France relaxes its old wine rules to fight off New World challenge

The Times ^ | 5/30/2008 | Charles Bremner and Marie Tourres

[wastedyears]

I really like this stuff. I need another bottle.

http://www.wineloverspage.com/wines/tn.phtml?id=729

[Loud Mime]

another surrender by the French

[nutmeg]

ping

[Grizzled Bear]

Some have gone as far as inventing “critter labels” to compete with Australia's Yellow Tail and assorted other parrots and wallabies. These include Rhôning Stones and Bois-Moi (Drink Me). A French Languedoc wine sold 1.3 million bottles to Australia last year under the brand of Arrogant Frog.

I really enjoy Aussie wines. My favorite is Rosemount Red. Yellow tale is particularly good when you're in the mood for a sweet dessert wine.

[JimSEA]

We will not fall as low as the Americans

There is no point to writing an article on any subject if you can not throw this line in somewhere.

[ElkGroveDan]

Don’t knock French wine. It makes a great salad dressing when you mix it with oil, and it also works really well for cleaning stainless steel appliances.

[Just another Joe]

A very nice Zenfendel Port is a thing to desire.

Other than that, I could care less.

[Tamar1973]

French wine=very expensive salad dressing and stainless steel cleaner.

[Defiant]

you may grow gewurtztramminer, the classic Alsace white, anywhere in France and sell it as gewurtztramminer in the new Wine of France category.

Sounds like a Wine of Germany to me. But we don't want to get into another one of those wars.

[Neidermeyer]

For all their chutzpah didn’t a blight/fungus kill all the european vines about 100 years ago... I seem to remember that from a “wine country safari” in Sonoma ... French vineyards were replanted with American rootstock...

[386wt]

There is no point to writing an article on any subject if you can not throw this line in somewhere.

LOL.

Two-buck Chuck and "Squaws along the Yukon" are good enuff for me!

[Tamar1973]

Yep, and still are. All those picture perfect French vineyears have American roots!

[vetvetdoug]

I like an Irish economical wine, Wild Irish Rose. Its cheap, I can swallow it, and is good cold or warm and has the same effect.

[Cacique]

One thing I miss about Argentina is a good bottle of Malbec. Fortunately I can get that here in New York. I’ll take that over the overpriced French wines any day.

[farlander]

“A French Languedoc wine sold 1.3 million bottles to Australia last year under the brand of Arrogant Frog.”

Well then. Frenchies with some sense of self-deprecating humor. I may have to try a bottle of that.

[robomatik]

i feel compelled to plug my brothers new winery Renascent Vineyards

he has a vineyard and a tasting room. it is in a beautiful valley in sw ohio.

[pissant]

Truth be told, US West coast wines are generally better than French. But since west coast wines are the best in the world, it is not an insult to France.....or Italy, or Spain

[bruinbirdman]

"you may grow gewurtztramminer, the classic Alsace white, anywhere in France and sell it as gewurtztramminer in the new Wine of France category."

And Champaign? Frogs are picky about than one, non?

yitbos

[Skenderbej]

“We will not fall as low as the Americans, who make vin rosé that is sugary and fizzy like soda.”

Good thing I’ve studied French. Translation: “We will continue to wallow in our Socialistic mire while ignoring the demands of the market, then blame our decline on the Americans.”