The history of Good Ordinary Claret

What’s in a name? At first glance, the words “Good Ordinary Claret” might make you think of something that is humdrum and unremarkable. You may not suspect that it is, in fact, a bottle that consistently ranks among Berry Bros. & Rudd’s best-loved wines.  

The label may not give too much away either. Bearing the traditional “view label”, it depicts a monochrome etching of No.3 St James’s Street, set against a simple black-and-white background. Beneath it, the words “Good Ordinary Claret” are proudly stamped – straightforward enough, yet exuding a quiet confidence. It is, perhaps, a case of classic British understatement, carrying with it the implication of something very good hiding behind a modest façade.  

For our late Chairman Christopher Berry Green – who spearheaded the “GOC” project in the 1970s – this was its greatest strength. “The name personifies Berry Bros. & Rudd from the perspective of authenticity,” he said in 2020. “It’s not pretending to be something it’s not. 

“Good Ordinary Claret, to me, is about quality, reliability and style. It encapsulates who we are as a brand: our reputation for quality, good business management and always putting the customer first.” This is the charm of Good Ordinary Claret, and it has proven enduringly appealing with Berry Bros. & Rudd customers for over 50 years.  

The early days

From the very beginning, Good Ordinary Claret has always been about good value.  

In 1973, the UK was in the process of joining what was then known as the Common Market or European Economic Community, a precursor to the European Union. As a result, the wines Berry Bros. & Rudd purchased from Bordeaux – and France in general – had to be subject to the French laws of appellation contrôlée (AC). 

The introduction of these laws to the UK market meant that the cost of French wine sold in the UK shot up significantly. In a nutshell, “we needed to look for a Bordeaux wine that we could sell under our own label at a lower price,” as Christopher put it.  

So began the quest for a red Bordeaux wine that was delicious, reliable and, crucially, affordable. It didn’t take long to find such a wine. Regular suppliers sent samples that were meticulously tasted across Bordeaux, London and Basingstoke. A decision was made. Then came the question of a name.  

“I remember going to see Anthony Berry, who was Chairman at the time,” Christopher recounted. “I said, ‘We’ve got the wine – now what we need is a name.'

“So, he looked at me and he said – as Tony Berry always did – ‘Have you got any ideas?’ I had a copy of the company’s 1896 pricelist, which was a little three-fold paper pamphlet. Under the Clarets, the three least expensive wines were listed without any denomination or geographical allegiance. They simply read: ‘Ordinary’, ‘Good’ and ‘Better’. So, I said to the Chairman, ‘What about Good Ordinary Claret? After all, what is it? It’s Claret, it’s good and it’s ordinary.’” 

Anthony Berry wasn’t initially convinced by the choice of name, Christopher admitted, but those doubts quickly dissipated as the wine went on to sell more in its first year than the other Clarets combined. Good Ordinary Claret was off to a roaring start.  

The last 25 years

During Christopher’s directorship, Good Ordinary Claret was produced by Borie-Manoux, headed up at the time by Emile Castéja. Then, in the early 2000s, Max Lalondrelle stepped into the picture. Max is currently the Managing Director of Fine Wine at Berry Bros. & Rudd, but back then, he was tasked with the role of Bordeaux Buyer.  

“We began to challenge the status quo, which led us to change suppliers around 25 years ago,” he says, “and so we started working with a négociant called Dourthe. It was an improvement on what we had before, and we haven’t changed since. So, in effect, Good Ordinary Claret has only had two suppliers.” 

Dourthe is a family-run négociant who own and manage a number of leading châteaux in Bordeaux – such as Château Belgrave – and specialise in high-quality blends from across the region. 

Max explains, “Dourthe have a really strong team in terms of winemakers, blenders and grape-growers. Their growers are 100% contracted to them, in a way which gives Dourthe complete control over the quality of the fruit.” 

“They also have their own properties, so they can work on assembling the juice in a very consistent way across different vintages using a broad palette of soils and terroirs. In Europe, the vintage has a big impact on the taste of the wine, but when you have access to this patchwork of vineyards, you have stability and you can produce something which is quite consistent all year round.”  

A mainstay of our Own Selection

Over the years, Good Ordinary Claret has been carefully refined in tune with our customers’ tastes. What defines it is its approachability; it is a delicious wine to drink right now, perfect for sharing with friends, but it also retains an “intellectual” edge, as Max puts it.  

The latest 2021 vintage is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with a dash of Cabernet Franc. This vintage is bright, brimming with red and morello cherries, with hints of raspberry leaf and sweet spice. Juicy and smooth, it’s a versatile and reliably delicious red Bordeaux – true to Christopher’s vision back in 1973.  

“I think GOC really is the heart of Berry Bros. & Rudd – it’s a great representation of who we are,” Max affirms. “There’s nothing fancy about it. It’s just a lovely Bordeaux wine with a very simple label on it, and we want to keep it that way. That’s why we are very proud – I am very proud – of Good Ordinary Claret.”