France turns wine into disinfectant
8.2.2023
Translation: machine translated
In France, the supply of wine is currently higher than the demand. Instead of throwing the precious liquid away, the country is finding creative ways to utilise it.
"Life is too short to drink bad wine," goes the old saying. But what do you do with wine, be it good or bad, that nobody wants to drink - because there is no demand for it, for example? This is the challenge currently facing winegrowers in France. France is considered a nation of wine drinkers, but consumption has been declining for several years. As early as 2012, a study came to the conclusion that French consumers are drinking less wine to save money on the one hand and prioritising water or a glass of juice for the sake of their health on the other.
Turning wine into disinfectant, perfume or bioethanol
Further reasons for the problem are overproduction and climate change, which is constantly presenting winegrowers with new challenges. As it gets hotter and drier, for example, the grapes ripen earlier and so the harvest has to be done earlier.
In order to help the affected winegrowers, the state and the European Union are providing 160 million euros for the project. According to the French newspaper Les Echos, around 2.5 million hectolitres of red wine of all quality levels will be withdrawn from the market.
Red wines from the well-known wine-growing region of Bordeaux are particularly affected, according to Manager Magazin. Those affected there are already demanding closure premiums due to overproduction. The Languedoc and Rhône Valley regions are also affected.
According to the Paris Ministry of Agriculture, however, the wine sector will have to adapt to the change in demand in the long term, and the government will also provide support in this regard. In addition to declining demand, inflation and the associated rise in wine prices as well as declining exports to China are further exacerbating the sales problem.
Cover photo: Shutterstock / Davide Angelini
A true local journalist with a secret soft spot for German pop music. Mum of two boys, a dog and about 400 toy cars in all shapes and colours. I always enjoy travelling, reading and go to concerts, too.