France to spend €200m destroying wine

I think France gave out subsidies for farmers to plant vines, in areas of not great quality (but perhaps quantity).
Back in the 1980s places like Bordeaux would often have poor vintages, combination of poor weather and old fashioned techniques.
Now there's wine in abundance in France and elsewhere e.g. Chile, Australia. More favourable growing conditions and scientific \ industrial production methods.
So there's probably less market for the entry level French plonk - but still high demand for their better output.

People are drinking less for various reasons - drink driving, health concerns and also switching to other drinks (alcoholic or coffee) at times, or even drugs.
 
NotMyRealName said:
I woke up this morning to this news. Looks like the end of the world has begun.......or the BBC think it's April 1st. ☺️....But worth discussing what's driving this trend.
www.bbc.com

France to spend €200m destroying wine as demand falls

A cocktail of problems has hit the wine industry, including demand falling as more people drink craft beer.
www.bbc.com
Click to expand...
Chinese and other investors had been pumping billions into expanding vinyards, particularly around the likes of Bordeaux where they thought growing in a plot so close to the Medoc was a guaranteed success. They've since learned it's not quite that simple.

Global warming has also changed the climate there, and vines are very sensitive to minor variations so some of the marginal plots that produced decent table wine in the past now yield grapes unsuitable for wine making.

Compounding all that has been falling domestic and global demand.
 
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