Bordeaux, the world-famous wine region responsible for 15% of France's wine production, is facing an existential crisis. Demand for red wine, particularly the full-bodied, long-maturing clarets synonymous with the area, has collapsed. French consumption of red wine has fallen by 38% in the past five years and 45% over the decade to 2023. The slump is global: Chinese demand has halved since 2017, and new US tariffs threaten the 20% of Bordeaux exports that cross the Atlantic.
The climate crisis is compounding the problem. Although Bordeaux benefits from a moderate Atlantic climate, south-west France is becoming hotter and drier, with temperatures occasionally reaching nearly 40C. Winemakers are being forced to adapt by using hardier grape varieties and diversifying their crops.
With stocks piling up — Bordeaux produces 650m bottles annually but sells only 500m — producers have tried cutting prices, but this has not reshaped the market. Since 2019, with aid from the French government and the EU, about 15% of Bordeaux's vineyards have been dug up and replaced with olives and kiwifruit to reduce oversupply.
Now a more traditional but radical idea is gaining traction: reviving clairet, a lighter, less tannic red wine that was popular in medieval times. The red wines of Bordeaux were originally known as clairet, somewhere between a modern red and a rosé, and were shipped to England to be drunk young. Small amounts are still produced today, and there are moves to expand production to attract consumers who have rejected heavier reds.
Clairet advocates say it should be consumed within two years of bottling and served chilled. While this may horrify traditional claret drinkers, it could appeal to modern tastes for lighter wines that accompany warm-weather barbecues. The shift represents a potential lifeline for a region in crisis.
