French wines will target British Columbia this spring
By John Schreiner
January 31, 2006
The French wine industry has just launched a two-month, 50-store promotion in British Columbia’s Liquor Distribution Branch – a long awaited bid to raise the lagging profile of French wines in this market.
The promotion coincides with the arrival of 60 French wineries for the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, which begins March 27. These two events likely are the biggest French wine promotion here since Expo 86, and quite possibly the biggest push ever seen in British Columbia.
Lovers of French wine will say this is long overdue. Among wine exporters, France is in fifth place in British Columbia by volume and fourth place by value. In volume terms, the French have fallen well behind Australia, the import leader.
In recent years, the French have had other fish to fry. In Quebec, where they hold a third of the wine market, and in Ontario, where they have a big chunk as well, they have been struggling to hold off the hard-charging Italians. So in the last two years, they threw resources into a successful stabilization of those markets.
For example, the French government committed $500,000 on promoting its wines in Ontario last year and were able to generate an extra $5 million in sales. Not a bad return on the investment. So now, they have opened the taps in B.C., having concluded that British Columbian consumers are sophisticated and incorporate wine into the lifestyle. (We could have told them that!)
The background is that the French wine industry is dealing with surplus wines as it is taking a beating in critical markets like the United States and Britain. Internally in France, things have become ugly.
For example: wine growers in Bordeaux are trying to insist that the minimum selling price for wine should be €1,000 a barrel. When one wine broker in Bordeaux started accepting €700, a tonne of manure was dumped on his doorstep.
Another example: Languedoc wine growers recently insulted those of Bordeaux over how fast vines are being pulled out and surplus wine is distilled. Languedoc, which has a huge surplus, has pulled out 12,500 hectares. Bordeaux so far has pulled out 1,800 ha.
“We continue to uproot [vines], we send millions of hectolitres to be distilled, while the Bordelais stuff themselves and twirl their moustaches,” one Languedoc activist said recently, accusing the Bordelais of waiting for wineries and growers to fail in the south of France. Bordeaux leaders snapped back that it is easy to stigmatize Bordeaux when “the fall in the market is general.” Bordeaux’s leaders (and many others) think the whole French wine industry needs fundamental reform.
The wines being featured in the LDB stores include examples of new labels aimed at competing against the new world.
There is a label called Red Bicyclette (represented here by Gallo of California), which has a 2004 Syrah ($16.99) that seems clearly designed to compete with [yellow tail] from Australia. The French wine is peppery, with black cherry flavours, soft, ripe tannins and a hint of sweetness on the finish. It is a bit lighter in style than the Australian competitor but it is a satisfying drop.
Château Tariquet has a white called, simply, Easy Drinker, selling for $10.95. And do you know what? It is easy to drink. Labels like that will never make it onto restaurant wine lists but I’ll bet cases and cases of this tasty wine will end up in many home fridges for those who just want a refreshing glass or two before dinner.
Of the other French wines being featured, these are some of my favourites:
* Pêre Anselme La Fiole Chateauneuf du Pape ($34.99). The scrunched bottle has been around for years. It is a dark, firm, plummy wine with a smoky, earthy finish. 87 points.
* Domaine Saint Prefert Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve Auguste Favier 2003 ($55.00). A special occasion wine – dark, with flavours of plums and tar and black cherries. Full-bodied and fully satisfying. 90.
* Croix du Mayne Cahors 2002 ($22.95). Full-bodied, meaty red, with lots of dark fruit, a wine already popular with a good steak. 86.
* Château Sainte Eulalie La Cantilene 2003 ($24.99). Chewy and full-bodied, this wine has flavours of plums, minerals and toasted oak. 87.
* Hugel et Fils Sylvaner 2003 ($16.95). Hugel is one of the great Alsace wineries. This white is fresh and clean, tasting like apple slices and a morning in spring. 87.
goodgrog@shaw.ca
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