French wine production and Consumption

 The French like other Europeans are consuming less and less wine, so much so that the French government is purchasing millions of Euros worth of wine to financially support the industry. This excess wine is being converted into alcohol for products such as hand sanitiser.

The reduced consumption of wine has many causes. I believe that the message about not drinking too much is getting through especially to young people. Excessive drinking undoubtedly leads to health problems. Inflated prices are also contributing the to financial woes of the wine industry, reduced production will lead to further price increases. Automation of the wine making process may not be able to reduce the cost of a bottle.

All in all the wine industry faces trouble.

From a personal point of my wife and I hardly drink more than a bottle of wine per week, unless we have friends around.. We are increasingly reluctant to pay inflated prices for our wine and we rarely buy Burgundy in the UK.

Champagne and English sparkling wine prices are sky rocketing so consumers are changing to Prosecco and Cava. Luckily we travel to France often enough to buy  reasonably priced Champagne.

Climate change is affecting Prosecco production so the outlook for sparkling wines is not good.

I hope that the wine industry does not suffer too badly from climate change and demographic effects to cause the demise of the industry. There is nothing I like more than a good bottle of wine with my food and friends, so cheers.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/25/france-fund-destroying-excess-wine-demand-falls

Cuvée des Anges Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC sparkling wine brut by traditional methods

 If you find Champagne too expensive and are bored with Prosecco and Cava and the Southern Hemisphere alternatives, then try this: Cuvée des Anges Montlouis sur Loire AC sparkling wine brut. This dry white sparkling wine is produced from Chenin Blanc grapes in the Montlouis sur Loire appellation near Tours in the Loire Valley. The limestone soils  and climate here are perfect for the growth of the Chenin Blanc grape.

The sparkling wine produced is refined with a medium body and it has a well balanced acidity with a taste of green fruits and lemon. The wine is dry and will clear your palate. It is best as an aperitif in my opinion, but would go down well with a dessert or even throughout a meal. I find it more refreshing than Prosecco and it does leave an unpleasant after taste, like some cheap sparkling wines do. It should not be compared with Champagne in either terms of taste or quality. It needs to be tasted and assessed in its own right. We bought it for about 7 Euros a bottle in France, and this means that is exceptional value for money when you compare taste and quality with cost. You can even buy it in the UK, so try it; I think you won't be disappointed.

https://www.vivino.com/GB/en/montlouis-cuvee-des-anges-brut/w/1420627