August 10, 2024

The charm of second labels or “second wines

EDITO

THE CHARM OF SECOND LABELS

Frédéric Lot

Do you find that the great wines of Bordeaux are often too expensive or out of reach? Then turn to their second wines. Do you think that estates and wine merchants have the upper hand in trying to sell the image of the first wine through the second? But then, is the second wine of lesser quality than the first? More flattering than its predecessor, or a “pale copy”? Nothing is less certain!

An excellent alternative to the first label, the Grand Vin!

In an often tumultuous futures market, which has been subject to price sinusoids for several decades now, focusing on the second labels of the leading châteaux, not to say the stars of the Left Bank (Médoc) and Right Bank (Libourne), means first and foremost enjoying the reputation of the first wines in both good and more “technical” vintages. In other words, these are the so-called “technical” or “winegrower” years, when harvest conditions are such that the châteaux pull the vintage upwards through rigorous selection of plots and vinification vats. Because let's be clear! Not every vintage deserves 100% of the harvest in the first wine. The result: second wines that are more supple, more accessible and more affordable.

Beware of gender confusion in visual reading!

In the majority of creations, the second wine is partially named after the first. There are even crus where the similarity of the label between the second and first wines is such that it can only lead to confusion and mistakes if you don't know how to read the label correctly. But this abundance of second wines - a Bordeaux exception in the concept - fortunately comes from the increased selection of the best vats in the elaboration of the first: competition and the quest for the ultimate in quality oblige! Who could complain?

Second wine, a false friend in many minds?

But it turns out that not all second wines are worthy of interest. Some may even fall short of what you'd expect from a wine produced in a renowned appellation and terroir. Why might this be? Some estates may use the second wine as a “spare tire” for the first. Anything that isn't top-notch - fluidity, herbaceous tannins, lack of character (all of which generally comes from very young vines) - is relegated to the production of the second wine. In such cases, a well-balanced, tasty Cru Bourgeois or Bordeaux Supérieur, with fat tannins, proves better and often less expensive.

The same care as the first label

But more and more owners are realizing that the reputation and quality of the second wine is as much a question of their image as that of the first. This need is all the greater as the marketing of second wines increases. Forerunners long ago paved the way and elevated these productions to the status of brands, such as Les Forts de Latour (Château Latour), Clos du Marquis (Château Léoville-Las-Cases), Pavillon Rouge (Château Margaux), La Chapelle de la Mission d'Haut-Brion (Château La Mission Haut-Brion) or Château Bahans Haut-Brion (now, since 2008, Le Clarence de Haut-Brion), to name but a few. And the list goes on.

The second wine: first and foremost a gateway

Today, a private individual who takes the trouble to visit a château often buys the second wine via retailers on the Internet, or from his wine merchant if he can't buy it on the spot (the great châteaux go through the “Place de Bordeaux” wine merchant). He takes fewer risks by testing the least expensive. Since the second wine receives the same care in vinification as the first, even if the second wine comes from younger vines and less stringent parcel selections than the tête de cuvée.

In conclusion, buying the second label is undoubtedly an excellent introduction to the vintages of these prestigious châteaux or sought-after brands. Owners can rest assured that, if they like this wine, an order for the “première étiquette” will quickly and logically follow.  F.L.