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The Bordeaux producers' association CIVB has agreed with the French government on funding for the grubbing-up of 9,500 hectares of vineyards. This will reduce the area under vines in the Gironde department by around ten percent, which should reduce the oversupply.
According to a recent survey, one third of the winegrowers in Bordeaux are in economic difficulties. The vice-president of the CIVB, Allan Sichel, estimates that the region produces 300,000 hl of wine per year that cannot find buyers due to decreased demand. This corresponds to a quantity of 40 million bottles. In addition, another 200,000 hl would have to be sold at unprofitable prices.
A total of 57 million euros will be made available as support for the affected winegrowers - 38 million euros from the French government, 19 million euros from the CIVB. However, the CIVB's board of directors still has to formally give its approval. The agreement was reached after months of talks. The French government had recently announced that it would provide 160 million euros to distil surplus wine into industrial alcohol throughout the country in order to cope with a short-term "crisis in the wine sector".
(al / Source: decanter; Photo: 123rf)