How Did Bordeaux Wine 'Survive' During the World Wars?

Hello! It's great to chat with you about this topic. The story of how Bordeaux wine survived the wars is truly more thrilling than many movies. We need to look at the two World Wars separately, as the situations were very different.

To put it plainly, this isn't just about how the wine survived. It's the story of winemakers fighting with wit and courage against fate and enemies to protect their life's work, their culture, and their livelihoods.

World War I: Holding the Home Front & "Le Pinard"

During WWI, Bordeaux felt the chill of war, but the situation was relatively less dire. Key reasons include:

Geographical Luck The main WWI battlefront was in northeastern France, like Champagne and Alsace, which were turned into ruins with vineyards pockmarked by shells. Bordeaux, in southwestern France, was far from the front lines and escaped direct fire. It was like a neighbor's house on fire – your own house gets smoked out, but it survives.
Home Front Resilience The war drafted vast numbers of young men to the front, leaving vineyards empty. Who stepped up? The women, children, and elderly who remained in Bordeaux. They took over all the work, from pruning and weeding to harvesting. Though arduous, they persevered through sheer willpower, ensuring the vineyards didn't fall into ruin. This preserved the foundation of the wine industry.
Massive Demand for "Le Pinard" (Soldier's Wine) Soldiers on the front lines endured harsh conditions and immense psychological pressure. The French army had a tradition of rationing wine to its troops. This wasn't top-shelf stuff like Lafite or Margaux, but the most ordinary, cheapest bulk wine, affectionately nicknamed "Pinard" by the soldiers. It boosted morale, helped disinfect water, and offered a temporary escape from the horrors of war.

As one of France's largest wine regions, Bordeaux naturally took on a huge share of producing "Le Pinard." So, while the production and export of top-tier wines suffered, the massive demand for basic wine kept the entire industry running. Winemakers had work, income, and avoided bankruptcy.

Therefore, during WWI, Bordeaux survived relatively unscathed thanks to this three-pronged approach: "Favorable geography + Resilience of the home front + Massive orders for basic wine."

World War II: A Life-and-Death Struggle - The "Wine Cellar Defense"

The WWII story is far more legendary, playing out like a spy thriller. After France's surrender in 1940, Bordeaux was occupied by German forces. Nazi officials were often connoisseurs and "wine fanatics," coveting Bordeaux's finest vintages. They sent special "Wine Commissioners" (Weinführer) to systematically loot the best wines.

Facing these armed "customers," Bordeaux's château owners and négociants (wine merchants) embarked on a heart-stopping "Wine Cellar Defense."

Tactic One: Hide! Building the "Wine Wall"

This was the classic move. Before the Germans could fully grasp the lay of the land, château owners sprang into action. Deep within their cellars, in the most hidden corners, they built fake walls out of bricks and cement. Behind these walls, they hid their pre-war treasures – legendary vintages like 1928, 1929, and 1934.

Out in the open cellars, they displayed wines of lesser quality or from younger vintages. The Germans would come in, see these, assume they were getting the best, and leave satisfied. Little did they suspect that just beyond a wall lay the true treasures. Many top estates, like Mouton Rothschild and Lafite Rothschild, employed this tactic. This "Wine Wall" became a lifeline, protecting Bordeaux's heritage.

Tactic Two: Deceive! Bait-and-Switch & Subterfuge

Hiding wasn't enough. The Germans placed huge orders, so wine had to be delivered. The négociants resorted to deception.

Bait-and-Switch: They would slap labels from great vintages onto bottles of wine from mediocre or poor years and sell them to the Germans. For example, passing off an average year's wine as a top vintage. After all, the Germans back in Berlin might not discern all the subtle nuances when drinking it.
"Strategic" Contamination: Sometimes, they would deliberately add substances to the wine destined for Germany – things harmless to health but ruinous to flavor – or simply use the poorest grape must for blending.
"Accidental" Losses: During transport, some wine would "accidentally" break or "mysteriously" disappear. Much of this "lost" wine quietly found its way to the French Resistance.

Tactic Three: Negotiate! Dealing with the "Knowledgeable Enemy"

The German Wine Commissioners sent to Bordeaux, like Heinz Bömers, were often experts. Bömers himself was a pre-war wine merchant, deeply knowledgeable about Bordeaux and even acquainted with many château owners.

This created a complex dynamic. On one hand, he was an occupier tasked with plundering fine wine for the Nazis. On the other, he likely held a deep respect for wine culture and didn't want this great region utterly destroyed. Bordeaux's wine merchants exploited this ambiguity. They negotiated, bargained, and played for time. Outwardly cooperating, they surrendered some good wine to appease the Germans and protect their estates and workers from harm. Behind the scenes, they did everything possible to safeguard the true gems. This required immense intelligence and courage to maintain the delicate balance.

In Summary

So, the survival of Bordeaux wine boils down to:

During WWI: Reliance on the fortune of distance from the front lines and stubborn production to meet the army's basic needs.
During WWII: A victory of people's wit and courage. Château owners, through hiding, deceiving, and negotiating, protected their most precious vintages like their own children, preserving Bordeaux's legacy and lifeblood for the future.

These stories remind us that in a glass of Bordeaux wine, you don't just taste sunshine, soil, and grapes. It also carries the weight of history and the indomitable spirit of generations of winemakers. Next time you savor an aged, fine Bordeaux, imagine the thrilling, perilous times it might have endured.