Posted on 07/14/2005 4:02:10 AM PDT by Cowman
French give away 400,000 bottles of wine From correspondents in Narbonne July 14, 2005 From: Agence France-Presse
WINE growers in southern France, eager to alert holidaymakers to the crisis hitting the industry, will hand out 400,000 bottles later this month at toll booths and along rural roads in the region.
Wines produced in the Aude department - in and around Narbonne and Carcassonne - as well as those made in the Languedoc will be given out, especially to tourists vacationing in the Aude, the wine producers' union said. The free bottles will bear special labels extolling the virtues of the wine, and producers also will distribute leaflets explaining the current overproduction crisis in France's wine industry.
A large part of France's 2004 output remains unsold and Paris has won authorisation from the European Union to convert 1.5 million hectoliters of top quality "appellation" wine into spirits via distillation.
Wine growers fear that another bumper harvest this year will only aggravate the problem.
The world's biggest wine producer, France is under mounting pressure to reform its industry because of declining consumption at home and intense competition abroad from new producer countries like Australia and Chile.
…will hand out 400,000 bottles later this month at toll booths and along rural roads in the region.
French are having difficulty selling their products.
Immagine that.
what a novel idea! (cockamamie) turn toll booths into package stores!
Why can't the Scots do this with 30 year old Glen Farclas? I'd be so there...
Like to see how many refuse to accept the wine. I know I wouldn't take one except maybe to pour it out.
French winemakers having tough time selling their product, can't get much better then that, hell with them.
"The world's biggest wine producer, France is under mounting pressure to reform its industry because of declining consumption at home and intense competition abroad from new producer countries like Australia and Chile."
- Ah...the power of socialism. This is what happens when a few government fools think they know more than the collective will of the consumer. Supply and Demand, the cornerstone of the capitalist system, provides proof of concept once again...much to the 'chagrin' of the French leadership. Handing out freebies isn’t going to help the problem.
Definitely a tough sell if the driver happens to be muslim.
I thought Italy was the number 1 producer of wine in terms of quantity.
I'm disappointed. From the headline I thought that France had gotten the jump on everyone with an African aid program.
Hmmm on checking it seems most years France is number 1 in terms of quantity but Italy is very close and on occasion does surpass France.
Oban!
What they should do is put Bill O'Reilly's pic on the label, then export it to the states as "plonk"..
"Definitely a tough sell if the driver happens to be muslim.
"
Remember the 9/11 hijackers spent their last night in topless bars, may not be that tough of sell.
Talk one way, walk another. Even the the muslims radicals want their last "meal."
Kinda makes you wonder what the hell your dying for?
Actually I'd take one for free. But I'd let them know that I would never, and I mean NEVER, EVER, but one.
Once again, a French wine crisis article with not one mention that a boycott might be a factor.
Isn't there some kind of law against passing out bottles of intoxicating spirits to people who are driving by in cars?
No way partner.
Just last week I was in Leadville Colorado driving to Aspen and stopped at a drive up window and purchased a six pack of coors light. It actually was a bar and I asked if I could order a drink at the window and the lady said "sure".
I just got a bag of ice to go with the beer. didn't get out of my vehicle and drove off.
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