Europe's glut of wine to be turned into disinfectant

The Scotsman ^ | June 8, 2006 | Staff

[MadIvan]

NEARLY a billion bottles of French and Italian wine are to be turned into fuel and disinfectant because producers cannot find buyers.

The EU agriculture commissioner yesterday announced plans for a radical shake-up of the wine market to prevent over-production. In the meantime, it was agreed that the EU will finance the conversion of millions of bottles of French and Italian wine into industrial alcohol.

The growing popularity of wines from the New World has been blamed for the decline in the appetite for traditional European produce.

"Europe is producing too much wine for which there is no market," the commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel, said.

"That is why a deep-rooted reform of the sector is urgently needed."

Ms Fischer Boel also wants to limit the hand-outs individual farmers can receive from the Common Agricultural Policy, her spokesman, said. Criticism of the payments meant the time was right to again consider reform.

"We get rather a lot of unfortunate newspaper stories saying various kings and lords get very large amounts of money in agricultural subsidies", the spokesman said.

"The feeling was it was a good idea to limit the amount each farm could receive."

Last year it was reported that the Queen and the Prince of Wales received more than £1 million in CAP subsidies. Several other aristocratic landowners were reported to receive six-figure sums.

Ms Fischer Boel is considering reintroducing a pay-out ceiling during a review of EU agriculture policy scheduled to start next year.

[MadIvan]

...another sign of the triumph of Australian and Californian wines.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[mkjessup]

Foster Brooks would be appalled (hic!).

[The Red Zone]

Archer Daniels Midland can't be happy about this

[Gordongekko909]

Where does Boone's Farm come from?

[Bernard Marx]

...another sign of the triumph of Australian and Californian wines.

And thank heavens I recognized their superiority way back in the early 1970s when excellent California wines were still very affordable!

[Liberty Valance]

Save the Rieslings!

[MadIvan]

Actually the best Riesling I've ever drank came from New Zealand.

Regards, Ivan

[Reform4Bush]

The growing popularity of wines from the New World has been blamed for the decline in the appetite for traditional European produce I suppose those of us who no longer buy French wines have NOTHING to do with it.

[Politicalmom]

I can't believe people still call us "The New World".

Weird. :)

[GSlob]

And what happened to Bacchus worship?

[DannyTN]

"...another sign of the triumph of Australian and Californian wines. "

And the folly of French arrogance in butting heads with America over Iraq.

[bruinbirdman]

"NEARLY a billion bottles of French and Italian wine are to be turned into fuel and disinfectant because producers cannot find buyers. "

I understand Australia has the same problem. But I think they have decided not to make wine from the surplus grapes.

yitbos

[DannyTN]

TN has some wines...other than White Lightening.

But I'm a teetotaler so I don't know if they are any good or not. And yes I know White Lightening isn't technically a wine.

[Pro-Bush]

Global warming.

[bruinbirdman]

ABC PM Australia

Grape glut: call for subsidised vine pull PM

Monday, 5 June , 2006 18:38:28
Reporter: Nance Haxton

MARK COLVIN: The wine industry's getting more worried about the grape glut, and some are now calling for the radical step of a government-subsidised scheme to help producers get out of the industry altogether.

There's to be a national wine summit in Melbourne this Friday. And as it approaches, some winemakers are saying a mass cull of grape vines, otherwise known as a vine pull, is the only way out for some.

The national glut has meant that for some growers the sale price wouldn't even cover the cost of picking, so their grapes are withering on the vine.

http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2006/s1655724.htm

yitbos

[Cacique]

ping

[monkeyshine]

True, but also the falling dollar and rising Euro price them out of the US & Asian markets (where the currencies are more closely tied to the dollar), while US and South American wines are less expensive imports to Europe and Asia.

[schwing_wifey]

Keep the Italian stuff!!!

But by all means, dump the French....

[Question_Assumptions]

Given that (A) much of Europe has a birthrate in the 1.3 children per woman range and (B) the large number of Muslim immigrants who are settling in Europe don't (in theory, anyway) drink alcohol, what does the European wine industry expect, a booming market? Even without the competition from America, the European market for wine is contracting with the native European population.