Posted on 07/24/2004 4:22:10 PM PDT by MadIvan
UNDER threat from foreign competition, France’s wine industry is pushing for winemaking lessons in primary schools to educate children about the superiority of French methods.
The proposal was included in a report to the government last week by a parliamentary commission that also recommended the reclassification of wine as food to get round strict laws on the advertising of alcohol.
The 130-page report presented to Jean-Pierre Raffarin, the prime minister, called for a programme to educate the young about wine and teach them to recognise a good vintage, while also warning them about the dangers of over-consumption.
It called for an organisation to combat prejudice against French wine and fight competition. The report called wine a “part of our history, our identity, our civilisation”.
Raffarin, who commissioned the report, will now decide whether France should follow Spain and redefine wine as a foodstuff. This would free French wine from advertising restrictions that require health warnings and the advice to “consume it in moderation”.
Health workers, however, have warned that changing the law would fuel alcoholism. A debate has been raging over the role played by wine in alcohol-related illnesses.
Alain Rigaud, president of the National Association for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Addiction, argued that two-thirds of people treated in France for alcohol problems were dependent on wine.
“Advertising would just legitimise problem drinkers in their problem drinking,” he said.
The drive by the winemakers to make people drink more is the result of an erosion in their livelihoods caused by falling consumption at home and the popularity of Australian and American wines in France’s traditional export markets. Exports of French wine dropped by 7% in the first half of 2004, compared with the same period last year.
Another problem this year is that France is making too much wine. The harvest in 2004 is expected to be 19% higher than last year’s drought-hit production, lowering prices.
Complicating the effort to turn wine into food is another national campaign — the crackdown on drink driving, which has resulted in a 21% drop in road deaths. The goal is a 20% reduction in alcohol consumption by 2008.
Against this, Raffarin must balance the 300,000 jobs that are at stake in the vineyards. “We’re talking generalised panic,” said Michel Remonda, head of a winemakers’ association which is seeking more subsidies for producers.
So worried are the winemakers that they are considering initiatives they would have frowned upon only last year, including labelling bordeaux and burgundy wines according to grape variety to simplify things for consumers. There could be worse to come. “Why not put wood shavings in the wine to give it a woody taste?” asked Christian Gély, president of a winemakers’ committee. This was common among “new world” producers, he said.
The drop in exports has focused attention on a growing wine lake at home. The health lobby contends that efforts to shift this surplus are being made at the expense of the public. “What this amounts to,” said Rigaud, “is that we can’t export all the wine we want to, so French people will have to drink it.”
Addiction specialists are being drowned out by MPs from the winemaking regions who argue that French wine is losing out in supermarkets to spirits and beer. “If you’re not out there on the market, somebody else will just take your place with other products that can also affect health,” said Philippe Martin, an MP who helped to draw up the report.
It is food for thought and a decision is not expected until after the summer holidays, leaving Raffarin time enough to test the nutritional values of wine.
I like people who bring me good news.
First, the french trumpet their swill as part of their "history, identity and civilization." Then, they admit that their own consumption of their own wine has decreased. Finally, they confess that to rescue their failing product, they must make it more like "new world" wine by adding wood shavings (???). To top it all off, they propose to increase domestic consumption while decreasing domestic consumption.
I don't think we need to worry about french ambitions for world conquest.
I watched a programme here in Ireland this week, made in a French wine vineyard.
In that, they too used egg whites to remove tannins etc.
Please help me here - "The Belles of Saint Trinians" - it rings a bell because I seem to remember a marvelous British actor. Can you refresh my memory?
I prefer Italian and Californian. I've tried Australian and Brazilian and I don't care for it at all. Especially the Australian. It's God awful.
No doubt about it. Wine has carbos, proteins and water. All three are nutrients. Ask any dietician. It also has alcohol, which provides additional calories (11 kcal/gm).
The french are just realizing that these things are food?
Like I said, we don't have to worry about french ambitions of world conquest.
The sad decline of France continues. Did these folks just wake up one day and take a stupid idiot pill?
Since the start of the Iraq war and France's complicity with Saddam, we looked to other wines. New York State makes fine wines and we discovered them! Thank you France for helping us find better and cheaper wines than you offer. I understand your vintners are having some problems, e.g., losing money. Goodbye forever French wines.
That is completely disgusting.
Why don't they just allow them to claim french wine increases breast size and eliminates baldness.
Yeah right.
Can't sell the stuff. Hmmm. Give it to the kids!!!
Fining is used to remove suspended particulates. In other words, clarify the wine.
Doesn't exactly matter why they use it but it does mean french wines are not Kosher. Another good reason not to drink them.
I don't think the French know their goose has already been cooked.
In addition to the the fine wines from around the USA and other parts of the globe,
I can tell them why it's all over for them in three words.
"Two Buck Chuck"
http://www.decanter.com/news/56249.html
It starred Alastair Sim, Joyce Grenfell, George Cole, Hermione Baddeley, Beryl Reid, Irene Handl.
Hmmm, I wonder if it goes well with cake?
Marie A.
Alastair Sim! He was the actor I was trying to remember. Thank you so much. Oh for the days of the great English comedians.
I've always preferred Italian wines and then Hungarian. French wine can languish on the shelves and turn into vinegar as far as I'm concerned.
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