Australians Give French A Lesson in Winemaking (French Farmers Surrender To Outdated Traditions)

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ^ | Friday, May 30, 2003 | JOHN CARREYROU

[presidio9]

Long the world's leader in wine sales, France is fast losing market share to upstarts such as Australia and California. Its best hope to stay on top may rest with a 6-foot-7 oenological heretic from Down Under.

Ashley Huntington manages Domaine de la Baume, a wine estate here in the heart of France's biggest wine region, the Languedoc-Roussillon. Backed by a powerful corporate parent, Australia's BRL Hardy, the 35-year-old vintner has turned what was a crumbling, 300-year-old vineyard into a cutting-edge enterprise.

[Paleo Conservative]

But wine consumption at home has dropped sharply -- to 17 gallons a year per person from 27 gallons 40 years ago -- due to healthier lifestyles and the growing popularity of other beverages, such as beer.

17 gallons a year per person is still a lot of wine.

[Fractal Trader]

FR Wine Lovers Bump

[Joe Boucher]

Of all the bottled waters I like perrier lime the best. I drank it for years with either crown Royal and ice or just plain Perrier.
I refuse to drink it anymore and won't ever again.
Now as for French wine, I refuse. There are plenty of great Calif, Portugeese, Spanish, Australian, as well as South American wines that will do just fine.
I am an American and am making a conscious effort to not send a penny of mine to anything french.

[presidio9]

Have you ever tried San Peligrino? It blows Perrier away.

[Joe Boucher]

no, but i will, thanks.

[presidio9]

Bottled by our loyal friends, the Italians.

[Mamzelle]

You tell 'em, mate! Any humiliation of the frenchies is a pleasure for us.

However, just can't get into most wines. Tastes like mildewey wood.

[Tailback]

"The French believe that God makes the wine. We like to think that the winemaker makes the wine,"

So where does adding anti-freeze enter into the equation?