Bordeaux Try To See The Bright Side Of A Buyer’s Land Market

As many as a third of Bordeaux’s wine estates are for sale, according to Yvon Mau managing director Philippe Laqueche. The number of hectares in the region given over to viniculture has also plummeted since its peak in 2009.

This is at least partly due to some estates taking up offers of EU or local subsidies over the low prices offered by co-operatives. The trend for estates selling their properties seems to be driven by a younger generation who are disinclined to follow in the footsteps of their parents. This reflects the tough times faced by those estates that fall below the Classe growths. In the long run this contraction may not be a bad thing. The majority of vineyards abandoning viniculture are in the lower quality bracket. Many believe there is simply too much wine produced in Bordeaux and that a cut back in quantity is both desirable and necessary.

Many investors from China have also been buying up estates, 15 to date. With these new owners will come new markets for the products. The demand for Bordeaux is still growing in the Far East and these new producers are in an excellent position to take advantage of that.

 

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