organic winegrowers through their paces, as exemplified by Château Saint-Loubert in Graves and Bordeaux. “In 2021, marked by significant frost and rain, we lost 90% of the crop. Then, in 2022, we suffered from drought and leafhoppers… Our first organically certified vintage in 2023 sold for the same price as conventionally farmed wines, despite the fact that the technical constraints and overheads are higher for certified farms”, says Agnès Garbay. For the past 20 years, she has helmed the family-owned property with her husband. Reluctantly, she had to throw in the towel. “Obviously, our customers are receptive to the endorsement and prepared to pay a little more for it, but for a small farm with cash-flow issues after three poor crops, waiting to see whether the organic treatment will work or not adds constant stress”.

Organic winegrowers in positive spirit

Undeniably, there are growers reverting back to conventional farming, but the general mood is not one of defeatism. “2024 is our first year of conversion and the first time we will be attending Millésime BIO, which proves that we believe in it”, says Madeleine Premmereur of Château Barbebelle in the Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence appellation area. The winery’s decision to sign up for the AB endorsement is primarily driven by “concerns about quality and the environment” more than sales. “This won’t be the silver bullet for regaining market shares, even though when faced with a choice between an organic and a conventional wine offering similar value for money, consumers will go for the first one”. The survey conducted by SudVinBio confirms the upbeat mood among exhibitors, with respondents saying they were more confident in the future of organic wines than in the future of wine in general. Their feelings were even stronger for the long term: 30.5% of surveyed winegrowers predict growth in the French market over the next ten years, compared with 20.5% over the next three years. And 40 % believe that organic wine consumption  will increase globally over the next decade, with the figure dropping to just 14% for conventional wine.

Florence Jaroniak. © : pxhere

Sources:

www.agencebio.org

www.millesime-bio.com

With sales of still wines remaining lacklustre, Crémants are in festive mood. As an affordable alternative to Champagne, the broad-ranging category is consolidating its quality and intends to secure fair pricing for its wines.

Contents:

• Record sales
• Affordability and variety
• Healthy competition
• Leveraging growth
• Moving upmarket

Record sales

Champagne may well reign supreme throughout the festive season, but it is no longer the only sparkling wine to grace dinner tables. “Alongside the connoisseurs who remain committed to the major Champagne brands, consumers looking for quality at lower prices are now turning to sparkling wines”, comments Olivier Leseul, at the Cep et Malt wine store in Chelles near Paris, who was voted France’s best wine merchant in 2024. “Pét-nats, though a niche market, are attracting interest from young consumers. But their style can take those used to traditional method sparkling wines by surprise and their price tags likewise”, adds Leseul. Conversely, “in the eyes of consumers, Crémant is in some ways second-division Champagne which also offers some real gems for 10 to 15 euros a bottle”. Not all sparkling wines are performing well, but Crémant can hold its head high. Sales of its eight appellations combined (Alsace, Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Die, Jura, Limoux, Loire and Savoie) totalled 108 million bottles in 2023 (+ 5.7 % year-on-year).

Affordability and variety

“Constant overall growth over the past decade illustrates how the word Crémant has become a driving force”, says a delighted Édouard Cassanet, representing the National Crémant Growers and Producers Federation (FNPEC). The latest monthly indicator for sales in super/hypermarkets confirms the trend, showing growth of 4 to 5% across-the-board since January 2024. Clearly, with pressure from inflation, everyone is mindful of their expenditure but the price factor does not tell the whole story. “Crémant offers a guarantee of quality, underpinned by its number of appellations”. The range of wine regions “piques consumers’ curiosity”. Also, “the pleasant fruity characters and accessibility of the product, along with alcohol content reined in at 11.5%” are all compelling features that resonate with today’s consumers.

Healthy competition

Should Crémant be concerned about competition, particularly from Prosecco which has witnessed a three-fold increase in production over the past 5 years to 616 million bottles in 2023? “Prosecco and Cava complement our range and have in fact broadened the variety of drinking occasions, fuelling consumers’ appetite for sparkling wines”, claims Cassanet. The same is true of English sparkling wines, whose growth has been stoked by investments from Champagne properties in wine regions located in the southern part of the country. “We also have nothing against plans to create PGI sparkling wines, provided their specifications are not opportunistic and do not undermine production rules”, adds Cassanet, who points to the advent of large firms on the Crémant market which have the kind of marketing clout that can benefit the industry.

Leveraging growth

Crémant is now recognised as a speciality that “conveys an image and promotes economic stability”. In the Loire Valley , its share of production has surged from 8.5 % to 17 % in a decade (InterLoire scope data). It is also gaining traction in wine regions that have traditionally focused primarily on still wines, like Bordeaux aux. “Admittedly, there is still room for growth to bolster certain volumes. The challenge above all is to maintain a balance between supply and demand”, believes Cassanet. In export markets, which account for 40% of total Crémant sales – spearheaded by Northern Europe and the United States – new horizons can continue to open up. There are just two clouds on that horizon: firstly, the full range of Crémant is still under-represented in wine merchants and the French hospitality industry.

Moving upmarket

Secondly, the average price tag for Crémant in multiple grocers is around €7 a bottle, which is identical to other sparkling wines that are not made using the traditional method. Therefore, the industry’s potential now lies in “fairer price points that better reflect production costs” stemming from hand-harvesting, secondary bottle fermentation, a minimum of twelve months’ maturation including nine on the lees and lees separation using disgorgement. Distinctive branding created in some regions – Eminent and Grand Eminent in Burgundy and Prestige de Loire for example – and the emergence of vintage labels, single-vineyard offerings, single varietals or wines that undergo lengthy maturation periods diversify the range and are already moving the category upmarket. Not to mention the site-designated bottlings. Since 2011, the Crémant Growers and Producers Organisation in Burgundy has asked for authorisation to append the statement to labels, in the same way that Champagne and Crémant de Loire do. INAO is due to examine this request at the next national committee meeting at the start of 2025. If the ruling is positive, the region could certainly not ask for a better Christmas present.

Florence Jaroniak, ©Volha_AdobeStock

Source: https://cremants.com

To find out more:

https://www.cava.wine/documents/582/DO_CAVA_GLOBAL_REPORT_2023_ENG.pdf

https://www.prosecco.wine/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/CS_04.01.2023_BILANCIO-2023.pdf

https://www.prosecco.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Rapporto-Economico-2023.pdf

https://winegb.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/WineGB-Industry-Report-2022-23-FINAL-4.pdf

Poor weather has once again stymied global wine production, confirming the extent to which viticulture is at the mercy of climate change, and contingent upon the need to adapt.

Contents:

• A small crop
• Italy leads the way, while France drops back
• Climate change
• Coping through investment

A small crop

The 45^th International Vine and Wine Congress held in Dijon in October did not just witness the election of a new female chair at OIV (Yvette van der Merwe), or the celebration of the organisation’s centenary marked by a strategic plan for 2025-2029 combined with 13 resolutions. It also led the organisation to confirm everyone’s fears of a small 2024 crop. The global harvest has seemingly plummeted to one of its lowest levels for the past six decades, coming in at under 250 million hectolitres (mhl), according to a preliminary report based on the large producer countries that account for three-quarters of global production. Among them, some – which experienced particularly challenging conditions last year – have seen some improvement this year, although they remain below their long-term averages. Cases in point are Argentina and Australia in the Southern Hemisphere, alongside Italy and Spain in Europe.

Italy leads the way, while France drops back

With current harvest estimates of 41 mhl, the Italian wine industry has slightly recovered this year, though the overall figure belies the impact of extreme weather in some regions. Italy does though regain its ranking as the world’s leading producer country. In Spain, the national co-operative organisation is predicting a total crop of 37 mhl, up by 14.5% on 2023. The main drivers of the increase are Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura, which posted average crops and managed to offset very low volumes along the eastern side of the country, once again affected by drought. Conversely, Chile and France were not so lucky. France’s production is likely to hit the 37 mhl mark, down 23% on last year and 17% on the five-year average. All the French wine regions were in a similar situation, with Jura particularly hard hit – this year’s harvest is a staggering 68% down on last year’s bumper crop. Losses are also significant in Burgundy-Beaujolais (-38%), Champagne (-46%), Charente and the Loire Valley. The main causes were excessive rainfall and/or drought, frost and hail, sometimes all of them in the same year.

Climate change

Admittedly, winegrowers are no strangers to harvest variations caused by nature. Over the past thirty years, however, global production has “fluctuated within a relatively constant range” according to OIV director Dr John Barker. “It is therefore quite significant that in 2023, it dropped below the lowest level in this range”. The chairman of the French independent winegrowers’ organisation, Jean-Marie Fabre, concurs: “In the era of my parents or my grandparents, bad weather would occur every twenty years. These years were referred to as a ‘winegrower’s vintage’ due to the skill, dedication and hard work required to unlock the full potential of the salvaged grapes. I am under the impression that nowadays, nature metes us out a winegrower’s vintage every year”. Some inventory and cash flow coupled with an occasional helping hand by the State would also iron out the impact of a lost crop and reconsolidate businesses. But times have changed and the present-day industry has to contend with a crippling multi-faceted crisis combined with now-recurrent hazardous weather.

Coping through investment

Although resistant grape varieties and a change in vineyard management techniques can lessen the impact of climate change, Fitou winegrower Fabre does not feel that “planting vines in Brittany will be enough to solve the problem because the region suffers from frost”. He is therefore advocating for a resilience plan based on a paradigm shift in mindset, where prevention is better than cure. “Instead of government help designed to compensate for damage after the event, why not support investments over two or three years that can protect vines from hail, frost and drought? Why not invest today to save money tomorrow and continue to generate value?” asks Fabre. There are solutions available: for frost, these range from heated cables, that can sometimes be run off photovoltaic panels, to sprinkler systems and frost fans. “Hail nets are also around 92% effective but they cost between 8,000 and 10,000 euros a hectare”, adds Fabre, who remains doggedly upbeat. “There have been vines in our country for over two millennia. Our winegrowing ancestors also experienced challenging times. And changes in wine consumption patterns are nothing new…”

Florence Jaroniak, ©: Pexels/Filipp Romanovski

For more information:

https://www.oiv.int/press/highlights-oiv-general-assembly

https://www.ismea.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeBLOB.php/L/IT/IDPagina/13111#:~:text=Quantit%C3%A0%20a%2041mln%20di%20hl,la%20scorsa%20annata%20ultra%2Dlight.

https://www.agro-alimentarias.coop/posts/cooperativas-agro-alimentarias-estima-una-vendimia-de-37-millones-de-hl

https:/agreste.agriculture.gouv.fr/agreste-web/disaron/IraVit24124/detail/

www.wineaustralia.com/getmedia/b3576546-f5b7-4210-b936-0460b618bd41/MI_VintageReport2024_F.pdf

https://bit.ly/2024HarvestReport

https://www.nzwine.com/en/media/statistics-reports/nzw-annual-report

Forty localities situated in the Lozère part of the Cevennes mountains have been incorporated into IGP Cévennes. Their high-elevation sites and amazing grape varieties open up whole new perspectives.

Contents:

• Historical legitimacy
• A win-win situation
• A wide array of grape varieties
• Heirloom cultivars
• Trellises and terraces
• Environment and communications

Historical legitimacy

The ministerial order came into effect for the 2024 grape harvest: IGP Cévennes has extended its production footprint to include villages located in the Lozère part of the Cevennes. “When production specifications were drafted in 2008, the IGP was limited to villages in Gard whereas according to written documents dating back to Louis XIV, the Cevennes formed a specific entity which went as far as the slopes of the namesake mountain range”, recounts Jérôme Villaret, the project manager for IGP Cévennes. The extension, promoted primarily by the former chairman of the producers’ organisation, Christian Vigne, “rectifies an omission which was heresy”, claims his successor, Christel Guiraud. Admittedly, compared with its significantly larger Gard sibling – where 80 wineries produce an average 70,000 to 80,000 hectolitres annually – up-and-coming Lozère is still a minnow region with a dozen or so producers… for now. Combining the two areas, however, benefits both.

A win-win situation

Some will be able to take advantage of the IGP’s marketing clout and enhanced visibility for their wines by leveraging awareness of the Cevennes name, coupled with a national park that epitomises unspoilt natural surroundings and welcomes two million visitors a year*. For others, the high-elevation vineyard sites that can cope with climate change and boast great potential are a real bonus. “Some winegrowers are even starting to plant vines at 700 metres above sea level on schist and granite soils that in some ways can be likened to those of Faugères and the upper Terrasses du Larzac area”, stresses Villaret. “They are also very motivated by issues like heritage grape varieties”, adds Guiraud.

A wide array of grape varieties

Production specifications permit 97 grape varieties and already offer winegrowers the opportunity to plant classic varietals that thrive on cool soils, like Syrah, Pinot and Chardonnay, resistant grapes such as Soreli and Floréal and also heirloom grape varieties  like Counoise, Terret blanc and Morrastel. These once late-ripening varieties now ripen effortlessly. “In the 1960s, the Lozère part of the Cévennes was also home to 30% of banned grape varieties – these hybrids were imported from North America to combat phylloxera and then prohibited in 1934. They survived thanks to the rebelllious personnality of the Lozère people, a lack of understanding of the rules in remote areas and because they were naturally resistant to disease and spring frosts”, explains Villaret.

Heirloom cultivars

Once maligned, the varieties are now recognised as being less tannic, lighter and more aromatic than most wines made from Vitis Vinifera vines. Their style may well act as a magnet for a new generation of consumers. “First of all, we need to gain a better understanding of them and their needs in terms of good vineyard and winemaking practices to ensure they make worthwhile wines. This is the purpose of the observatory launched in 2023 to identify the vines. A small-batch winemaking trial for single varietals will lead to an initial tasting in February 2025. If their potential is confirmed, we will continue our fight to secure permission for these varieties to be included in the national varietal catalogue”. The initiative also involves old, forgotten varieties like Négret de la Canourgue, an endemic Vitis Vinifera grape. One winegrower in Aujac, Gard, has even discovered a variety that Montpellier ampelographers are unfamiliar with – he has named it Aujaguais.

Trellises and terraces

“At a time when six grape varieties account for 70% of global production, and faced with global warming, Cevennes winegrowers have fantastic potential which will also create a point of difference for the wines by telling a story”, stresses Villaret. In Lozère, in 1960, myriad small farms grew a variety of crops and farmed nearly 1,000 hectares of vines for family wine consumption or for miners in the Alès region. “The vines were planted on terraces or bancels**, on chestnut wood trellises with vegetables beneath them to save land. Hence the decision by some winegrowers to resurrect banned grape varieties because they are suited to this type of farming. This also explains the decision to conduct a programme of experiments with the Upper Cevennes Valley organisation to assess the best type of farming on these terraces”.

Environment and communications

This is not the only focus of attention for the producers’ organisation. “Starting in 2027, 100% of IGP Cévennes wines will have to be either  organic or certified HVE – 90% of properties already subscribe to this approach”, announces Guiraud. Winegrowers have also signed up to a GIEE, or economic and environmental interest group which charts the course for agro-environmental good practice, from grass cover in the vineyards to planting hedgerows. 

IGP Cévennes is also aiming to secure awareness and recognition outside the region, or even beyond national borders, with its new communications programme. The drive features a more modern website, the support of renowned influencers and patrons and publication of a gourmet food booklet. So if you haven’t heard of the endorsement yet, you soon will!

Florence Jaroniak. ©IGP Cévennes

*Source: Atout France, 2018.

**Relatively narrow terraces supported by dry-stone walls.

To find out more, visit www.vinsdescevennes.com

Forty localities situated in the Lozère part of the Cevennes mountains have been incorporated into IGP Cévennes. Their high-elevation sites and amazing grape varieties open up whole new perspectives.

Contents:

• Historical legitimacy
• A win-win situation
• A wide array of grape varieties
• Heirloom cultivars
• Trellises and terraces
• Environment and communications

Historical legitimacy

The ministerial order came into effect for the 2024 grape harvest: IGP Cévennes has extended its production footprint to include villages located in the Lozère part of the Cevennes. “When production specifications were drafted in 2008, the IGP was limited to villages in Gard whereas according to written documents dating back to Louis XIV, the Cevennes formed a specific entity which went as far as the slopes of the namesake mountain range”, recounts Jérôme Villaret, the project manager for IGP Cévennes. The extension, promoted primarily by the former chairman of the producers’ organisation, Christian Vigne, “rectifies an omission which was heresy”, claims his successor, Christel Guiraud. Admittedly, compared with its significantly larger Gard sibling – where 80 wineries produce an average 70,000 to 80,000 hectolitres annually – up-and-coming Lozère is still a minnow region with a dozen or so producers… for now. Combining the two areas, however, benefits both.

A win-win situation

Some will be able to take advantage of the IGP’s marketing clout and enhanced visibility for their wines by leveraging awareness of the Cevennes name, coupled with a national park that epitomises unspoilt natural surroundings and welcomes two million visitors a year*. For others, the high-elevation vineyard sites that can cope with climate change and boast great potential are a real bonus. “Some winegrowers are even starting to plant vines at 700 metres above sea level on schist and granite soils that in some ways can be likened to those of Faugères and the upper Terrasses du Larzac area”, stresses Villaret. “They are also very motivated by issues like heritage grape varieties”, adds Guiraud.

A wide array of grape varieties

Production specifications permit 97 grape varieties and already offer winegrowers the opportunity to plant classic varietals that thrive on cool soils, like Syrah, Pinot and Chardonnay, resistant grapes such as Soreli and Floréal and also heirloom grape varieties  like Counoise, Terret blanc and Morrastel. These once late-ripening varieties now ripen effortlessly. “In the 1960s, the Lozère part of the Cévennes was also home to 30% of banned grape varieties – these hybrids were imported from North America to combat phylloxera and then prohibited in 1934. They survived thanks to the rebelllious personnality of the Lozère people, a lack of understanding of the rules in remote areas and because they were naturally resistant to disease and spring frosts”, explains Villaret.

Heirloom cultivars

Once maligned, the varieties are now recognised as being less tannic, lighter and more aromatic than most wines made from Vitis Vinifera vines. Their style may well act as a magnet for a new generation of consumers. “First of all, we need to gain a better understanding of them and their needs in terms of good vineyard and winemaking practices to ensure they make worthwhile wines. This is the purpose of the observatory launched in 2023 to identify the vines. A small-batch winemaking trial for single varietals will lead to an initial tasting in February 2025. If their potential is confirmed, we will continue our fight to secure permission for these varieties to be included in the national varietal catalogue”. The initiative also involves old, forgotten varieties like Négret de la Canourgue, an endemic Vitis Vinifera grape. One winegrower in Aujac, Gard, has even discovered a variety that Montpellier ampelographers are unfamiliar with – he has named it Aujaguais.

Trellises and terraces

“At a time when six grape varieties account for 70% of global production, and faced with global warming, Cevennes winegrowers have fantastic potential which will also create a point of difference for the wines by telling a story”, stresses Villaret. In Lozère, in 1960, myriad small farms grew a variety of crops and farmed nearly 1,000 hectares of vines for family wine consumption or for miners in the Alès region. “The vines were planted on terraces or bancels**, on chestnut wood trellises with vegetables beneath them to save land. Hence the decision by some winegrowers to resurrect banned grape varieties because they are suited to this type of farming. This also explains the decision to conduct a programme of experiments with the Upper Cevennes Valley organisation to assess the best type of farming on these terraces”.

Environment and communications

This is not the only focus of attention for the producers’ organisation. “Starting in 2027, 100% of IGP Cévennes wines will have to be either  organic or certified HVE – 90% of properties already subscribe to this approach”, announces Guiraud. Winegrowers have also signed up to a GIEE, or economic and environmental interest group which charts the course for agro-environmental good practice, from grass cover in the vineyards to planting hedgerows. 

IGP Cévennes is also aiming to secure awareness and recognition outside the region, or even beyond national borders, with its new communications programme. The drive features a more modern website, the support of renowned influencers and patrons and publication of a gourmet food booklet. So if you haven’t heard of the endorsement yet, you soon will!

Florence Jaroniak © IGP Cévennes

*Source: Atout France, 2018.

**Relatively narrow terraces supported by dry-stone walls.

To find out more, visit www.vinsdescevennes.com

The glass industry is using a range of processes – including less energy-intensive techniques, increased recycling and slimmed down bottles – to reduce its carbon footprint. The wine industry is reaping the benefits too.  

Contents: 

• A well-charted roadmap 

• Enter low-carbon energy 

• Cullet is king 

• Ramping up circularity 

• Featherweight bottles 

A well-charted roadmap 

Packaging is currently the source of 30 to 40% of carbon emissions in the wine industry. But not for much longer. Flagging up the profound changes that are gaining momentum, the French Glass Industry Federation (FIV) issued in short succession its decarbonisation roadmap to the Ministry of Industry and a Sector Transition Plan drafted with ADEME*. As FIV chairman Jacques Bordat stressed last July: “Glass manufacturers have made a pledge and going forward are investing in measures and plans to decarbonise production”. Verallia, Europe’s leading producer of glass packaging for drinks and food products, in fact defined its strategy in 2020. Its aim is to reduce its CO₂ emissions by 46% by 2030 compared with 2019 (scopes 1 and 2)**, initially by innovating in fusion technology. 

Enter low-carbon energy 

“Most greenhouse gases produced by glass manufacturers are generated by the production process”, explains Marie-Astrid Gossé, Verallia Group’s marketing director. “That’s why we introduced an electric furnace in our Cognac facilities in March 2024, which reduces our carbon footprint by 60% compared with a traditional furnace which mainly runs on gas”. Construction of hybrid furnaces – 80% electricity/20% gas – is based on the same rationale. American company O-I Glass injected around 65 million dollars into its Veauche (Loire) facilities to equip one of its furnaces with this technology and a heat recovery and air preheating system by 2025. The first hybrid Verallia furnace is due to go on-stream in 2025 in Zaragoza Spain followed by Saint-Romain Le-Puy (Loire) in France in 2026. The Tourres & Cie facilities belonging to Saverglass in Le Havre (Seine-Maritime) will be similarly equipped in 2027. 

Cullet is king 

Also, rather than tap into natural resources, glass manufacturers now primarily use cullet, or glass debris from the recycling process. “Ten additional points of cullet in furnaces reduces CO₂ emissions by 5% and energy usage by 2.5%”, stresses Gossé. “However, availability of cullet varies depending on the region, which implies improving collection of waste glass”. Verallia is thus investing in its 19 cullet treatment centres in eight countries, mainly to improve optical sorting and thereby optimise the quality of the cullet injected back into the furnaces.  

Ramping up circularity 

Re-use is another way of developing circularity for glass packaging. As Verallia’s head of marketing says, “In a mature system, re-use after reconditioning can lead to a four-fold reduction in energy usage and CO2 emissions of glass bottles”. The rationale is borne out by the fact that glass seems to have been designed for this very purpose. “Glass packaging is 100% recyclable and can be endlessly recycled. It is easy to re-use because it contains one ingredient, is inert and transparent. It is also robust and can withstand cleaning”. Marie-Astrid Gossé is in no doubt that “in addition to continued efforts on this aspect, deposit-return schemes will create opportunities for glass, provided an entire ecosystem can be re-created”. Irrespective of whether they are single use or re-usable, glass containers are ultimately recycled into new packaging – the collection rate in Europe is 80.2%. 

Featherweight bottles 

The final aspect that can be leveraged is eco-design. “On top of environmental imperatives, a lot of wineries are mindful to lighten their packaging, particularly for export markets. Monopolies like the SAQ in Canada and Systembolaget in Sweden have set a maximum threshold for bottle weight”, stresses Gossé. Consequently, new, lighter ranges are regularly developed, whilst retaining the technical and aesthetic features of the initial bottles. The induced reduction in terms of carbon footprint benefits the entire value chain, including transportation. “The process does, however, require the use of cutting-edge modelling to estimate optimal glass distribution for lighter alternatives with advanced monitoring systems on production lines then tests to ensure the bottles are totally resilient”. In July 2024, Verallia validated tests on its Ecova 2 Champagne bottle in conjunction with Maison Telmont. The bottle weighs 800 grams, which is 35 less than the previous version and 100 compared with the conventional model. The difference is invisible to the naked eye but very noticeable for the environment. 

Florence Jaroniak, translate by Sharon Nagel © Adobestock

*ADEME: the French agency for the environment and energy management. 

**Scope 1 refers to greenhouse gas emissions stemming directly from a company’s business; Scope 2 covers indirect energy-induced emissions produced outside the company’s facilities.   

Sources:

https://www.adelphe.fr/mieux-nous-connaitre/actualites/plans-prevention-deco-conception

La feuille de route de décarbonation de la filière verre est tracée et permet de respecter des objectifs ambitieux

https://www.entreprises.gouv.fr/files/files/enjeux/d%C3%A9carbonation/feuille-de-route-verre.pdf

https://investors.o-i.com/News-Events/news/news-details/2024/O-I-Glass-to-Invest-65-Million-in-Electrification-and-Decarbonization-in-Veauche-France/default.aspx

Both its aesthetic and environmental value has long been recognised. Dry-stone construction, which fell into disuse for many years, is now back on the long road to recovery among wineries, driven by both collective and individual initiatives.

Contents:

• Multi-tasking heritage
• From financial support to training
• Revival is well underway

Multi-tasking heritage

Imagine the vineyards of Côte-Rôtie, the Vermillion Coast, the Douro Valley in Portugal or Lavaux in Switzerland, without their terraces. They would lose their inherent identity, and so much more. That’s because dry-stone walls, which allow vines to be grown on steep inclines and also establish boundaries between vine blocks, are not just an attractive part of the scenery. They also fulfil a present-day environmental role: they regulate temperatures, help combat soil erosion and the risk of fires, contribute to water management and provide a refuge for biodiversity… Alas, these structures built over hundreds of years, with no binding agents or  steel reinforcement, are often in a state of disrepair or have been hastily restored, potentially undermining their heritage value and their functions. This realisation led the  Burgundy Wine Region ‘Climats’ Association to pioneer a support scheme for restoring small stone structures – low walls, ‘cabottes’ or huts, entrances to walled vineyards … “It all started with the Climat listing as World Heritage in July 2015. By recognising both a unique model of winegrowing and all the constituents of its landscape, UNESCO drew attention to a distinctive landscape feature and the need to protect it”, recounts Nathalie Hordonneau-Fouquet, head of Heritage and Mediation for the association, which has identified over 220 kilometres of walls within the region.

From financial support to training

“The inventory made us realise that land owners had no resources for properly restoring this heritage, due to a lack of awareness about its role and specific public help”. A fund was thus established, receiving contributions through a successful initial collection at international level. Admittedly, the materials themselves are often retrieved on site, but the building work is expensive: “It costs around 25 to 30% more than modern-day building techniques. The work itself, though, is not as onerous”. In six years, the number of public and private projects that have received support within the boundaries of the listed area has increased from around twenty to 240. They total 7.5 million euros worth of work, 3 million of which was funded through the scheme. “Concurrently with this, we raise awareness among land owners during events, workshops and courses through a partnership arrangement with the CFPPA* in Beaune. One module on the curriculum provides the basics for future employees and farmers to be able to maintain the structures on a regular basis”, adds Hordonneau-Fouquet. As part of this, the projects have rekindled a craft that was dying out – it too is now recognised by UNESCO. The region is home to three specialist companies, compared with a single wall builder in 2018. The work continues with other associations via the Bourgogne Franche-Comté regional council and is aimed at rolling out joint activities and securing European funding. There is also State collaboration to introduce listed sites as per the 1930 landscape bill.

Revival is well underway

There is certainly plenty left to do but the wheels are now in motion. Contributors include Florence Monmousseau who bought La Grange De Bouys in Roujan, Hérault, in 2010. “The hundreds of metres of walls supporting the hillsides were hidden beneath the vegetation. When I discovered their condition, I decided to train with the Dry Stone Heritage Protection association in Faugères, then in a more professional capacity with the Languedoc Wall Builders”. Consequently, Monmousseau was able to restore much of this legacy, but has also created steps and pathways between the vineyard blocks. Her passion is such that she ultimately joined the French Federation of Dry Stone Professionals and is always willing to spread the word among other wineries. “There is financial help and training is available if you look for it, particularly through the national parks. You also shouldn’t be afraid to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty”, stresses Monmousseau. The rewards certainly make the effort worthwhile: “One stone after another, we’re all-set for another 50 years with a wall that is so much more resilient than with concrete!”

Florence Jaroniak, ©Association des Climats-PM

*Agricultural Vocational Training and Promotion Centre

Useful links:

French Federation of Dry Stone Professionals : https://www.professionnels-pierre-seche.com

Burgundy Wine Region Climats / dedicated scheme: https://www.climats-bourgogne.com/fr/dispositif_638.html

A map of dry-stone initiatives in the South of France

https://initiativespierresecheregionsud.fr/cartographie

S.P.S (international network) : http://pierreseche-international.org/