The
winegrower’s craft
What do winegrowers do?
Bordeaux’s greatest strength is the sheer diversity of its wine estates. From small independent producers to vast châteaux, the region boasts no fewer than 4,600 winegrowers. For centuries, they have crafted the wines on which Bordeaux’s global reputation is founded.
But what exactly does Bordeaux’s winegrowing landscape look like? It includes everything from family-run estates passed down for generations, to large operations owned by national and international corporations, to newcomers leaving behind careers in other industries to take up winemaking, bringing with them fresh ideas which perfectly complement local historic traditions and know-how.
In a region with over 94,700 hectares of grapevines, the average wine estate has around 20 hectares under vine. On these modestly-sized estates, producers must take on multiple roles as the seasons come and go.
Winegrower: a multitalented profession
Farmers out in the vineyards, enologists in the winery, sales experts and managers the rest of the time: winegrowers never stop.
First and foremost, they must have a flawless understanding of the growing season. They take utmost care of their vines (pruning, bud thinning, leaf thinning, ploughing, etc.) and make key decisions regarding the structure of their vineyards (planting new vines, tearing up old ones, working the soils, etc.). When harvest time rolls around, they take charge of picking the grapes and making the wine, including overseeing the fermentation and ageing processes. In Bordeaux, almost 60% of winegrowers make their own wines; the remaining 40% send their grapes to cooperative wineries.
When all that’s done, it’s time to switch to salesman mode and start selling the wine! There are many ways of doing this: selling directly to consumers from the cellar door, selling online, selling to restaurants, wine retailers, wine fairs and marketplaces, and even using social media platforms. In recent years, producers have demonstrated enormous creativity in their use of social media, connecting with a vast (and young) audience to give them a behind-the-scenes view of what winemaking is really like.
With new winegrowers joining the profession – as well as a greater proportion of women and young people, often with experience of international travel – there is a real sense of renewal in the sector: an alternative, more accessible approach to sharing Bordeaux wines with the world.
