A bold breeding programme

Bouquet varieties represent a major breakthrough for more sustainable viticulture. These grape varieties are the culmination of 35 years of research conducted by Alain Bouquet, a researcher at INRAE in Montpellier. His breeding programme, launched in 1974, aimed to create vine varieties tolerant to powdery mildew and downy mildew, while preserving the oenological qualities of traditional Vitis vinifera. Unlike other approaches, Alain Bouquet based his work on a specific hybrid, NC6-15, itself the result of a cross made by Harold Paul Olmo in Davis (California).

Alain Bouquet's innovative strategy

The distinctive feature of Alain Bouquet's method lies in his backcrossing strategy. Starting with NC6-15—a hybrid of the American vine Muscadinia rotundifolia, renowned for its disease resistance, and a Vitis vinifera—the researcher systematically backcrossed the offspring with classic Vitis vinifera varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, or Pinot. The objective was to increase the proportion of the Vitis vinifera genome with each generation, thereby preserving the organoleptic complexity of future wines. After five to six generations, the resulting varieties boast over 99% Vitis vinifera genome, setting them distinctly apart from first-generation hybrids.

Bouquet varieties in perspective

Thanks to this rigorous approach, Bouquet varieties are genetically, agronomically, and qualitatively very close to traditional Vitis vinifera, while offering significant tolerance to fungal diseases. Following more than fifteen years of evaluation, notably through experimental networks, their agronomic and oenological potential has been widely confirmed. To find out more about how Oscar Oc: the framework that validated Bouquet varieties worked, take a look at our dedicated article. Five of these varieties are now listed in the official catalogue, allowing winegrowers to plant them without restriction. Among them are Bouquet 3159-2-12 B (white), Bouquet 3160-27-4 N (red), Bouquet 3176-21-11 N (red), Bouquet 3179-90-7 N (red), and Bouquet 3196-57 B, known as ‘G9’ (white). These newcomers promise to redefine tomorrow's viticulture in the face of climatic and environmental challenges.

Château Cazebonne is committed to the future of the Bordeaux vineyards by replanting lost grape varieties, a mission made possible by the support of wine enthusiasts who have embraced our wines. We also plan to plant several disease-resistant grape varieties starting in 2027 to test them on our Graves soils.

To learn more about the history of grape varieties, feel free to download our book “Bordeaux, une histoire de cépages”. Test your knowledge and discover more about the world of wine with our wine quizzes, and for a tasting experience that supports our work, we invite you to discover our wines online.