Adapting to New Market Demands Two Initiatives by the Bordeaux Wine Industry

There are 7 years left for European winegrowing to adapt to the new market norms set out by the W.T.O. (The World Trade Organisation). In addition the sharp decline in French wine consumption has revealed new kinds of consumers with new demands. Changes to what is being offered are therefore necessary. This article, concentrating on the Bordeaux vineyards, sets out first the context of these developments. Then after establishing the requirements of supermarkets, which make up 70% of wind sold in France, this paper looks at two case studies, and through them possible ways to ensure the future of the industry. The first is the « Cotes de Bordeaux » project which brings together five AOC (Appellations d’Origine Contrôlée) under a single banner. More generally the restructuring of the product under the form of Grands Bassins de Production is looked at. The second case is that of the business the Maison de Négoce Ginestet who carry out thanks to partnership agreements an integrated approach between producers and wine merchants so as to ensure a consistent quality and to avoid vagaries of the market.A finding of this paper is the importance of a proactive approach rather than a reactive one, in front of a crisis. This paper concludes with the limitations of each of these initiatives.