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How do you introduce tourists to a complex and widespread wine region? Open a bar.

The CIVB bar is located in downtown Bordeaux.
The CIVB bar is located in downtown Bordeaux.

Although Bordeaux is one of the most stellar names in the firmament of wine regions, it’s not without problems. For a start, its reputation rests largely on a small number of châteaux whose wines are not only expensive, but in short supply.

The other 8,500 producers, spread over 54 separate appellations across 120,000 ha, struggle to make their mark.  Recognising the issue, the Bordeaux Wine Bureau (CIVB) opened a wine bar in the centre of Bordeaux city in 2006. Close to both the tourist centre and Bordeaux’s stunning opera house, it’s in the perfect position to attract visitors. Today, about 76,000 people a year pull up a seat in the bar and order a glass of wine. “For us it’s a marketing tool to show the diversity and affordability of Bordeaux wines,” says Cécile Ha, the CIVB’s public relations manager for foreign markets. “We wanted to create a place where it’s possible to enjoy all the Bordeaux wines, and to show that Bordeaux is not just about Grand Cru.”

The non-profit bar has 20 to 25 wines on offer at any one time, with the wine list updated every two weeks. Prices start at €2.00 ($2.10) per glass, and go up to €8.00 for a classified growth. “We regularly do blind tastings covering all appellations,” says Ha. “We have to find the right balance between small and large appellations.”

Although 80% of what Bordeaux produces is red wine, red represents 56% of what’s consumed at the bar. Dry whites – including Crémant – are about 24%, sweet wines 10%, and rosé another 10%. The staff are all sommeliers, and many speak several languages, so they can give wine advice. Also on offer are cold meat and chocolate plates. “We serve about 10,000 glasses a month,” says Ha.

The wine sales only cover part of the cost of the bar, but Ha says the concept has been so successful that the CIVB has opened other Bordeaux bars around the world, with the help of private investors. “We have three bars in China, another one in Japan, and one in Singapore,” says Ha.

 

 

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