Second wine or second label (French: Second vin) is a term commonly associated with Bordeaux wine to refer to a second label wine made from cuvee not selected for use in the Grand vin or first label. In some cases a third wine or even fourth wine is also produced. Depending on the house winemaking style, individual plots of a vineyard may be selected, often those of the youngest vines, and fermented separately, with the best performing barrels being chosen for the house's top wine and the other barrels being bottled under a separate label and sold for a lower price than the Grand vin.
In less favorable vintages, an estate may choose to release only a second label wine rather than to release a smaller than normal quantity of its Grand vin or a wine that would not be consistent with past vintages under that name. The practice has its roots in the 18th century but became more commercially prominent in the 1980s when consumers discovered these wines as a more affordable way to drink the product of a First growth or classified Bordeaux estate without paying the premium for the estate's label and classification. The opposite phenomenon, of only releasing a top wine in exceptional years (rather than in most years) is seen in Iberia (Spain and Portugal) in "Gran Reserva" reserve wine and vintage port.
From the producer's point of view, a second wine allows the winery to use a stricter selection for its Grand Vin, while still capitalising on its name and distribution channels in selling the second wine, which will be much more profitable than selling off lesser wine "anonymously" to be used in e.g. negociant bulk bottlings.
History
The practice of establishing a second wine began in the 18th century as way for Bordeaux winemakers to be more selective of the wine going into their estate label wine without wasting the remaining wine. According to records, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande shipped its "second wine" of the 1874 vintage to the 1891 Exposition française in Moscow, although La Réserve de la Comtesse would not be for sale to the public until 1973. Château Brane-Cantenac may have had a second label some time in the 18th century according to Decanter, but more evidently, Château Léoville-Las Cases first produced its Clos du Marquis in 1904, and Château Margaux followed with Pavillon Rouge produced from 1908.
Château Mouton Rothschild released the poor 1927 vintage, then named Carruades de Mouton, followed in 1930 by Mouton Cadet as a second label, selling wine from previous difficult harvests considered unfit as château Grand vin vintage at reduced prices, eventually to successful response. The estate has since expanded with more labels pushing Mouton Cadet further down its portfolio, with Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild currently the estate's second wine and Mouton Cadet evolving into its own brand with a distinctly different marketing strategy.
In the drive to higher quality that has taken place in recent decades, additional Bordeaux châteaux have added second wine. With the increased market competition since the 1980s, estates became more selective in the assemblage stage, making greater parts of the production disposed to be either sold off in bulk, or blended into second (or third) wine. For example, since the 2009 vintage, Château Margaux has produced three wines that are bottled, and a fourth wine which is sold in bulk.
Having a second wine is generally a part of the recipe prescribed by Michel Rolland and similar wine-making consultants. As an example, Château Kirwan, a Third Growth in Margaux, added their second wine Les Charmes de Kirwan in 1993, after Rolland was brought in.
Production
In many ways the production of a second wine mirrors the production of estate's Grand vin being made from the same vineyard, with the same blend of grapes and by the same winemaker. Some selection takes place already after harvest, when plots that are often underperforming or are planted with younger vines will be earmarked for the second wine, which means that they receive a "cheaper" treatment with a lower percentage of new barrels. Additional selection will be done after the barrel aging when the winemaker will isolate the best performing barrels that most reflects the house style of the estate label with the remaining wine being bottled under second or even third and fourth labels.
The second wine may have some hints and characteristics of the estate wine but is typically less polished and structured than the estate wine. An estate will rarely promote its second wines and most wine labels will not even mention the parent estate because of the desire to keep the estate solely associated with its Grand vin. However, some high end producers market their second wine as a "wine for earlier consumption" (i.e., quicker to mature) rather than "a lesser wine".
Naming and classification practices
Second wines often do not have the word "château" in their name, but they frequently sport some other part of their winery's name to add name recognition. The second wines of classified growths, since they are different wines, are not themselves part of the 1855 classification or other classifications. They are, however, entitled to use the same appellation as the Grand Vin, as they originate from the same terroir. As an example, Les Forts de Latour is an AOC Pauillac just like Château Latour, but is not a First Growth or any other kind of classified growth.
List of Bordeaux second and third wines
Médoc 1855 classed growths
| First Growth estates | Second wine | Third wine |
|---|---|---|
| Château Latour | Les Forts de Latour | Le Pauillac de Château Latour |
| Château Margaux | Pavillon Rouge de Château Margaux | Margaux de Château Margaux |
| Château Mouton-Rothschild | Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild | |
| Château Haut-Brion | Le Clarence de Haut-Brion (previously Château Bahans Haut-Brion) | |
| Château Lafite Rothschild | Carruades de Lafite-Rothschild | |
| Second Growth estates | ||
| Château Rauzan-Ségla | Ségla | |
| Château Rauzan-Gassies | Chevalier de Rauzan-Gassies (previously Enclos de Moncabon) | |
| Château Léoville-Las Cases | Le Petit Lion de Marquis de las Cases (replaced Clos du Marquis since 2007) | |
| Château Léoville-Poyferré | Château Moulin Riche | |
| Château Léoville Barton | La Réserve de Léoville Barton | |
| Château Durfort-Vivens | Vivens de Durfort-Vivens (previously Domaine de Curebourse) | |
| Château Gruaud-Larose | Sarget de Gruaud-Larose | |
| Château Lascombes | Chevalier de Lascombes | Château Segonnes |
| Château Brane-Cantenac | Baron de Brane | |
| Château Pichon Longueville Baron | Les Tourelles de Longueville | |
| Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande | Reserve de la Comtesse | |
| Château Ducru-Beaucaillou | La Croix de Beaucaillou | Le Petit Ducru de Ducru-Beaucaillou |
| Château Cos d'Estournel | Les Pagodes de Cos | |
| Château Montrose | La Dame de Montrose | Le St-Estèphe de Montrose |
| Third Growth estates | ||
| Château Kirwan | Les Charmes de Kirwan | |
| Château d'Issan | Blason d'Issan | |
| Château Lagrange | Les Fiefs de Lagrange | |
| Château Langoa Barton | Lady Langoa | |
| Château Giscours | La Sirène de Giscours | |
| Château Malescot St. Exupéry | La Dame de Malescot | |
| Château Cantenac-Brown | Brio de Cantenac-Brown | |
| Château Boyd-Cantenac | Jacques Boyd | |
| Château Palmer | Alter Ego de Palmer (replaced Réserve du Général in 1998) | |
| Château La Lagune | Moulin de la Lagune | |
| Château Desmirail | Initial de Desmirail | |
| Château Calon-Ségur | Château Marquis de Calon | |
| Château Ferrière | Les Remparts de Ferrière | |
| Château Marquis d'Alesme Becker | Marquise d'Alesme | |
| Fourth Growth estates | ||
| Château Talbot | Connétable de Talbot | |
| Château Branaire-Ducru | Duluc de Branaire-Ducru | |
| Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild | Moulin de Duhart | |
| Château Pouget | Antoine Pouget | |
| Château La Tour Carnet | Les Douves de Carnet | |
| Château Lafon-Rochet | Les Pélerins de Lafon-Rochet | |
| Château Beychevelle | Amiral de Beychevelle | |
| Château Prieuré-Lichine | La Cloître Prieuré-Lichine | |
| Château Marquis de Terme | Les Gondats de Marquis de Terme | |
| Château Saint-Pierre | Esprit de Saint-Pierre | |
| Fifth Growth estates | ||
| Château Pontet-Canet | Les Hauts de Pontet-Canet | |
| Château Haut-Batailley | Château La Tour l'Aspic | |
| Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste | Lacoste-Borie | |
| Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse | Prélude à Grand-Puy Ducasse | |
| Château Lynch-Bages | Echo de Lynch-Bages | Pauillac de Lynch-Bages |
| Château du Tertre | Les Hauts du Tertre | |
| Château Dauzac | La Bastide de Dauzac | Château Labarde |
| Château Haut-Bages-Libéral | La Chapelle de Bages | |
| Château Pédesclaux | Fleur de Pédesclaux | Le Haut-Médoc de Pédesclaux |
| Château Belgrave | Diane de Belgrave | |
| Château de Camensac | La Closerie de Camensac | |
| Château Cos Labory | Le Charme Labory | |
| Château Croizet Bages | La Tourelle de Croizet-Bages | |
| Château Cantemerle | Les Allées de Cantemerle | Baronne Caroline |
| Château Clerc Milon | Pastourelle de Clerc Milon | |
| Château Batailley | Lions de Batailley | |
| Château Lynch-Moussas | Les Hauts de Lynch-Moussas |
Sauternes 1855 classed growths
| First Growth estates | Second wine |
|---|---|
| Château La Tour Blanche | Les Charmilles de Tour Blanche |
| Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey | La Chapelle de Lafaurie-Peyraguey |
| Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey | La Gourmandise de Clos Haut-Peyraguey |
| Château de Rayne-Vigneau | Madame de Rayne |
| Château Suduiraut | Castelnau de Suduiraut |
| Château Coutet | Chartreuse de Coutet |
| Château Climens | Cyprès de Climens |
| Château Guiraud | Petit Guiraud |
| Château Rieussec | Carmes de Rieussec (previously Clos la Bere) |
| Château Sigalas-Rabaud | Lieutenant de Sigalas |
| Second Growth estates | |
| Château Doisy-Dubroca | La Demoiselle de Doisy |
| Château Doisy-Védrines | Château Petit Védrines |
| Château d'Arche | Prieuré d'Arche |
| Château Nairac | Esquisse de Nairac |
| Château Caillou | Les Erables de Caillou |
| Château de Malle | Saint-Hélène |
| Château Romer du Hayot | Château Andoyse du Hayot |
| Château Lamothe | Les Tourelles de Lamothe |
| Château Lamothe-Guignard | L'ouest de Lamothe-Guignard |
Other Bordeaux
| Graves classed estates | Second wine | Third wine |
|---|---|---|
| Château Bouscaut | Les Chênes de Bouscaut | |
| Château Carbonnieux | La Croix de Carbonnieux, Château Tour Léognan | |
| Domaine de Chevalier | L'Espirit de Chevalier | |
| Château Couhins | Couhins La Gravette | |
| Château de Fieuzal | L'Abeille de Fieuzal | |
| Château Haut-Bailly | Haut-Bailly II | HB |
| Château Latour-Martillac | Lagrave-Martillac | |
| Château Malartic-Lagravière | Sillage de Malartic | |
| Château La Mission Haut-Brion | La Chapelle de la Mission | |
| Château Olivier | La Seigneurie d'Olivier du Chateau Olivier | |
| Château Pape Clément | Le Clémentin du Pape Clément | |
| Château Smith Haut Lafitte | Les Hauts de Smith | |
| Saint-Émilion classed estates | ||
| Château Ausone | Chapelle d'Ausone | |
| Château Cheval Blanc | Le Petit Cheval | |
| Château Angélus | Carillon de L'Angélus | No. 3 d'Angélus |
| Château Pavie | Aromes de Pavie | |
| Château Beauséjour | Croix de Beauséjour | |
| Château Beau-Séjour Bécot | Tournelle de Beau-Séjour Bécot | |
| Château Canon | Clos de Canon | |
| Château Figeac | Petit Figeac | |
| Clos Fourtet | Closerie de Fourtet | |
| Château Larcis Ducasse | Murmure de Larcis Ducasse | |
| Château La Fleur Morange | Mathilde | |
| Château La Gaffelière | Clos La Gaffelière | |
| Château Magdelaine | Les Songes de Magdelaine (previously Château Saint Brice) | |
| Château Pavie-Macquin | Les Chênes de Macquin | |
| Château La Tour Figeac | L'Esquisse de La Tour Figeac | |
| Château Troplong Mondot | Mondot | |
| Château Trotte Vieille | La Vieille Dame de Trotte Vieille | |
| Château Canon-la-Gaffelière | Côte Mignon La Gaffelière | |
| Château Grand Corbin-Despagne | Petit Corbin-Despagne | |
| Médoc Cru Bourgeois | ||
| Château d'Arsac | Kid d'Arsac | |
| Château Chasse-Spleen | L'Héritage de Chasse-Spleen and L'Oratoire de Chasse-Spleen | |
| Château Haut-Marbuzet | Château MacCarthy | |
| Château Labégorce Zédé | Domaine Zédé and Z de Zédé | |
| Château Phélan Ségur | Franck Phélan | |
| Château Potensac | La Chapelle de Potensac (previously Château Lassalle) | |
| Château Poujeaux | La Salle de Poujeaux | |
| Château Citran | Moulins de Citran | |
| Unclassified estates | ||
| Château Beauregard | Le Benjamin de Beauregard (previously Domaine des Douves) | |
| Château La Conseillante | Duo de Conseillante | |
| Château L'Évangile | Blason de L'Évangile | |
| Château Gazin | l'Hospitalet de Gazin | |
| Château Gloria | Château Peymartin | |
| Château Lafleur | Les Pensées de Lafleur | |
| Château Mazeyres | Le Seuil de Mazeyres | |
| Château Nénin | Fugue de Nénin | |
| Château Petit-Village | Le Jardin de Petit Village | |
| Château Rouget | Vieux Château des Templiers | |
| Château Sociando-Mallet | La Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet | |
| Château Trotanoy | Espérance de Trotanoy | |
| Château Valandraud | Virginie de Valandraud and 3 de Valandraud | |
| Vieux Château Certan | Gravette de Certan | |
| Château l'Église Clinet | La Petite Eglise |
List of non-Bordeaux second and third wines
California
| Winery | First wine | Second wine |
|---|---|---|
| Opus One Winery | Opus One | Overture |
| Dominus Estate | Dominus | Napanook |
| Screaming Eagle | Screaming Eagle | The Flight |
| Harlan Estate | Harlan Estate | The Maiden |
| Grace Family | Grace Family | Blank |
| Scarecrow | Scarecrow | M. Etain |
Italy
| Winery | First wine | Second wine | Third wine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ornellaia (Tenuta dell'Ornellaia) | Ornellaia | Le Serre Nuove | Le Volte |
| Masseto (Tenuta dell'Ornellaia) | Masseto | Massetino | |
| Tenuta San Guido | Sassicaia | Guidalberto | Le Difese |
| Tenuta Luce della Vite | Luce | Lucente |
Spain
| Winery | First Wine | Second wine | Third wine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vega Sicilia | Unico | Valbuena 5o | |
| Alvaro Palacios | L'Ermita | Finca Dofi | Les Terrasses |
| Marques de Murrieta | Castillo Ygay | Marques de Murrieta Gran Reserva | Marques de Murrieta Reserva |
| Bodegas Numanthia | Termanthia | Numanthia | Termes |
| Bodegas Contador | Contador | La cueva del contador | Predicador |
| Dominio de Pingus | Pingus | Flor de Pingus | PSI |
See also
References
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