|
|
The court hearing currently taking place at the commercial court in Bordeaux could have far-reaching consequences for grape prices. The winegrower Rémi Lacombe from Château Bessan-Ségur in the Médoc has sued the trading houses Ginestet and Excell, a subsidiary of Cordier. They are alleged to have massively depressed the price of his wines in an unfair manner. They are said to have offered him only 1,200 euros per tonneau (900 litres), although his production costs were 1,600 euros per tonneau. "There is no discussion. You take it or leave it. If you try to argue, they hang up the phone and it's over," explained Lacombe. Other grape growers reported that they had been offered too little for their harvests and were being pressurised by the buyers. If they did not accept the sums, they would no longer receive any offers from the trading houses in future. They would be put on a "blacklist". Lacombe's lawyer accused the négociants of violating the so-called "Egalim law" from 2018. This states that the seller - and not the buyer - sets the price for their goods. Farmers must be offered a purchase price that is at least eight per cent above the cost price.
Ginestet and Excell describe the offer as a "classic brokerage deal" with a "fair price for the quality of the wine". No pressure was exerted on Lacombe. For their part, they have requested a review of Château Bessan-Ségur's finances. They suspect that the winery's financial situation was the incentive for the complaint. In addition, there had been complaints from neighbouring vineyards about an outbreak of the vine disease flavescence dorée at the château. If the infected vines are not uprooted, the disease, which is transmitted by vine cicadas, can spread.
If the court's judgement goes against the négociants, it could set a precedent as to who determines the purchase price for grapes. This could in turn have an impact on grape prices and restrict the activities of the négociants in Bordeaux.
(al / source: decanter)