Shipment from Enjoy Bordeaux

I've written about the Life Goes Better with Bordeaux marketing campaign previously. The CIVB has also included a blogger outreach program as part of their campaign.




The shipment, which they sent to me free of charge, is packaged very slickly with great art work. Of all the wine shipments I've gotten at work, this is the one that generated the most interest, just on the box alone.

Inside the box is a wine pairing wheel, but not one that pairs wine with food, instead it pairs wine with wine. It offers suggestions for Bordeaux wines that match your current wine profile. For example, if you like Merlots from Washington State the wheel recommends that you try a wine from Cotes de Blaye (Cotes de Blaye is the northernmost right bank region in Bordeaux).

The box also included a very large "Life Goes Better with Bordeaux" poster, which I am not really sure what to do with.

The best part though was the wine. The shipment included two bottles from the under $25 selection at Sherry Lehmann. My shipment included a 2006 Clarendelle Blanc (I've tried the red, which was excellent) and a 2004 Chateau Larose-Trintaudon, well-known for being a good value wine.

Obviously, I can't wait to break out these wines, reviews will follow.

Bordeaux Matchmaking

Sorry everyone, this is not a dating service centered around Bordeaux. Instead it is a series of events designed to match you to a Bordeaux that best suits your palate. They are hosting events in Boston, New York City, Chicago and Miami and the first one looked like a lot of fun.

So far, no events planned for DC, but I've e-mailed them to see if they are going to plan any.

Bar a Vin

While I was in Bordeaux I split my time between the left bank, right bank and the city itself. In the city I stayed at the Hotel des 4 Soeurs which is perfectly located in downtown Bordeaux. Almost everything I wanted to see was within walking distance from the hotel and the staff was very pleasant.

The best part of the hotel was that right across the street is Bar a Vin. Bar a Vin is sponsored by Le Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) and is close to a perfect wine bar.

Bar a Vin is decorated in a very modern style, there is a lot of wine art and bottles everywhere. There is also a lot of light, making it feel warm and inviting. There are a few tables set outside, which is where I spent most of my time.

They have a good selection of wines from the different regions of Bordeaux (the list is updated regularly), and they tend to focus on Chateaux that you might not have heard of -- at least that I had not heard of ;). The sommeliers on staff are friendly and very knowledgeable about the wine.

My only complaint is that they do not offer wine by the bottle. I realize drinking by the bottle is antithetical to the purpose of Bar a Vin -- getting people to try a lot of different Bordeaux wines -- but , the wine bar is perfectly located for people watching, so it would have been nice to grab a bottle, sit outside and just enjoy.

The Pleasure of Bordeaux

I like the magazine feel of The Pleasure of Bordeaux website, I do wish the magazine was available in the United States, but it is interesting to contrast the Bordeaux marketing campaign in the UK versus the US.

Enjoy Bordeaux

One of the biggest misconceptions people in the united States have about wines from Bordeaux is that they are too expensive for every day drinking; or simply too expensive in general.

Certainly, there are expensive wines from Bordeaux, just as there are expensive wines from Napa, Sonoma and the rest of the world.

But, the fact is, most Bordeaux wines are are very approachable in terms of taste and price. the Conseil INterprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB) is trying to change this misconception with a new campaign called Life Goes Better with Bordeaux.

Partnering with Michael Quinn out of San Francisco the site is a good start. It allows visitors to find a Bordeaux at almost any price point, and tells them where the closest place to buy Bordeaux wines is. It also has Sommeliers on staff to answer questions.

But, it goes even further. It has listings of Bordeaux tastings around the country, many of them free. And really that is what is going to be the biggest selling point for Bordeaux wines: getting them out to people to taste.

They are doing their first live chat this Monday at 9:00 PM PST.

I wish them luck, this could be very good for Bordeaux and it is certainly good for people to drink more wine :)

Update: Thanks to Michael in the comments for this correction, "...the people behind the Bordeaux campaign are actually Arthur Ceria, Barbara Houdayer and the team at CreativeFeed. CreativeFeed is the CIVB's digital marketing agency in the United States."