France slips ... into vinous 3rd place!

[Roy Hersh]

A sign of the times, how the mighty have fallen: http://www.decanter.com/news/280533.html

[Brian C.]

I'm curious as to whether or not French wines sell as well as other countries' wines during a recession. The idea would be that the French wines often have more perceived status attached to them, and are not as affordable. Also, Spain and Italy seem to have more quality wines at the lower end of the price spectrum. This is just me speculating after a couple of glasses of an Argentinian Bonarda/Malbec blend. Speaking of QPR, I think I paid $8 for this particular bottle.

[Andy Velebil]

I've heard that at least one major Chateau has cut it's prices almost in half for their upcoming release. I'd say that's a sign of the times for 'em

[Roy Hersh]

There is a boatload of inexpensive wine produced in France. In Bordeaux alone there are rivers of bad bottlings that are dirt cheap. The Rhone has plenty of Cote-du-Rhone well under $10 a bottle and cheaper in country. Then you get down South into the Langudoc Roussillon and there is so much inexpensive wine produced it would amaze people. Even below the Cotes D'Or in the Mâconnais region, there is so much cheap Gamay produced in entry level Beaujolais, that it could probably supply all of France for years to come, with just one harvest.

I don't think most Americans realize how much cheap wine is produced in France. The quantities are absolutely staggering. For it to be passed by as a producing nation by the likes of Italy and Spain is monumental.

[Peter W. Meek]

For several years France has been distilling unsalable wine into ethanol for the food and chemical industries. And why not; life is too short to drink bad wine. Good thing to do with poor wine from any source. It's just that grapes >> wine >> distillation is a fairly inefficient way to make biofuel.

[Eric Menchen]

For several years France has been distilling unsalable wine into ethanol for the food and chemical industries. And why not; life is too short to drink bad wine. Good thing to do with poor wine from any source. It's just that grapes >> wine >> distillation is a fairly inefficient way to make biofuel.

Since when has efficiency figured into the biofuel equation?

[Eric Ifune]

I don't think most Americans realize how much cheap wine is produced in France. The quantities are absolutely staggering. For it to be passed by as a producing nation by the likes of Italy and Spain is monumental.

I know in Italy, and I'm assuming also in France and Spain, you can drive up to a coop with your demijohns or whatever other container and fill em up, just like at the gas pump. Even use the same pump hose and handle. You pay by the liter. Some is not bad, but others can be dreadful. Oceans of the stuff.

[Luc Gauthier]

I'm curious as to whether or not French wines sell as well as other countries' wines during a recession. The idea would be that the French wines often have more perceived status attached to them, and are not as affordable. Also, Spain and Italy seem to have more quality wines at the lower end of the price spectrum. This is just me speculating after a couple of glasses of an Argentinian Bonarda/Malbec blend. Speaking of QPR, I think I paid $8 for this particular bottle.

Hi Brian ,
In Québec , French wines have had a 30% share in the market for the past decade , recession or not !!
They still hold the #1 spot in 2009 at 32% followed by Italian wines at 22% then Argentina and Spain at 8% .

[Moses Botbol]

Seems to me there's plenty of decent BDX for sale under $20 bucks everywhere I shop. I see BDX in wooden crates at around $20 bottle for current releases; seems like a deal to me.