May 02, 2004
In vino veritas
The 70-year-old AOC system is based on the near-mystical belief, unique to the French winemaking industry, that the identity of a wine stems exclusively from the precise field in which its grapes were grown - the very Gallic, and increasingly unsustainable, notion of "terroir".This has given rise to an unholy jumble of 466 different appellations, all with their own rules governing everything from the precise geographical location (100 yards off and it's not the same wine) and the distance between the vines to the type of fertilisers and additives permitted, the method of harvesting (manual or machine), the bottling techniques and the size of the label.
Quality controls from one AOC to another are, to say the least, variable. One industry insider, who asked not to be named, reckons that "somewhere between 6% and 9% of all French AOC wines presently on the market are basically undrinkable", while probably a further 20% are "barely suitable for consumption in polite company".
Incroyable! But, wine lovers, don't worry. See what the French are going to do to fix their wine industry here.
Posted by Valerie at May 2, 2004 11:43 PMIndeed, the AOC system seems to be a little strange but has to exist. The aim is to prevent bad wines having a famous name on it.
Posted by: Stéphane at May 3, 2004 10:22 AMActually, I don't really care because I don't like wine. I prefer vodka or liquor.
Posted by: Stéphane at May 3, 2004 10:23 AMWell, I have to admit that I am not a big wine drinker either. I much prefer wine when used IN the recipe. Coq au vin!
Posted by: Valerie at May 3, 2004 12:46 PMWell, since I’m drinking nothing but California wines now and in the future, it really does not matter to me how the French handle their wine.
It is interesting to note that in your linked article, not one mention about a “boycott” of French wines. The boycott may be small part of the overall drop in sales of French wine, but it seems to me it does have some effect. I have joined in protests at wine shops in the DC area, urging people to boycott French wine. In an area that is mostly “blue”, the response we have received has mostly been pretty strong. Other retailers have told me the same thing as the article said, that the market for “premier” wines continues, but that they are having trouble selling the lower end wines. The strong euro really hurts this type of wine (lower end), making the price per bottle go over the “$10” barrier. Many retailers have told me that the “$10” barrier is a big process in the customer’s choice of a wine. And there are tons of really good California wines out there as well.
