Valérie Lavigne
Winemaker and Researcher
Introduction
Gerda Beziade: What are the main challenges you face in your profession?
Valérie Lavigne: The main challenge today is obviously climate change, as well as the difficulty my clients face in selling their wines. This is noticeable at every level—classification, value, and market position. I even see, in classified estates, serious discussions about which vineyards might need to be uprooted to refocus efforts on the parcels that consistently produce the first wine. These are economic considerations, both in the vineyard and in the cellar. And then there is a constant worry about selling wines which—ironically, in my opinion—have never been so good. It’s truly paradoxical, and honestly quite troubling.
GB: Are we talking about climate change or a climate upheaval?
VL: It is a climate upheaval. For example, 2024 was a vintage with extraordinary rainfall; 2025, on the contrary, brought unprecedented and historic heatwaves in Bordeaux, with nearly ten consecutive days above 40°C in July and another ten in August. The concern regarding climate upheaval lies more in the violence and extremeness of weather events than in excessively high temperatures that could lead to overly alcoholic wines.
And in fact, when I think about 2025, what strikes me most is just how resilient the vine truly is.
GB: We already observed that in 2022, didn’t we?
VL: Yes, we had already seen it in 2022, but like in 2025 we had never experienced such high temperatures—at least not for such an extended period during ripening. One might have feared a complete halt in maturation. And in reality, that didn’t happen, except in a few very gravelly, fast-draining terroirs.
The vines produced grapes—and then wines—with a truly remarkable balance. The pH levels are very low, which is wonderful, because for years we complained about excessively high pH. And the wines are aromatic, fruity, not at all overripe, jammy, or cooked.
The vine’s adaptive capacity is extraordinary. Naturally, this capacity is greater when the terroir is exceptional—that is, when the soil retains enough water to release it gradually to the plant, allowing slow, steady ripening without blockage.
International reach
GB : In which countries do you work as a consultant?
VL : In Europe: France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. And elsewhere in the world: China, Lebanon, South Africa, and Morocco.
GB : Do you encounter the same economic challenges in those countries as we do here in Bordeaux?
VL : Yes, certainly—but to varying degrees. In Lebanon, for example, the difficulty is tied to the geopolitical situation, yet the wine market itself hasn’t truly worsened. Vineyard owners there are often supported by wealth accumulated outside the wine industry.
In South Africa, the wine market is doing rather well; it’s mainly the European markets that is struggling. And I feel that France is affected a bit more than others—Bordeaux perhaps even more, unfortunately.
I believe this situation is linked to the large volumes we produce. And yet, there have been real viticultural efforts and tremendous progress, which is why the wines are so good today. Even in 2024, a challenging vintage, we still produced beautiful wines.
Vine removal and replanting
GB : So, for you, vine removal is a solution?
VL : I think we need to distinguish between subsidized vine removal and vineyard replanting plans, which are more about refocusing on the historic plots of classified estates. At one time, when viticulture was booming, we planted a bit too much. Vineyards were expanded onto various types of terroirs, but at the same time, the less qualitative parcels were not always abandoned. Production volume and planted surface area increased. That wasn’t a problem when wine sold very well.
Today, I believe estates are shifting back toward their finest, most qualitative terroirs.
GB : In this climate upheaval, is irrigation a solution in your view?
VL : No, irrigation is not a solution for me. All the irrigated vineyards I work with are currently facing difficulties, simply because water availability is decreasing. The Moroccan vineyard I collaborate with—originally established by colonial settlers—is confronted with a very serious water shortage. Drilling new wells is no longer permitted, or allowed only under very strict limitations. Unfortunately, I fear that viticulture may disappear in the medium term in Morocco.
If water is lacking, the vine will never be the priority—and rightfully so.
There are also difficulties in California. In my opinion, creating a vineyard today under the assumption that it must be irrigated is a mistake.
Wine tasting and sensory perception
GB : You’re doing a lot of tasting at the moment. When you taste, what are the things you are most sensitive to?
VL : A wine must express the grape it comes from — meaning it should be fruity, with an appetizing taste of fresh fruit, not leaves, stems, or wood. Texture is absolutely essential for a red wine. A great wine should feel smooth and supple on the mid-palate, giving an almost spherical sensation. This is difficult to achieve, but more common on great terroirs.
You can enhance it through winemaking practices, such as post-fermentation maceration, which helps soften the perception of tannins and make them more velvety. But if that mid-palate presence is missing at the time of draining the vats, maturation will never fully make up for it. It’s a crucial criterion for me when selecting batches.
GB : And for white wines?
VL : Balance, freshness, an aromatic profile that is appetizing, and a complete absence of bitterness. This is essential because it determines how the wine will evolve in the bottle. Freshness will vary depending on the grape variety — Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Viognier — but the right balance must always be found, and above all, the wine must never become heavy.
And if the wine is aged in oak, the wood should remain as discreet as possible.
GB : Did you find these qualities in the 2025 whites as well?
VL : Yes. One might have feared wines lacking aroma, with heat-burned notes and low acidity, but that was not the case at all. We expected an early-ripening vintage — and it turned out even earlier. The relatively rainy spring allowed enough water reserves for the vines to resist. Then, storms at the end of June, in July and August, provided sufficient water to ensure balanced ripening. So the whites are surprisingly good.
GB : The growing season was shorter, isn’t it?
VL : Yes, shorter and in extreme conditions, especially in Bordeaux. And that’s where the vintage is surprising. Malic acid levels were low, as they were degraded by the intense heat in August, but total acidity remained interesting thanks to tartaric acid. The wines are balanced.
In my opinion, the success is greater in the reds than in the whites, but we absolutely do not see the “flaws” one might have feared.
Evolution of viticulture
GB : What are the biggest changes since you began working with Denis Dubourdieu’s team in 1996?
VL : The most spectacular changes have clearly taken place in the vineyard. In 1996, yields were less controlled, and leaf removal was rare. There were even excesses, such as systematic green harvesting in the mid-90s. Today, growers are seeking the plant’s natural balance.
In terms of winemaking, it was widely believed at the time that the more you extracted, the better the wine — or at least, the more concentrated it would be. This was a complete mistake, as the research of Professor Axel Marchal has clearly demonstrated. We have returned to more reasonable practices that better preserve the identity of the place and the taste of the grape.
GB : Is organic or biodynamic farming a requirement for a Grand Cru?
VL : No. It’s a direction all estates should move toward, depending on the climate. Even before organic farming became fashionable, some estates were already organic. But in certain regions, like Bordeaux, certification is more challenging. All the estates we work with follow organic approaches, but in vintages like 2024, with exceptionally high rainfall, it was sometimes necessary to use a synthetic molecule at the right moment to protect the crop.
GB : Many Grands Crus have invested in highly sophisticated vat rooms. Is that important in your opinion?
VL : What matters most is that the size of the vats matches the size of the parcels — or groups of parcels — that share the same profile. Working parcel by parcel is essential. After that, a good temperature-control system is useful for heating or cooling during fermentation and managing maceration.
But I believe the most important thing is our ability to adapt Bordeaux grape varieties to climate upheaval. The identity of the region is deeply tied to these varieties. Merlot is the most sensitive to water stress and heat, yet this year it produced exceptional results. The levers for improving its resilience are the choice of rootstock, suitable clones, planting density… Always considering the terroir and water availability.
GB : Should our AOC system become more flexible?
VL : The AOC system is important, but in my opinion it has become too fragmented, with too many appellations. It becomes unreadable and confusing for consumers. When we talk about Bordeaux abroad, people know only a handful of appellations — Saint-Émilion, Médoc… and that’s almost it, I’m afraid.
Paradoxically, we are now creating a new Médoc Blanc appellation. I’m not convinced of its value, apart from restricting the production zone — which is, of course, a good thing.
GB : Shouldn’t we create a dry Sauternes?
VL : This has been a controversial topic for a long time. If we create a “Sauternes dry white,” it risks creating confusion. In people’s minds, Sauternes is sweet. This new appellation would, like Médoc Blanc, help restrict the production zone, which is positive, but I’m not convinced that a dry Sauternes would lead to better visibility or value for the dry whites produced there.
Market and consumption
GB : How can we attract new consumers — by making “Blouge,” for example?
VL : I see Blouge more as a minor curiosity. It’s not by smearing or disguising wine that we will change its image. I believe wines today are far more interesting and much more drinkable than they used to be. But consumers don’t really know that. In the €15–40 range, Bordeaux offers, in my opinion, the best value for money in the world.
The real question is: how do we win consumers back? We hear about declining consumption, about young people not drinking wine anymore… I don’t fully agree. Of course there is some decline, but it’s not drastic. Price is a major factor, and we see this everywhere. Estates that offer attractive deals to their private customers still sell well. So the issue is primarily one of price.
And as for the idea that young people don’t drink wine, I think they have a natural curiosity, but it is often guided toward products that move them away from identity-driven wines. I’m thinking of the current trend that glorifies faulty wines. In my opinion, this is extremely harmful and can steer young consumers away from wine altogether. They need to build their own wine culture, especially if it is no longer passed down through the family. And the people guiding their choices are often biased.
GB : I read in Vitisphère that Dr. Michel de l’Orgeril published a book in which he writes, “The French Paradox has been forgotten.” He says the wine sector is masochistic. Do you agree?
VL : Yes, absolutely. We are masochistic — we no longer highlight the French Paradox or other studies about the benefits of wine. Yet acknowledging that wine can be good for your health is paying tribute to our wines. It was precisely this message that contributed to Bordeaux’s success in the U.S. in the 1990s.
We no longer talk about it because the anti-alcohol lobby has become stronger. Today, it’s no longer politically correct to say that drinking a little wine can be good for you.
Research and innovations
GB : You conducted research on white wine. What are your research topics focused on today?
VL : Yes, I worked for many years on the premature ageing of aromas in white wines, and later on the aromatic profile of Chardonnay. My research has always been funded by Seguin Moreau cooperage, and it still is today.
At the moment, we are working on the conditions under which oak wood matures, particularly in relation to climate change. Is the required drying time influenced by shifts in climate conditions?
GB : Bordeaux has an extraordinary research ecosystem, with the Agronomy University, excellent business schools, and the ISVV.
VL : Yes, we have so many disciplines connected to wine. The paradox is that despite having tremendous strengths, we struggle to fully showcase our distinctiveness and quality—especially our unbeatable value for money.
Bordeaux is torn between two images: some of the most expensive wines in the world, representing very small volumes, and generic Bordeaux wines, among the cheapest.
The delicious heart of Bordeaux gets completely lost in between.
Preferences and favourites
GB : Aside from Bordeaux, which wine region or country makes your heart beat the most?
VL : Spain — particularly Rioja. What is fascinating in Spain is the way vineyards are cultivated: many bush-trained vines, old and even very old vineyards. And the climate, especially in Rioja, allows the production of delicate, tender wines that you don’t find in many other regions.
For a long time, this advantage was overshadowed by very long ageing, often in American oak, which masked the wines’ personality. Today, Spanish winemakers have greatly toned down this approach, and their wines, to me, have tremendous charm. I see a return to varietal expression and to ageing that better preserves the fruit.
GB : What is your favourite grape variety?
VL : In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon. For whites, Chardonnay — and Riesling. I also have a passion for Sauvignon Blanc, undoubtedly linked to the research carried out in Bordeaux in Professor Denis Dubourdieu’s laboratory.
Cabernet Sauvignon, when successful in Bordeaux, has a completely inimitable taste, impossible to caricature. I adore Merlot grown on limestone plateaus, but under hotter, drier climates, it loses its personality.
GB : What is your favourite bottle?
VL : Even though there are many — fortunately for me — I would say a Riesling from Albert Boxler, 2016, Grand Cru Sommerberg.
The emotion comes not only from the bottle itself but also — and perhaps above all — from the moment and the circumstances in which it was tasted.
