Reignac : the little Bordeaux wine that has dreamed of being a Grand Cru

Prosecuted for consumer deception and unlawful comparative advertising, Château de Reignac wine has lost its appeal… Discover more with Beaux-Vins !

Yves Vatelot, owner of Château de Reignac - Entre-Deux-Mers —, appeared in Bordeaux court for "deceptive marketing practices" because of his wine.

This whole story begins with a blind tasting organized by a grand jury of tasters. In 2009, the Château de Reignac competed alongside Petrus, Château Margaux and other Cheval Blanc. Blind tasting result : our famous domain came second, behind Château Angelus. In the process, Yves Vatelot launched a video on Youtube that grew like suspicious mushrooms on social networks.

Although this video got a lot of talk, it was an advertising insert in Le Figaro that ended up triggering the ire of the profession. The Saint-Loubès winemaker was inspired by 2014 of the slogan of France Info to provoke the Bordeaux Leviathan. Advertising claims in these few words : « Reignac, 1first classified vintage ". An asterisk denoted a statement that "If it were true, few would afford it. "

Under the pressure and determination of the profession, Yves Vatelot had to change the content of his advertising. But it was too late, the Bordeaux Inquisition was tired of its heretical behavior ! Three years later, the owner of Château de Reignac finds himself on the dock for deceptive commercial practices and unlawful comparative advertising. The Saint-Émilion Wine Council, the Union of Grands Crus Classées de Graves and the Conseil des Grands Crus Classés de 1855 don't go with the back of the bottle. Each claims the modest sum of 100’000 € damages.

The survey conducted by the Regional Business Directorate, competition, of Consumption, of Labor and Employment, aptly called Direccte, confirmed the charges. “All of its marketing is based on comparison. It constantly cultivates doubt and maintains confusion ”, accuses Me Poulou by detailing the brochures and the content of some of the pages of the Château's website.

For Yves Vatelot, this masquerade of justice makes no sense : "The average consumer knows everything. He knows that at 20 euros, he cannot afford classified grands crus ”. But the old decrees are still there and in force.

The use of the term "Grand Cru Classé" is codified. No one can avail themselves of it because its use is exclusively reserved for the elites of the Bordeaux vineyard. As for comparative advertising, it is only accepted between winegrowers of the same "level". Nothing prevents Bordeaux Supérieur from leading a cockfight, but they have to do it in their backyard.

"It annoys the great wines"

Legally, blind tastings calling into question the supremacy of Grands Crus are of little value. " The journalists, critics can make comparisons. They have the right. He does not. The legislation protects classified grands crus. The bottle is expensive, but behind there is the quality ”, insists prosecutor Nathalie Queran, requesting a suspended prison sentence with a fine of 30’000 € against Château de Reignac.

Yves Vatelot's lawyer, Me François Tosi deplores "These lawsuits which do not make sense". "We blame him, for example, for having said that his terroir was worthy of that of a classified grand cru. But it is written in the Féret, the bible of Bordeaux wines. In what, to rely on indisputable writings or criticism from specialists to promote its wines would be illegal or likely to mislead ? Reignac pulls up the Bordeaux Supérieur appellation but it annoys the grands crus. They want to put the foot on him ", François Tosi is carried away under the gaze of the said winemaker.

Justice proved them right. Yves Vatelot will have to pay 30’000 € fine, dont 20’000 € suspended. Moreover, the winemaker will have to pay 2’000 € to each civil party.

"Depending on whether you are powerful or miserable, court judgments will make you black or white. »Plague Animals - La Fontaine

Here, the bodet didn't just mow the meadow the width of his tongue. He thought he was for the fox and had very long teeth, casually attacking the "Kings" of Bordeaux. This case tells us there is no winner, but only losers. Wanting to do too much, we find ourselves in the dock pleading a lost cause against the powerful whose power is matched only by their greed.

Conviction confirmed on appeal for Château Reignac

The news fell on 12 of September 2018 in Bordeaux : Château Reignac, sued for consumer deception and unlawful comparative advertising lost appeal.

For the Bordeaux Court of Appeal, claiming to be the equal of a Grand Cru is not legal. It therefore confirms the condemnation of the domain for consumer deception and unlawful comparative advertising., as well as its owner Yves Vatelot. While at first instance the amounts requested for compensation were respectively 30’000 and 15’000€, the Court of Appeal reduced these amounts to 8’000€ suspended. However, it adds an order to publish the judgment on the websites of the civil parties - that is to say the advice of the Grands Crus Classés in 1855, the Saint-Émilion Wine Council and the Union des Crus Classés de Graves —.

Reignac prefers to see the positive

"The lowering of the sentence should be noted. It’s positive for us. But I am disappointed… I honestly thought that the judges would understand that it is enough to know how to read to understand that one does not deceive the consumer "regrets Yves Vatelot.

“This confirmation was expected, the Château de Reignac had gone too far in its communication. We cannot use with impunity a traditional term which is linked to restrictive specifications ”explains Maître Hélène Poulou, the lawyer of Bordeaux rankings. They hope "that this judgment can be used as case law for other cases of deceptive marketing practices. "

And you ?

What do you think of this case ? Has Château Reignac been too greedy or the Bordeaux Grands Crus have gone too far ? Do not hesitate to give your opinion in the comments !