Introducing: The New Face Of Bordeaux
The wines of Bordeaux are undeniably some of the most impressive wines in the world. For wine connoisseurs, they represent a benchmark of high quality and flawless winemaking tradition that only gets better with age. And beginning tasters are always advised to learn the ‘classics’ first– so, those just beginning their wine journey know that exploring Bordeaux wines can build and refine their palates. No great restaurant wine list is complete without a solid Bordeaux selection, and these bottles are often gifted on special occasions and proudly preserved in the cellar for decades.
But, Bordeaux’s winemakers face a challenge: the reputation of Bordeaux as being steeped in history and tradition has attracted wine lovers to Bordeaux for generations, but there’s also a growing culture that is seeking things that are exciting and new, and those qualities don’t immediately come to mind when many consumers think of Bordeaux. Thankfully, one group of young winemakers is coming together to change that.
Bordeaux Oxygene is a collective of young and passionate winemakers who are striving to honor past traditions while breathing fresh life into the future of the region. They describe their shared mission as “blowing the dust off the wine world, with a more open and, without a doubt more complete, vision of today’s wine world than our parents could have had in the past.”
Their members, all good friends, came together because they realize that while their parents created what Bordeaux is today, the region is evolving, growing, and changing; and it’s this ‘next generation’ that will be the agents of that change– the ‘oxygen’ breathing fresh air into what they affectionately call, ‘Bordeaux 2.0’. There are twenty member Châteaux currently a part of this group, including Clos Fourtet, Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, and Château Roc de Candale (visit here to learn more about the members).
One advantage of organizing a group effort? The exchange of ideas! Not only tasting wine together, but problem-solving together the issues all wineries face: challenges with production, marketing, and promotion. The members of the group believe that shared learning opportunities help to advance the whole region: especially when it comes to reaching new audiences and consumers.
Aside from meeting together as a group, Bordeaux Oxygene is actively involved in creating innovative and creative experiences, including sponsoring benefit auctions for charitable organizations, the creation of a special blend of their wines, events in London, Paris, and Brazil, dinners in collaboration with well-known chefs, ‘secret dinners’ and special evenings to shake up the usual codes of Bordeaux wines, and encounters with young vineyard owners from other regions.
This is a dynamic and fun group with an infectious energy that makes one wish to share a glass of wine with their members! As we would expect from this generation, they are very active on social media. To stay updated on the activities of this exciting group, be sure to follow Bordeaux Oxygene on Facebook and Instagram.
