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Why the Finest Vineyards in France are Tipping Away 266 Million Bottles
The Times [UK] ^ | January 27, 2005 | Charles Bremner

Posted on 01/26/2005 7:45:27 PM PST by quidnunc

Paris – In A gesture likely to bring an apoplectic flush to the face of any dedicated claret drinker, French wine growers have proposed a desperate plan to prop up their slumping industry against New World competition by handing thousands of barrels to industrial distillers.

It is the first time that grand wines protected by the Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) label have been treated in such a way. And as is usually the case with French agriculture, the vignerons are counting on their Government and Brussels to foot much of the bill for mopping up a wine lake of eminently drinkable if unfashionable quality.

The plan to distil more than 266 million bottles of Appellation d’origine contrôlée wine, to become ethanol for vehicles or other products, conjures up the bizarre concept of European drivers filling their tanks with 2004 Bordeaux — and other vintages.

It is a symptom of the plight of growers in Bordeaux, Burgundy and other traditional wine regions as they face their worst crisis since the phylloxera disease killed many of the country’s vines a century ago. The world’s drinkers are turning away from complicated and uneven French AOC wines which bear the names of obscure châteaux in favour of simply and memorably branded tipples from the New World. At the same time the domestic market is shrinking as the French heed medical advice and the threat of the breathalyser and cut down on their consumption.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Extended News; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: france; frenchboycott; frenchwine; turass
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To: quidnunc

21 posted on 01/26/2005 8:04:07 PM PST by bill1952 ("All that we do is done with an eye towards something else.")
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To: quidnunc

Eff the French.
We make excellent wine right here in Texas.
California products are also good.
But Aussie wine is always the best.....


Eff the French........


22 posted on 01/26/2005 8:05:51 PM PST by 76834
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To: muawiyah
You are right that there is a market but I can not see the french going for it.
23 posted on 01/26/2005 8:09:59 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (Interdum feror cupidine partium magnarum europe vincendarum)
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To: quidnunc

bump


24 posted on 01/26/2005 8:10:54 PM PST by Salman
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To: Anti-Bubba182
That's funny.

The American market, the biggest in the world, is no longer buying French wine like it used to.
So sorry.

Not likely to change any time soon.
Arrogance is its own reward.

25 posted on 01/26/2005 8:12:26 PM PST by Publius6961 (The most abundant things in the universe are hydrogen, ignorance and stupidity.)
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To: Fenris6

Actually, its the Assuies, not we, that are doing the real damage.


26 posted on 01/26/2005 8:15:20 PM PST by NJ Neocon (Democracy is tyranny of the masses. It is three wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner)
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To: Salman

Why is anyone reporting news out of france, haven't they realized that they've become irrelevant?


27 posted on 01/26/2005 8:15:50 PM PST by Nipplemancer
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To: 76834
Love Australian wine. 2 best regions are the Barossa Valley, South Australia or the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. Lived in Australia for 14 years, I find many of my favorites here in the US, unfortunately, many others, not so ...
28 posted on 01/26/2005 8:16:31 PM PST by MrsEmmaPeel
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To: quidnunc

Drink French Wines.......98.2 Octane, and anti knock additives.....frog egg cytoplam.


29 posted on 01/26/2005 8:18:28 PM PST by Iam1ru1-2
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To: TruthShallSetYouFree

Funny post. I find I'm getting excellent mileage with Chevalier-Montrachet unleaded. The emissions have notes of currant and blackberry, and finish with strong overtones of lychee.


30 posted on 01/26/2005 8:18:30 PM PST by speedy
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To: MrsEmmaPeel

LOL
Not much into wine but sitting here in the middle of "Grand Central Texas" and sipping on ice cold Fosters.

Best beer on the planet...


31 posted on 01/26/2005 8:19:09 PM PST by 76834
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To: NJ Neocon

"Actually, its the Assuies, not we, that are doing the real damage"

Thats fine by me. The Aussies have proven themselves time and again.


32 posted on 01/26/2005 8:19:58 PM PST by Fenris6 (3 Purple Hearts in 4 months w/o missing a day of work? He's either John Rambo or a Fraud)
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To: NJ Neocon
Well we just signed a free trade agreement with the Aussies.
33 posted on 01/26/2005 8:20:34 PM PST by bahblahbah
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To: quidnunc

I've been buying lots of wine lately, and at every store I say no French or German wine as we begin the process


34 posted on 01/26/2005 8:23:07 PM PST by Vision (The New York Times...All the news to fit a one world government)
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To: quidnunc

Citizen boycotts DO work. Take that, frogs!


35 posted on 01/26/2005 8:28:42 PM PST by thoughtomator (Favorite Dish: Spotted Owl Teriyaki)
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To: 76834

I'm also partial to Fosters (pronounced: "Fostas"). My brother was particularly found of Toohey's.


36 posted on 01/26/2005 8:29:33 PM PST by MrsEmmaPeel
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To: nutmeg

Ah, enjoying a fine Washington State Cabernet as I'm typing this.


37 posted on 01/26/2005 8:34:20 PM PST by Clemenza (I Am Here to Chew Bubblegum and Kick Ass, and I'm ALL OUT OF BUBBLEGUM!)
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To: don'tbedenied

You can pick up Norton Malbec, my fave, for only $7.99. The Argentineans are really trying to break into the market.


38 posted on 01/26/2005 8:35:52 PM PST by Clemenza (I Am Here to Chew Bubblegum and Kick Ass, and I'm ALL OUT OF BUBBLEGUM!)
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To: nutmeg

Australian and Chilean wines almost exclusively here. They are much better....


39 posted on 01/26/2005 8:38:49 PM PST by kittymyrib
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To: quidnunc
Along with whine, I'm boycotting French Toast, French Fries,and French kissin'...
40 posted on 01/26/2005 8:41:30 PM PST by Drango (To Serve Man.....IT'S A COOKBOOK!)
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