Does anybody fancy cracking open a carton of cabernet sauvignon? [French global warming alert]

scotsman.com ^ | Sun 1 Jan 2006 | WILLIAM LYONS

[NautiNurse]

And UV light can penetrate thick glass bottles??? I don't think so.

It's possible...

[quantim]

This vine-pull strategery may actually drive up the quality, therefore the price and profits.  Italy learned this years ago at great expense to the U.S. market when the quality got so poor the market share of Italian wine practically collapsed.

The glut of world-wide wine is obviously low-end bulk grape juice.  There is not enough quality wines being produced IMO around the world otherwise the prices wouldn't keep sky rocketing on the good labels.

[sergeantdave]

Throw in some poplar wood chips, a few dead pine borers, and a handful of deer and rabbit turds to give it authenticity.

[grobdriver]

French wines in a box?
Eh. They're all "box wines" anyway, so why not?

[Clioman]

Once the RoP takes over France, the vines will come out of the ground there, too...Sharia Law says wine is a no-no.

[caver]

"We want to take a serious approach to global warming. We decided to eliminate the cork, paper and glass, and look at a new format."

I would say that this has nothing to do with global warming. The only reason they are doing this is because paper and plastic are cheaper than glass and corks. More environmental hypocrisy.

[garyhope]

"Wine is all about romance and occasion. To some extent presentation is as important as the quality of the liquid that is in the bottle. Can you imagine if you have a guest coming to dinner and you serve them wine in a plastic carton?"

Gee, and I thought wine was about the taste and quality.

Silly, you don't serve it in a "plastic carton", you get out your good crystal decanter, decant the wine in the kitchen and bring it out to your guests with your good Riedel varietal glasses, they'll be impressed.

[garyhope]

I have another answer to the global wine surplus and glut. Lower the prices on a lot of the overpriced, pretentious plonk and watch the wine walk out of the stores.

[quantim]

good Riedel varietal glasses,

Williams-Sonoma has on sale the coolest Riedel "O" series Bordeaux glasses for $10.

[Just another Joe]

Personally, I prefer Zinfandel Port. Love to have a glass after dinner.

[NautiNurse]

O yes! Received the cab/merlot and chardonnay Reidel O glasses for Christmas. Way cool.

[quantim]

Somebody likes you. ;-)

The Montrachet version or chardonnay?

[dervish]

bingo. I love when the French spin.

[NautiNurse]

The box says Chardonnay, but it is definitely the Montrachet round bowl. :o)

[txhurl]

I bought two Riedel glasses the other day - beautiful - and was surprised that they sport the name: tempted to scratch it off. Extraordinarily thin bowl, 1/8" thick stems and an exquisite ring.

[evets]

I enjoy an occasional carton of cabernet sauvignon.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Iraq is a UN mess that the French alone with their declared Veto intention shoved into the arms of The US and have been snickering about it every time one of our Brave Soldiers gets killed in Iraq.

DEEP SHAME on any jerk buying and drinking French wine!

I would drink toilet water before I drink french wine just so I could brag to them about how much better it was!

[strongbow]

Oh Man is that Mad Dog?? Reminds me of my long past mispent youth while in New Orleans. Me and buds were standing on Canal yelling throw me sumpin mista just like the rest while savoring a vintage MD 20 wrapped in obligatory paper sack. I think my IQ dropped severely as a result of that night. Much prefer wines with a cork these days.

[manwiththehands]

"Buy Australian!"

I'll 2nd that! I've never had a bad wine from Australia.

[GVnana]

by 2008 the UK will have matured into Europe's largest wine market, overtaking France, Germany and Italy

That's all I need to know about the EU.