"With origins in the 12th century, when it was first shipped to Britain, claret was soon our favoured wine, an unofficial byword for bordeaux red, which in recent decades has become increasingly full-bodied. The Bordeaux protected designation of origin has now formally validated bordeaux claret, linking it to the existing Bordeaux appellation. Yet the bottles, available from the 2025 vintage, will differ from what many in Britain consider claret lighter, less tannic and lower in alcohol."
"Bordeaux has been greatly affected by climate breakdown. Some impacts have been a positive challenge, said Stephanie Sinoquet, the managing director of the Bordeaux growers' association, with producers turning to untraditional, heat-resistant grape varieties. Warmer conditions were allowing grapes to reach a better and more consistent ripeness. Consequently, ever-rising alcohol levels were of concern 15% is now common. For Jean-Raymond Clarenc, the director of the Bordeaux branch of the Grands Chais de France, the new classification is a strategic response to these environmental shifts."
Bordeaux is reviving the historically named claret as a protected designation linked to the Bordeaux appellation, with bottles introduced from the 2025 vintage. The new claret style is lighter, less tannic and lower in alcohol than many British expectations, and is intended to be served chilled at around 8–12°C. Producers are responding to warmer conditions by using heat-resistant grape varieties and adopting shorter macerations to prioritise freshness over power. Rising ripeness had increased alcohol levels to around 15%, prompting strategic classification changes aimed at producing balanced, elegant wines despite climate challenges. Consumers are shifting toward chillable, fruitier red styles in France and Britain.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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