Why France is Whining About Wine

The Observer [UK] ^ | January 30, 2005 | Tim Atkin

[quidnunc]

The French have lost the initiative when it comes to selling and making their most famous product

One of the most poignant moments in Sideways, Alexander Payne's Oscar-nominated film about a wine geek's mid-life crisis, takes places in a burger bar. Miles, the movie's balding, fortysomething anti-hero has fled his best friend's wedding after bumping into his ex-wife. Alone and miserable, he finds solace in a bottle of 1961 Chateau Cheval Blanc, sipped surreptitiously from a plastic cup.

The choice of bottle is significant. The 1961Cheval Blanc is a remarkable Saint Emilion, and for Miles it represents something very special. He has cherished the bottle for years, stroking its label in anticipation of its many complexities. The scene wouldn't be as touching if Miles were drinking a bottle of Merlot or California Blush. At his lowest ebb, Miles turns to a bottle of claret.

To the filmgoer, the message is clear: France makes the world's most memorable fine wines. Miles is not alone in revering what is produced on the other side of the Channel. France would take at least half the spots in any oenophile's list of the 50 greatest wines. To drink something from Gérard Chave, Domaine Leflaive, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau d'Yquem or the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti can still be a transcendent experience.

Such wines represent a tiny proportion of what France produces, however. Demand for the top names may be as strong as ever, but the rest of the French wine industry is doing rather less well. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that French wine generally is mired in the merde. The talk in France is of a crisis to rival the devastation caused by phylloxera, a root-munching aphid that wiped out most of the country's vineyards in the second half of the 19th century.

Many French appellations, from Madiran to Mcon, Beaujolais to Bordeaux, are finding it increasingly difficult to sell their products. Earlier this week, the French wine industry decided on a desperate short-term remedy: the mass distillation of 250 million litres of wine, 80 per cent of it from appellations contrôlées, supposedly the top tier of French production. No doubt much of the cost will be borne by the EU and the French government, but that's almost beside the point. The damage to France's sense of self-worth will be huge.

-snip-

[fire_eye]

Hey, we've got some whisky out here in Oregon called "Rebel Yell" - I think it's made in Dixie, of course.

The damned stuff is only $12-$15 a bottle and it's GOOD STUFF!!! I mean, I have plenty of single malt scotch in my cupboard, and that damned cheap whisky is *good* whisky.

All I can figure is nobody's "Discovered" it yet... (or maybe it's just my Southern heritage)

(Those frogs better not "Discover" whisky and start driving the price up, or I'm going over there with my newly-acquired Cold Steel tomahawk and they're NOT gonna like it...)

[LibertarianInExile]

Rebel Yell's okay. I can actually find that out Micronesia way when I look around enough...but I still prefer Ol' George Dickel's No. 8. And if I've not got an option to drink the best in Tennessee whisky, I'll drink Maker's Mark instead of Rebel Yell--if I'm drinking whisky, Rebel Yell is a bit too dry and strong, whereas Maker's Mark is sweet and smooth, relatively.

On the other hand, if I could get it out here, I'd get Dickel in a heartbeat. I've asked some folks to find it for me, but Dickel simply isn't an easy find in parts west, and parts east seem to carry No. 12 more than No. 8, unfortunately.

Never got into that fancypants Tennessee whiskey myself (Maker's Mark is about as high as I'll shoot), but you would be very surprised to find that in Korea and other parts east, a bottle of Jack or Jim goes for double-plus some what it goes for back Stateside. And those are about all you can find besides the extremely high end bourbon. I won't touch those stuffy high-end bourbons and whiskies for fear of ruining my palate for the good stuff (No. 8, that is).

[Agent Smith]

Masseto, now you are talking! Probably the greatest single bottle of wine I have ever had. BTW, Chinons are 100% Cabernet Franc and are alaways a favorite of mine, Charles Jouget in particular!

[tortoise]

The top labels will always find a buyer if for nothing more than the mystique that surrounds them. Too many french wines in the lower 80% are thin, overpriced or unmemorable.

There is often very little difference in quality and taste between the $200-400 first-tier label and the $20-30 second-tier label from the same chateaux. Which tells you approximately how much you are actually paying for the trendy label.

The Pichon-Lalande properties actually produce some really fine wine at very reasonable and competitive prices, and always have. The exchange rate is killing them though.

[Temple Owl]

ping

[tortoise]

I have just done a wine list for a new 3 1/2 star restaurant and had an opportunity to try many northern Italian sparkling wines and have taken a particular fancy to Rotari, Blanc de Noir. Ridiculously inexpensive.

Let me second that. Italian bubbly is ridiculously good for the price. It is quite different from French Champagne, and I find that I often prefer Italian to French anyway. And the price of a quality Italian bottle is almost an order of magnitude off quality French Champagne prices.

This is one of those things few people know about, but everyone should know.

[TRY ONE]

New uses of French wine as reported earlier today:


"Woman Accused of Giving Lethal Sherry Enema
(Note to self: a French sherry enema works better!)


HOUSTON (Reuters) - A Texas woman has been indicted for criminally negligent homicide for causing her husband's death by giving him a sherry enema, a police detective said on Wednesday.

Tammy Jean Warner, 42, gave Michael Warner two large bottles of sherry on May 21, which raised his blood alcohol level to 0.47 percent, or nearly six times the level considered legally drunk in Texas, police detective Robert Turner in Lake Jackson, Texas, told the Houston Chronicle.

"We're not talking about little bottles here," Turner said. "These were at least 1.5-liter bottles."

Warner, 58, was said to have an alcohol problem and received the wine enema because a throat ailment left him unable to drink the sherry, Turner told the newspaper.


"I heard of this kind of thing in mortuary school in 1970, but this is the first time I've ever heard of someone actually doing it," said Turner, who led the lengthy investigation in the case.


The woman admitted administering the enema, but denied causing her husband's death, the Chronicle said.


A dispatcher for the Lake Jackson police said only Turner could discuss the case, but he did not return phone calls from Reuters.


Along with negligent homicide, Mrs. Warner was indicted for burning her husband's will a month before his death. Both charges carry maximum penalties of two years in prison.


Mrs. Warner surrendered to police on Monday and was released on $30,000 bail, the newspaper said."

[tortoise]

I use them but find WS's ratings sometimes influenced by ad sales...I've been burned more than once.

Actually, I find that different sources are good for different regions. Plus, part of it is a matter of taste; it is obvious that raters prefer some characteristics differently from each other.

I've always found WS to be a very good guide for California wines, but not so good for other regions.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

A very good champagne comes from Michigan. Tabor Hill winery. Believe it or not. LOOK HERE

That being said one of my favorite reds is Bordeaux from St.Julien- Gloria. I have visited Bordeaux and visited Saint Julien. The wine maker was a wonderful,sweet man and I hate to think he is suffering from the jerks in his country. But I can think of many good American reds to buy.

Nothing can beat anything made from Mt. Veeder reds for me.

[NCLaw441]

I studied French for many years, spent time there, and found the people to be very pleasant, and friendly to Americans like myself. Sadly, that was 25 years ago. I haven't been back in over 20 years. I still enjoy a French wine from time to time, usually as a remembrance of good times I spent there. St. Emilion is a small town that seems almost biblical, with its steep narrow cobble stone streets.

Anyway, these days I drink a lot of wines from here in NC. I am not sure how widely available they are, but if you get a chance to try wines from West Bend Winery (I recommend the Chambourcin), Raylen, and Rag Apple Lassie wineries, all here in Forsyth and surrounding counties.

Hmmm, UNC just beat NC State, maybe I'll crack open a bottle.....

[Lurking Libertarian]

I have not seen the movie but something seems wrong here. I'm told from customers this movie is about the (winewise that is) pinot noir varietal, which is in Burgundy and bears no relevance to the wines mentioned in Bordeaux. I am a certified and practicing sommelier. I would like to hear more.

Most of the wine discussed and drunk in the movie is California pinot noir, but the protagonist has one special bottle he has been saving for years, which is a Bordeaux.

[Lurking Libertarian]

I like Champagne but I refuse to buy "French".... I'm not an afficianado so what kind of "bubbly" substitute is there?

Buy a U.S. sparkling wine as long as the label says "methode champegnoise."

[ccmay]

Masseto, now you are talking! Probably the greatest single bottle of wine I have ever had.

Also ranks on my top-five list. We had a bottle with a splendid anniversary dinner at Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence a few years ago. Even though it was from a lesser year, 1992 or 93 as I recall, it was still ethereally good.