Bordeaux Winegrowers Dump $24-a-Hectoliter Stock in Protest as Prices Hit Historic Lows

About 1,000 hectoliters of Bordeaux wine were dumped from storage tanks in the Blaye region earlier this week, following a nighttime break-in at a local winery. The incident comes amid growing unrest among winegrowers over plummeting auction prices for their products. The emptied tanks contained wine that had recently been sold at auction as part of a court-ordered liquidation of a certified organic estate. The sale, which took place on October 9, saw AOC wines go for as little as 23 euros per hectoliter—about $24—sparking outrage among local producers.

An anonymous letter circulated among Bordeaux vineyards claimed responsibility for the act. The authors, identifying themselves as “angry winegrowers,” said they acted out of desperation after feeling abandoned by the market and authorities. “We are not criminals, we are simply winegrowers trying to survive in the face of a looming disaster,” the letter stated. It explained that the group decided to take matters into their own hands after seeing what they called “indecent” prices at the recent auction.

The break-in occurred overnight between Sunday and Monday, according to sources familiar with the case. The perpetrators forced open the main door of the winery’s storage facility using a crowbar. They targeted only the tanks containing wine sold at auction, leaving untouched both the new 2025 vintage and other property belonging to the new owner, who had purchased the estate before its operating company was liquidated.

The new owner, who asked not to be named, confirmed that he would not file a complaint. He described the act as one of despair rather than malice. “They only spent about five minutes here and only emptied the tanks marked for sale,” he said. “I wouldn’t call it chivalrous, but they behaved like gentlemen. I understand their distress.”

However, the former owner of the 40-hectare estate expressed frustration over the incident. Speaking anonymously, he criticized those responsible for damaging equipment and undermining efforts by a young investor trying to revive the business. “They poured wine into the ditch and left equipment damaged,” he said. “It’s foolishness that hurts everyone involved.”

The news has spread quickly through Bordeaux’s winemaking community, prompting mixed reactions. Some see it as an understandable response to economic hardship; others condemn it as unacceptable vandalism. Nicolas Carreau, president of Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux AOC, said he was angered both by last week’s low-price auction and by this week’s sabotage. “This is not normal behavior between winegrowers who are all suffering from the same crisis,” he said.

Local officials and industry representatives voiced concern that such actions could escalate if economic conditions do not improve. One elected official noted that while such acts have been rare in Bordeaux—unlike in southern regions such as Aude—they may become more common as despair grows among producers.

The anonymous letter warned that if major players in Bordeaux’s wine trade were found to be profiting from these low-priced auctions, further actions could follow. For now, no group has formally claimed responsibility for the dumping, and no arrests have been made.

The incident highlights ongoing tensions in France’s largest wine-producing region, where falling prices and oversupply have left many growers struggling to stay afloat. As calls for government intervention grow louder, many in Bordeaux fear that more drastic measures may be taken if solutions are not found soon.