Wine Wars In Southern France Flood The Streets Red

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Here are two words you usually don’t see together: wine wars. Tensions are high between independent wine producers in France and large French wine brokers that are attempting to import cheaper, lower quality wine from Spain and Italy. A group of French wine rebels, known as the vigilante vignerons, have executed dozens of attacks in protest since the summer of 2016, like smashing thousands of bottles of wine at big retailers. One of the most dramatic being the ambushing of Spanish wine trucks at the border and flooding the highways with tens of thousands of gallons of red and white wine.

Back in March, the vigilante vignerons forced their way into one of France’s largest wine brokerages and ignited three Molotov cocktails, also known as bottle bombs, and torched the business Passerieux Vergnes Diffusion. The New York Times reports that the most aggressive rebels are part of a secret commando organization that’s targeted at big businesses like these that, which are hurting local vineyards with their cheap imports. 

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European Union labeling standards these days make it easier for retailers to pass certain foreign products off as French. There are bottles sold in France that have French names, but their labels say their origin is “Vin de la Communeauté Européenne,” meaning not even from France. If people aren’t paying close attention, they’re likely to go for whatever bottle is less expensive.

Practices like these make it tough on local, independent vignerons, also known as winemakers, who are facing unfair competition from countries like Spain where prices are much cheaper. The New York Times reports that labor costs and taxes are almost twice as high in France as they are in Spain. There are strict regulations for grape growing in France, which are costly to follow compared to other European countries.

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While the world often looks to France as the prosperous land of fine wines, a lot of French winemakers are struggling to get by. There’s competition with cheap table wines on top of the regular struggles vignerons face with unpredictable weather conditions and relying on retailer orders. The article from The New York Times points out that under President Donald Trump’s actions toward protectionism, “European winemakers are expected to face stiff competition from Australia and other countries as the European Union seeks new trade deals to compensate.” Let’s hope France can come up with a solution before any more vino is wasted.