On the coast, the Médoc wine fairs are out to win over holidaymakers

With ten wine fairs scheduled throughout the season between Soulac and Lacanau, the ODG of the Médoc and Haut-Médoc appellations is reaching out to holidaymakers. Faced with a difficult economic climate, the goal is to support the visibility of its châteaux and sell wine.

In the heart of a summer when tourists flock to the Atlantic coast, Médoc winegrowers are leaving their châteaux to meet a new audience. For the past four years, the Organization for the Defense and Management of the Médoc, Haut-Médoc, and Listrac appellations has been increasing its promotional activities, starting with its summer wine fairs, which have become an unmissable event for lovers of fine wines. "The last one in July will take place on Wednesday, the 30th. In August, we organize six events: the 5th in Hourtin-Plage, the 8th and 22nd in Maubuisson (Carcans), the 13th in Lacanau-Ville, the 20th in Soulac, and the 28th in Hourtin-Port," lists Clara Ierno, marketing project manager for the ODG. In total, ten wine fairs are scheduled this year, compared to eight in 2024. “Demand is strong, particularly from the winegrowers themselves, who see these events as a lever for visibility and sales,” she emphasizes.

At each fair, around fifteen winemakers come to offer tastings of their vintages. For 5 euros, visitors buy a glass and can then taste the wines on offer for free, similar to the Bordeaux Wine Festival. Last year, the Maubuisson resort had the highest attendance. This summer, Hourtin-Port is competing with nearly 500 "kits" of tastings sold during the last edition. Attendance is increasing year on year, with a clientele now less local and more made up of foreign vacationers, according to Clara Ierno. The fairs, organized in the evening from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., also benefit from partnerships with restaurants, such as in Hourtin-Port, where purchased bottles can be consumed on site. Claude Gaudin confirms this success: "The winegrowers are happy with what's happening. We're gaining momentum with increasing attendance and very varied profiles of participants, from the smallest producers to the largest estates . " The president of the ODG even plans to develop the system in the coming years, with possible extensions "to the Arcachon basin to the south, or even the right bank of the estuary, towards Royan."

If these summer events are gaining momentum, it is because Médoc viticulture is going through an unprecedented crisis. "There is a lot of pain among winegrowers, between recovery and liquidations. The situation risks being even more serious in 2025," confided Claude Gaudin at the end of 2024. Since then, the situation has changed: the grubbing-up campaign has accelerated significantly, with around 2 000 hectares have been uprooted across the three appellations since 2023. "We will go from more than 10,000 hectares to around 8,500 or 8,600 by the 2025 harvest," says the ODG president. This represents a 15 to 20% drop in production areas. The figures illustrate the scale of the challenge: the three appellations still have some 650 members, but all must adapt to a shrinking market, lower volumes, and tight promotional budgets. Claude Gaudin emphasizes that the various promotional structures – CIVB, CVM, and ODG – work in a complementary manner to avoid duplication and optimize the use of winegrowers' contributions.

In this context, wine fairs represent a strategic tool. "Even though they are primarily communication and promotional activities, they also allow us to sell directly to vacationers and encourage visits to the château," Clara Ierno points out. This proximity between the vineyards and the ocean – less than 40 kilometers separate Pauillac from Hourtin-Plage – is a major asset. Vacationers, often curious to discover the local heritage, represent a valuable clientele.

In addition to the fairs, the ODG is renewing its partnership with the Sunska Festival in Cissac-Médoc, where a "Médoc bar" will be set up in the concert area. "Last year, this presence allowed us to reach a different audience, one not necessarily familiar with wine," says Clara Ierno. For Claude Gaudin, these initiatives are an important signal: "We must remind everyone that our wines, priced between 8 and 30 euros a bottle, offer excellent value for money and deserve to be known, alongside the great vintages." With this tour from Soulac to Lacanau, Médoc winegrowers are banking on direct contact with consumers to strengthen the reputation of their appellations. It's a way of reminding people that new markets are now won on the ground, through contact with the public.