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The Bordeaux Families cooperative in Sauveterre de Guyenne has put a dealcoholisation plant into operation. The aim is to expand its portfolio and produce no- and low-alcohol wines for its existing brands. The plant uses vacuum distillation technology, with which 250 hectolitres of wine can be partially or completely dealcoholised every day. The co-operative invested around 2.5 million euros in this project.
In Bordeaux in particular, many vineyards and wineries are struggling with sales difficulties. "We have to adapt our product portfolio to changing consumer behaviour," said Phillipe Cazaux, Director of Bordeaux Families. The co-operative has 300 members who together cultivate 5,000 hectares of vineyards. The co-operative produces around seven million bottles (still wines and crémants) and is suffering greatly from the current crisis. "The red wine market remains very complicated. Today, red wine accounts for less than 35 per cent of our production. In 2018, it was still 62 per cent," Cazaux points out. In addition to dealcoholised wines, the cooperative wants to focus more on the production of crémants. Last year, two million euros were invested in the necessary cellar technology for this purpose. With 2.5 million bottles in 2023, the cooperative is the largest crémant producer in Bordeaux.
(ru / Vitisphere)