WINE FESTIVAL ON BOTH BANKS :

"Bordeaux Fête Le Vin" (Bordeaux Celibrates Wine) , the popular bi-annual wine festival, situated on the banks of the Garonne River, a short walk from central Bordeaux, will run from the 26th - 29th June this year.

Yesterday saw the event's official presentation to local politicians and professionals.
Financed by the CIVB, (inter-professional Bordeaux wine marketing board) and Bordeaux City Hall, this wine festival first launched in 1998, has become increasingly linked to the "cultural" image of wine in the region. For the first time the Union of Classified Growths - 132 wine properties amongst the most prestigious in Bordeaux, and the Great Classified Growths in 1855 of the Medoc & Sauternes - the top of the class - will be participating in the festivities.
Indeed the stakes have been raised as the festival's success will surely have a role to play as a step forward in Bordeaux's bid to become the European Cultural Capital in 2013. Part of the city was awarded Unesco heritage status in 2007 and Alain Juppé, Mayor of Bordeaux, together with Alain Vironeau, president of the inter-professional Bordeaux wine marketing board both realise the importance of conveying the image of Bordeaux wine as a cultural product. This is especially so in a region where wine making is the main economic activity and where new French laws designed to limit the consumption of alcohol spread the "sour taste of prohibition" : recent tribunal decisions state that internet is not a suitable medium of communication for alcoholic products and that a flattering article in the press could be considered as publicity.
In this light, it is not surprising that the organisers of the Bordeaux Wine Festival would rather have the event compared to the Venice Carnival than the Munich Beer Festival...
In addition to wine tasting at the kiosks which will stretch over 2 km along the river bank and represent over 80 different regional appellations, visitors are invited to attend a lecture on "Taste & Moderation" at the City Hall (27th June 10.30 am), to enjoy the magnificent Aquitaine National Orchestra's "Carmina Burana" opera in the Place de la Bourse (26th June) together with sound & light shows and firework displays throughout the week.
Approximately 350,000 visitors are expected.

A project to create a "Wine Embassy" in Bordeaux is also in the making - more details mid-July.

author C.Compadre

doc@sudouest.com

A PLAN RUNNING IN NEUTRAL

A five-year plan to modernise viticulture administrative procedures was presented yesterday by Michel Barnier, French Minister of Agriculture.

Unfortunately, the 16 pages of this plan reflect a lack of funds (French coffers being empty) aswell as a lack of new ideas especially in the economic "reforms" proposed - recycled from European Union reforms applicable since December last year.

Concerning the profession's governing bodies, there is however a desire to simplify communication and coordination between the various regional wine councils, the inter-professional marketing boards and Paris. The question is how to reduce numbers and / or merge certain organisations into "federations" in an efficient, coherent manner.

A special committee will be in charge of the previously named "vins de pays", which now come under the European Union product catagory IGP (protected geographical indication).

The 27 EU members have adopted certain common economic reforms which will be applicable from next August : one of the consequences will be more freedom for producers of ex-table wines whose yields will no longer be limited and who will be authorized to mention the vintage and grape varietal on their labels. These details, helpful for the consumer and therefore useful marketing aids, were exclusive to AOC wines up until now.

It is therefore regretable that not one euro-cent more than the 171 million euros budget for the next campaign which Paris will manage this year instead of Brussels has been allocated for promotion, marketing and communication!
One questions the impact of such a plan which appears more preoccupied with setting up work groups than ensuring a stability in product sales.

author C.Compadre
30th May 2008
Maxine Colas..
doc@sudouest.com