Garagistes
Encyclopedia
The garagistes refers to a group of innovative winemakers in the Bordeaux
region, producing "Vins de garage", "Garage wine". A group emerged in the mid 1990s in reaction to the traditional style of red Bordeaux wine
, which is highly tannic and requires long ageing in the bottle to become drinkable. The garagistes developed a style more consistent with perceived international wine tastes.
For red wines this means "bigger, bolder, fruitier wines, often with sometimes a higher alcohol content." The new style for white wines is a more pronounced oak taste with some residual sugar. This new style of wine is controversial, and purists claim that the wines will not age well and they don't reflect well the terroir
of the region, nor the typicity of the grape varieties used. Characterised as "winemaker's wine whose attributes reflect a disregard for the traditional handling of its particular terroir", the term is sometimes used somewhat as a backhanded compliment, in light of that these wines come from previously unknown estates without proven track record or pedigree. Alternately, such wine is referred to as "super-cuvée" or "microchâteau". The wines produced by these estates often receive very high wine ratings from Robert Parker
, and are usually sold at prices driven high by rarity, hyperbole
, and fashion.
founded by the Belgians Marcel and Gérard Thienpont on less than 2 hectares in the late 1970s, wine was produced by microcuvée from a farmhouse basement in Pomerol
. Following the efforts of Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud, and the emergence of Château Valandraud
came the description of a "movement". Founded in 1989 on a 1 hectare plot in Saint-Émilion
, with limited funds for equipment, much work was done primitively by hands and feet in their garage, with high detail labour resulting in low output yields defining the methods of the model.
Several wines fashioned in this same model appeared on the market, such as La Mondotte from Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, La Gomerie from Château Beau-Séjour-Bécot, Le Dôme, Les Astéries and Le Carré from Château Teyssier, Quinault L'Enclos
, Rol Valentin
, Barde-Haut, Gracia
, L'Hermitage and Marojallia
. Coining the term "Vins du garage", and the vintners "Garagistes" has been attributed to both French writers Nicholas Baby and Michel Bettane
.
After Valandraud was rated by Robert Parker a better 1995 vintage than Château Pétrus
, the economic effects were substantial. Developments in the market saw Garage wines reach surprisingly high prices, sometimes well beyond historically top-priced products, however in the early 2000s came indications that the trend may reverse. Wine writer Jancis Robinson
noted that the Garage wine market had "shrivelled considerably in recent years", Robert Parker stated that while the wines are "here to stay ... only the best will survive", and Steven Spurrier commented, "the belief that ridiculously low yields make better wine has finally been exploded by the quality of [the abundant] 2004, as it should have been by 2000, 1996 and 1990. Goodbye to a fad."
by wine experts such as Steven Spurrier, with some writers, noted by Graham Harding, going as far as to suggest the cult following of these wines are an example "The Emperor's New Clothes
syndrome" and that they wines are made for collectors than for wine drinkers.
Another critic is Master of Wine
Michael Palij who compare garagistes, particularly those of Château Valandraud, to the large California wine
producer E & J Gallo Winery
saying "Each is a triumph of style over substance. Neither pays any regard to either history or terroir."
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
region, producing "Vins de garage", "Garage wine". A group emerged in the mid 1990s in reaction to the traditional style of red Bordeaux wine
Bordeaux wine
A Bordeaux wine is any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. Average vintages produce over 700 million bottles of Bordeaux wine, ranging from large quantities of everyday table wine, to some of the most expensive and prestigious wines in the world...
, which is highly tannic and requires long ageing in the bottle to become drinkable. The garagistes developed a style more consistent with perceived international wine tastes.
For red wines this means "bigger, bolder, fruitier wines, often with sometimes a higher alcohol content." The new style for white wines is a more pronounced oak taste with some residual sugar. This new style of wine is controversial, and purists claim that the wines will not age well and they don't reflect well the terroir
Terroir
Terroir comes from the word terre "land". It was originally a French term in wine, coffee and tea used to denote the special characteristics that the geography, geology and climate of a certain place bestowed upon particular varieties...
of the region, nor the typicity of the grape varieties used. Characterised as "winemaker's wine whose attributes reflect a disregard for the traditional handling of its particular terroir", the term is sometimes used somewhat as a backhanded compliment, in light of that these wines come from previously unknown estates without proven track record or pedigree. Alternately, such wine is referred to as "super-cuvée" or "microchâteau". The wines produced by these estates often receive very high wine ratings from Robert Parker
Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Robert M. Parker, Jr. is a leading U.S. wine critic with an international influence. His wine ratings on a 100-point scale and his newsletter The Wine Advocate, with his particular stylistic preferences and notetaking vocabulary, have become very influential in American wine buying and are...
, and are usually sold at prices driven high by rarity, hyperbole
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is the use of exaggeration as a rhetorical device or figure of speech. It may be used to evoke strong feelings or to create a strong impression, but is not meant to be taken literally....
, and fashion.
History
Considered a predecessor of the Garage wine, Château Le PinChâteau Le Pin
Château Le Pin, or simply Le Pin, is an unclassed Bordeaux wine from the appellation Pomerol. The unusually small estate is located on the Right Bank of France’s Gironde estuary in the commune of Pomerol near the hamlet of Catusseau, and its wine is periodically one of the world's most expensive...
founded by the Belgians Marcel and Gérard Thienpont on less than 2 hectares in the late 1970s, wine was produced by microcuvée from a farmhouse basement in Pomerol
Pomerol
Pomerol is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.It is located near Bordeaux.-Population:-Wine:The mostly small-sized producers in this area of about produce red wines. As in the neighbouring appellation of Saint-Émilion, the predominant grape variety is Merlot,...
. Following the efforts of Jean-Luc Thunevin and Murielle Andraud, and the emergence of Château Valandraud
Château Valandraud
Château Valandraud, or Château de Valandraud, is an unclassed Bordeaux wine producer situated in the Saint-Émilion appellation. The winery is located on the Right Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Saint-Émilion....
came the description of a "movement". Founded in 1989 on a 1 hectare plot in Saint-Émilion
Saint-Émilion AOC
Saint-Émilion is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée for wine in the Bordeaux wine region of France, where it is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne...
, with limited funds for equipment, much work was done primitively by hands and feet in their garage, with high detail labour resulting in low output yields defining the methods of the model.
Several wines fashioned in this same model appeared on the market, such as La Mondotte from Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, La Gomerie from Château Beau-Séjour-Bécot, Le Dôme, Les Astéries and Le Carré from Château Teyssier, Quinault L'Enclos
Château Quinault
Château Quinault is a winery from the appellation Saint-Émilion within the city of Libourne, producing Quinault L'Enclos, a Bordeaux wine counted among the Bordeaux Right Bank "supercuvées" or "vins de garage"...
, Rol Valentin
Château Rol Valentin
Château Rol Valentin is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, an area next to Saint-Émilion proper. Do not confuse such wines with those that are ranked Grand cru in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine...
, Barde-Haut, Gracia
Gracia (Saint-Émilion)
Gracia a Saint-Émilion unclassed microcuvéee winery, emerging in the late 1990s as one of the best known "Vins de garage".The winery also produces the second wine Angelots de Gracia....
, L'Hermitage and Marojallia
Château Marojallia
Château Marojallia is a Bordeaux winery belonging to the appellation Margaux, in the commune of Arsac. A "microcuvée", the wine produced has been described as Médoc's first "garage wine".The estate also produces a second wine, Clos Margalaine.- History :...
. Coining the term "Vins du garage", and the vintners "Garagistes" has been attributed to both French writers Nicholas Baby and Michel Bettane
Michel Bettane
Michel Bettane is a leading French wine critic, fortwenty years a writer for the French consumer wine publication La Revue du vin de France until 2004....
.
After Valandraud was rated by Robert Parker a better 1995 vintage than Château Pétrus
Château Pétrus
Pétrus is a Bordeaux wine estate located in the Pomerol appellation near its eastern border to Saint-Émilion. An estate of limited size, it produces a limited production red wine almost entirely from Merlot grapes, on occasion with small amounts of Cabernet Franc, and produces no second wine...
, the economic effects were substantial. Developments in the market saw Garage wines reach surprisingly high prices, sometimes well beyond historically top-priced products, however in the early 2000s came indications that the trend may reverse. Wine writer Jancis Robinson
Jancis Robinson
Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, MW is a British wine critic, journalist and editor of wine literature. She currently writes a weekly column for the Financial Times, and writes for her website jancisrobinson.com...
noted that the Garage wine market had "shrivelled considerably in recent years", Robert Parker stated that while the wines are "here to stay ... only the best will survive", and Steven Spurrier commented, "the belief that ridiculously low yields make better wine has finally been exploded by the quality of [the abundant] 2004, as it should have been by 2000, 1996 and 1990. Goodbye to a fad."
Criticism
Despite the critical acclaim and high prices that have been fetched by some vins de garage, both the term and the movement has also faced criticism. In addition to be described as a fadFAD
In biochemistry, flavin adenine dinucleotide is a redox cofactor involved in several important reactions in metabolism. FAD can exist in two different redox states, which it converts between by accepting or donating electrons. The molecule consists of a riboflavin moiety bound to the phosphate...
by wine experts such as Steven Spurrier, with some writers, noted by Graham Harding, going as far as to suggest the cult following of these wines are an example "The Emperor's New Clothes
The Emperor's New Clothes
"The Emperor's New Clothes" is a short tale by Hans Christian Andersen about two weavers who promise an Emperor a new suit of clothes that is invisible to those unfit for their positions, stupid, or incompetent...
syndrome" and that they wines are made for collectors than for wine drinkers.
Another critic is Master of Wine
Master of Wine
Master of Wine is a qualification issued by The Institute of Masters of Wine in the United Kingdom...
Michael Palij who compare garagistes, particularly those of Château Valandraud, to the large California wine
California wine
California wine has a long and continuing history, and in the late twentieth century became recognized as producing some of the world's finest wine. While wine is made in all fifty U.S. states, up to 90% of American wine is produced in the state...
producer E & J Gallo Winery
E & J Gallo Winery
E & J Gallo Winery was founded in 1933 by Ernest Gallo and Julio Gallo in Modesto, California. E & J Gallo Winery is the largest exporter of California wines and is a large promoter of wines from Sonoma County.-History:...
saying "Each is a triumph of style over substance. Neither pays any regard to either history or terroir."