French wine producers outraged at TV criticism of industry

UNTIL recently, any mention in France that its beloved wine industry is in crisis was met with a relaxed indifference borne out of years of being the world’s number-one producer.

But now a French-made documentary has sent ripples of unrest across the country, because it claims that the industry is failing to recognise and react to a looming upheaval.

Broadcast last Friday on France’s Channel 5, the film, entitled Tempte dans un Verre de Vin (storm in a glass of wine), has caused outrage in French wine circles as it claims that not only is the industry in crisis, but it is unimaginative, uncompetitive and has been slow to react to the threat of New World wines.

Nicolas Glimois, who directed the 52-minute programme, told The Scotsman that France had to accept that its wine heyday is over.

He said: "There is a crisis. The French producers are very concerned about the competition of the New World and the fact that they have lost market share both in the United Kingdom and the United States because of Jacques Chirac’s stance on the war with Iraq.

"But the journalists in Le Figaro and Le Monde sounded slightly alarmed when they talked of the film. The public and the wine producers in France are not ready to hear what is being said."

The documentary spoke to a number of French and New World wine producers and buyers in England who said France had to recognise the golden age was at an end.

The French wine industry employs more than 300,000 people and is worth 3.8 billion. For decades it has dominated internationally, but lately it has lost substantial ground in its middle-market wines to the New World. But, said Mr Glimois, there is also a growing threat from Spain and Italy.

"People realise that the golden years are over and that we have to react, but the debate now is how we react," he said.