Against a backdrop of ongoing protests and economic pressure, Bordeaux's leading wine organizations published a joint "Call from Bordeaux" on January 14th, demanding immediate French government intervention to save the industry.
The crisis in Bordeaux has reached a boiling point. In December, protests by winegrower unions blocked traffic and saw hay and tires burned near the Chaban-Delmas bridge. The discontent stems from falling demand, economic hardship, and what some see as a lack of support for local producers. The situation culminated in an incident where protestors crashed a tasting of Ukrainian wines at the Cité du Vin, deeming it inappropriate to promote foreign wines during a severe local crisis.
In response, on January, the region's largest wine associations, including the CIVB, set aside their differences to publish the "L'Appel de Bordeaux" The document outlines five priority demands for the government: expedite budgets for vineyard grubbing-up and liquidity support; launch a crisis distillation scheme; revise laws to protect grape growers' income; reverse bans on copper-based vine treatments; and finally pass the long-awaited decree on wine producer organizations. The appeal is a desperate attempt to draw attention to the structural problems plaguing the world-famous region.
Sources: Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux
