On the coast, the Médoc wines fairs set out to conquer vacationers

In the heart of a summer where tourists flock to the Atlantic coast, the Médoc winegrowers come out of their castles to meet a new audience. Therefore, For four years. Moreover, the defense and management organization (ODG) of the Médoc, Haut-Médoc and Listrac names has multiplied promotion actions, starting with its summer wines fairs, which has become an unmissable event for lovers of good bottles. Consequently, “The last in July will take place on Wednesday 30, in Lacanau-Océan. Moreover, In August. Consequently, we organize six meetings: on the 5th at Hourtin-Plage, 8 and 22 in Maubuisson (Carcans), 13 in Lacanau-Ville, 20 in Soulan and 28 in Hourtin-Port “, lists Clara Ierno, ODG marketing project. However, In total, ten wine fairs are Programmed this year, against eight in 2024. For example, “The demand is strong. Similarly, especially on the part of the winegrowers coast, médoc wines fairs set themselves, who see in these events a lever for visibility and sales,” she underlines.

Bring the winegrowers closer to vacationers – Coast, médoc wines fairs set

On each fair, about fifteen winegrowers come to taste their vintages. Similarly, For 5 euros. In addition, visitors buy a drink and can then taste the wines offered for free, like the Bordeaux system celebrates wine. Furthermore, Last year, the Maubuisson station recorded the highest attendance. This summer, Hourtin-Port competes with nearly 500 “kits” of Tasting sold during the last edition. Attendance is progressing from year to year. with customers now less local and more made up of foreign vacationers, according to Clara Ierno. The fairs, organized in the evening from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., also benefit from partnerships with restaurants, such as in Hourtin-Port, where the bought bottles can be consumed on site. Claude Gaudin confirms this success: “Viticulturalists are happy with what is happening. We are gaining power coast, médoc wines fairs set with increased attendance and very varied profiles of participants, smaller producers in larger domains. “The president of the ODG even plans to develop the system in the coming years. with possible extensions” towards the Arcachon basin in the south, or even the right bank of the estuary, towards Royan “.

Mutation viticulture

If these summer meetings are growing, it is because Medocaine viticulture is going through an unprecedented crisis. “There is great pain in winegrowers, between rectifies and liquidations. The situation may be even more serious in 2025, “said Claude Gaudin at the end of 2024. Since then. the situation has evolved: the uprooting campaign has accelerated significantly, with around 2 000 hectares torn off on the three names since 2023. “We will go from more than 10,000 hectares to around 8,500 or 8,600 by the 2025 harvest,” said the president of the ODG. This represents a drop of 15 to 20 % of production areas. The figures illustrate the scale of the challenge: the three appellations still bring together some 650 members. coast, médoc wines fairs set but all must adapt to a declining market, lower volumes and tight promotional budgets. Claude Gaudin stresses that the various promotion structures. – CIVB, CVM and ODG – work in a complementary way in order to avoid duplicates and optimize the use of winegrowers’ contributions.

Build on direct meeting

In this context, wine fairs represent a strategic tool. “Even if they are above all communication. promotion actions, they also make it possible to sell directly to vacationers and to arouse visits to the castle,” recalls Clara Ierno. This proximity between vineyards and ocean,-less than 40 kilometers separate Pauillac de Hourtin-Plage-is a major asset. Vacationers, often curious to discover local heritage, represent a precious clientele.

In addition to fairs. the ODG renews its partnership with the Sunska Festival, in Cissac-Médoc, where a “Médoc bar” will be installed in the concert zone. “Last year, this presence made it possible to reach a different audience, coast, médoc wines fairs set not necessarily used to wine,” said Clara Ierno. For Claude Gaudin. these initiatives are an important signal: “We must remember that our wines, located between 8 and 30 euros per bottle, offer excellent value for money and deserve to be known, alongside the great vintages. With this Tourné de Soulan in Lacanau. the Medican winegrowers bet on the direct meeting with consumers to strengthen the notoriety of their appellations. One way of recalling that the new markets are now gaining in the field, in contact with the public.