Founded in 1948, the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) has long been the cornerstone of Bordeaux’s viticultural identity. Its mission has remained consistent across decades: to promote Bordeaux wines globally, enhance their quality, and safeguard the viability of the region’s wine industry.
Today, Bordeaux is facing one of its most critical junctures in recent history, marked by evolving market demands, economic hardship, and environmental challenges. And it is under this pressure that Bernard Farges, a seasoned figure in French wine politics, has returned to lead the CIVB.
Farges, a Gironde winemaker and current head of the Comité National des Interprofessions des Vins à appellation d'origine et à indication géographique (CNIV), is no stranger to Bordeaux's turbulent terrain. Having previously held the presidency of CIVB from 2014 to 2016 and again from 2019 to 2022, his reappointment signals a strategic move towards experienced leadership in difficult times. With trademark candor, Farges has been vocal about the sector’s need for economic sustainability and market balance.
“We prohibit commercial practices that do not respect the profitability of the operators in the sector,” Farges declared, as quoted by Vitisphere. He emphasized the importance of developing mechanisms to secure remunerative prices for producers. In line with this, CIVB is deeply engaged in shaping new legislative frameworks—both French and European—particularly those linked to the Egalim law, which seeks to establish minimum pricing thresholds for agricultural products.
At the heart of the CIVB’s new strategy lies a combination of production regulation, innovation, and promotion optimization. Increasing the use of European promotional funds, alongside the development of solid cost indicators and real-time market monitoring tools, is crucial. According to Farges, Bordeaux can no longer rely on anecdotal data or bulk wine prices as its primary economic barometer. A comprehensive price reporting system is being developed to provide stakeholders with a clearer picture of actual market dynamics—a tool that other regions have used for years.
Yet, one of the most controversial and pressing discussions continues to center around vineyard reduction. The Bordeaux region, which boasted over 104,000 hectares of vineyards just a few years ago, has already lost 19,000 hectares, largely through aid-supported grubbing-up programs. Still, some experts believe this isn’t enough to restore supply-demand equilibrium.
During the recent National Congress of Cooperative Winegrowers in Paris, stakeholders suggested a new target: reducing the vineyard area to 70,000–75,000 hectares. However, financial constraints loom large. As Jean-Samuel Eynard, president of the Gironde Chamber of Agriculture (CA33), bluntly stated, expectations of higher uprooting premiums are “just dreaming,” given France’s fiscal limitations.
An online CA33 survey conducted from May to June showed 600 winegrowers intend to uproot approximately 5,500 hectares, a figure far below the proposed target. The road to structural reform in Bordeaux will clearly not be paved easily. But with Farges at the helm, the CIVB is positioning itself to navigate both the internal challenges and external pressures—balancing heritage with adaptation.
As Bordeaux faces its most significant restructuring in decades, one thing is clear: preserving the identity and economic viability of one of the world’s most iconic wine regions will require bold, collective action.
Source: WineNews