French Boycott? Read This and please give comments!

Forgive my ignorance (I know this NG won't), but isn't there a tax or tariff on alcohol? imports? Anyway... boycotting French wine is a symbolic gesture, just as France's nonsupport of the war was an empty gesture. France is no longer the world superpower it once was, and the war went on as scheduled. Not too many superpowers remaining to dominate this global village.

I think the only reason that anyone here wouldn't protest the idiots who are/were boycotting French goods, is that our wine might be cheaper. Prices for 2000 Bordeaux are/were still ridiculous.

Thank you so much!! I am the manager of a small beverage store in Ohio. I have fought for months with the owner of the store about this issue. He is dead set against us selling any more French wines. Of course, he doesn't say a word when we sell a bottle of Dom and have to order more, cuz he likes the money. Anyway, I have printed out this post to show him. I hope it will open his eyes somewhat and help me do my job!

Come on over Sean, we have plenty of wines fitting that description, superb deep wines with a price tag under 12 Euro.

There is life beyond Bordeaux...

Mike

Except for a vote. France is a republic, whose people are just as responsible for their government as Americans are for theirs. And just as likely as Americans to make a change at the next opportunity if they get unhappy enough.

Salut/Hi Chuck Taylor,

le/on Mon, 21 Jul 2003 11:36:21 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

Since when has "a vote" been "an affiliation".

Are you suggesting that President Chirac didn't have the support of the majority of the French in opposing the Iraq war? And what does this have to do with afw?

Well, we all have different tastes. But my impression was the Wolf Blass Black (it's the yellow that's the cheapie, right?) is a $40 wine. There's a LOT of

As Mike Tomassi says, there's a lot of very fine quality wines made in the Languedoc/south of France that retail for less than $15. In fact, with the exception of Burgundy (where the bottom threshold is a little pricier), there's no major French region I can think of where I couldn't name quite a few extremely good wines that retail in US for less than $12. Mike and I tend to disagree re Bordeaux, but I think even he would be pleased with some of the satellite 2000s.

There are lots of good wines for inexpensive (under $12US retail) prices made in the US, France, Germany, Austria, Chile, Italy, Australia, NZ, (I'm leaving out a few like Canada & Portugal where I don't have enough experience to say there's lots). For my personal tastes, it's the US that has the highest chaff to wheat ratio at that level (though Austria is the hardest one to FIND the inexpensive examples). But I'm not going to boycott US wines, for that reason or any political reason. I'll just work diligently to find the wheat. :)

Best,

Dale

Dale Williams Drop "damnspam" to reply

Mike,

Do you have any specific examples? I would love to try them.

Sean

Dale,

I never want it said that I do not have an open mind. I will certainly give your suggestions a try. Do you have any specific suggestions from Languedoc/south of France?

Sean

Salut/Hi Ian Hoare,

Perhaps Chuck's point is that the boycott of French wine is intended to reduce demand and therefore profits of the French wine industry, who would in turn voice their displeasure to the French government for being aggressively Anti-American. After all, profit is the motivation for just about everything, isn't it? No need for discussion on the whether or not the boycott will work or is justified. As far as your question as to what any of this has to do with AFW, I'm not sure who you are asking, as Chuck's post is just as relevant as yours or the original post. No one can expect to bring up the French boycott and not expect politics to be involved when politics is the reason behind the boycott.

To the original poster, replace "PRODUCT OF FRANCE" with "PRODUCT OF USA, SPAIN or AUSTRALIA" and there is my answer.

JK

Something like that. But Ian was right: it's off-topic, and furthermore, it's a thoroughly beaten dead horse by now. I should have remembered that yesterday before hitting the Send button.

On 22 Jul 2003 03:28:45 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.comdamnspam (Dale Williams) wrote:

Friends just came back from seeing Pierre Clavel, apparently his vines are almost in downtown Montpellier, but he has some more remote parcels of land. Copa Santa always very nice.

Yum.

I like this too, it strikes me as more high-tech than the average Languedoc wine, but what can I say, if it tastes good...

Er, OK, listen at your own risk... ;-)

Sorry, I was out for a few days. All I brought back this time is a bottle of Fumin red wine from Val d'Aosta. I'll let you know about it, tried a few Gamay recently that went down well...

So, Languedoc eh? , I subscribe to Dale's list. Here are a few more domaines where you will find truly fine wine at a good price; I have also listed some domaines where prices do go beyond 15 Euros, but the result is so high in QPR that you just cannot pass on them :

List? Lists? You asked for it. I love lists, I must have read too much Rabelais, but here goes. Names in all capitals have no particular significance, I just joined two lists of mine...

Languedoc Roussillon ===========================================CHÂTEAU COUPE-ROSES MINERVOIS Chateau de l'Engarran Chateau d'Oupia Minervois Chateau Mas Neuf Costieres de Nimes new winemaker, Luc Baudet, fab reds AND WHITES Chateau St Martin de la Garrigue Coteaux du Languedoc larger domaine, great rich reds from JC Zabalia Chateau Ste Eulalie Minervois top Minervois from Isabelle Coustal CLOS CENTEILLE MINERVOIS CLOS ST GEORGES Domaine Alquier Faugeres you already mnentioned this, VG DOMAINE BEAU THOREY Domaine Cazes Rivesaltes DOMAINE CLAVEL GRES DE MONTPELLIER you already mentioned them too ... Domaine d'Aupilhac Coteaux du Languedoc do not miss, GREAT VALUE DOMAINE DE LA RECTORIE BANYULS classic Collioure and Banyuls from Marc PArce Domaine de la Sauvageonne Super $7 reds by Gavin Crisfield DOMAINE DE L'HORTUS PIC ST LOUP Domaine de Peyre Rose Coteaux du Languedoc Marlene Soria makes marvels Domaine des Aurelles Coteaux du Languedoc Domaine des Foulards Rouges COTES DU ROUSSILLON new domaine of Francois Nicq, ex coop of Estezargues DOMAINE DU CLOS DES FEES COTES DU ROUSSILLON higher price, but WOW, Herve Bizeul is a genius Domaine Ferrer Ribiere Cotes du Roussillon superb old vine carignan sold for peanuts Domaine Gauby Cotes du Roussillon higher price again, one of the leaders of the south Domaine Jean Baptiste Senat Minervois top Minervois from a great winemaker Domaine La Madura Saint Chinian luscious DOMAINE LA TOUR VIEILLE COLLIOURE Banyuls, but also rare dry Rancio, almost extinct... DOMAINE LACROIX VANEL COTEAUX DU LANGUEDOC Domaine Leon Barral Faugeres Simply marvellous wine Domaine Sarda Mallet Cotes du Roussillon Frederique Vaquer Cotes du Roussillon LA PRECEPTORIE DE CENTERNACH MAURY MArc Parce's new venture, superb Maury, great red AND WHITE LE PETIT DOMAINE DE GIMIOS MINERVOIS LE ROC DES ANGES COTES DU ROUSSILLON great wines from Marjorie Gallet Clos des Anges Roussillon new domaine, great carignan Mas Amiel Maury a classic, always good Mas Cal Demoura Mas Jullien Coteaux du Languedoc exciting wines Mas Morties new discovery, great depth Prieure St Jean de Bebian Coteaux du Languedoc reliable good wine from Chantal Lecouty and JC Le Brun

PROVENCE ===================================================CHÂTEAU BAS COTES DE PROVENCE good wine from Phil Pouchin CHÂTEAU DE ROQUEFORT COTES DE PROVENCE super characterful wines from Raymond de Villeneuve Chateau Romanin BAUX DE PROVENCE Chateau Ste Anne Bandol powerful Bandol from Fracoise Dutheil Domaine des Bastides Vin cuit de Provence Jean Salen's vin cuit is way above the rest, dont miss it DOMAINE HAUVETTE BAUX DE PROVENCE a little more pricey, but truly worth it Domaine Henri Milan Baux de Provence also pricier, but superb. Makes Trevallon look bland. Domaine Richeaume Vins Dupere Barrera negociant in Languedoc-R. / Provence deep wines of character, innovative. Even has powerful rose'.. Domaine St Andre de Figuieres COTES DE PROVENCE

Southern RHONE ========================================================Cave d'Estezargues Cotes du Rhone the definition of GOOD VALUE. Chateau d'Acqueria Tavel niiiiice. CHÂTEAU DES TOURS VACQUEYRAS DOMAINE DE LA MONARDIERE VACQUEYRAS Domaine de la Mordoree Lirac very good wines at good price DOMAINE DE LA REMEJEANNE COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES Domaine de la Soumade Rasteau Domaine de l'Oratoire St Martin Cairanne super Cairanne Domaine Gourt de Mautens Rasteau Domaine Gramenon Cotes du Rhone deeeeeep reds, old vines, wonderful each time. DOMAINE LA FERME ST MARTIN BEAUMES DE VENISE DOMAINE LES AMOURIERS / CHUDZIKIEWICZ VACQUEYRAS DOMAINE LES TOURELLES GIGONDAS DOMAINE RICHAUD CAIRANNE another favourite, talk about intense wines! DOMAINE ROUGE GARANCE COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES Domaine Viret COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES MOULIN DE LA GARDETTE GIGONDAS

As you can see, although I live in Provence I do not have any particular preference for wines from my region, I have listed a lot more Languedoc producers, so you cannot call me biased. The wine (and same goes for food) situation here in Provence is IMHO tragic. Potentially this could be the best wine (and food) region of France, it has far better conditions than Languedoc (sun, soil), but there are just not enough good winemakers, people are content producing cheap roses for tourists. The few names listed are exceptions. Watch out though, there are new ideas and brilliant people heading this way and I bet in 10 years we will have a lot more names in the Provence section.

One more thing. Among the names above you have about a dozen people that participate regularly in the french language wine newsgroups...

Cheers

Mike