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The French winegrowers' association Côtes-du-Rhône demands the possibility to grub up vineyards with red grape varieties and to release wines for crisis distillation. The responsible persons had already submitted corresponding requests to the Organisme de Défense et de Gestion at the end of October, after the current harvest quantities, sales figures and stocks had been collected. The association complains about declining sales of red wines in particular. In the marketing year 2021/2022, three percent less wine was bottled, but this year's harvest quantities are five percent higher than last year. In order to reduce stocks and counteract the imbalance of supply and demand, vintners are now to be allowed to distil wines as well as to clear vineyards with red grape varieties in favour of white varieties.
Denis Guthmuller, President of the Syndicat Général des Vignerons des Côtes du Rhône (Côtes-du-Rhône Winegrowers' Association), points to an accumulation of cyclical effects. The markets have become increasingly unstable since the Corona crisis and consumption is declining. "Many red AOPs have the same problems in what were once important sales channels, such as the large French retail chains. Within ten years, our business there has declined by 40 per cent," Guthmuller said.
The goal is to produce more white wines on the Rhone in the future. Their production is to increase by 20 years. Their production is to be doubled by 2030. To support the winegrowers during the transition period from red to white wine, Denis Guthmuller demands compensation for the years in which the producers cannot harvest anything. The biggest obstacle at the moment is the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which no longer provides for grubbing-up. However, it is being examined whether funds from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) are available to bridge the gap.
(ru / Source: Vitisphere; Photo: 123rf.com)
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