As the new system of granting appellation-approval (the Agrement) approaches in July 2008, with the change from AOC Syndicates to ODG (Organisme de Defense et de Gestion), the Bordeaux Superieur syndicate is thinking of using the change as a good time to retire their original name and replacing it with Bordeaux Ier Cru.

It’s a proposition only at this stage, but has been voted in by the members of the Bordeaux Syndicate, led by president Bernard Fargues, and been submitted to INAO for ratification. The syndicate's Michelle Vernoux told me, ‘The idea needs to be studied in detail, and INAO will look at the potential benefits and issues. It is not likely to be finalised for the 2008 vintage, but perhaps the 2009’.

I canvassed a few local friends:
Anne Francoise Quie, of second growth Chateau Rauzan Gassies in Margaux, made the very good point, ‘This may be confusing for the consumer – to have the very top quality wines of Bordeaux known as the premier crus, and then also a more generic quality level with the same name.’

Aymeric Fournier, press director for the Despagne Family, who own several properties in Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur, commented, ‘If only a selected number of the current Bordeaux Superieur can qualify for the new grading, that it can work. But if it is an automatic right to switch from one to the other, it will be meaningless.’

This will not affect the generic Bordeaux appellation, just that of Bordeaux Superieur. Currently the difference between the two is largely in methods of viticulture, detailing such things as permitted yields and allowed alcohol levels.

Seems to me to be a highly confusing move, and more moving of furniture on the decks of the Titanic... they need to relook at the Bdx/Bdx Sup appellations at grass roots level, and work out how to make their quality better across the board.