Unlike his predecessor, France's new president enjoys his country's wine - a spark of hope for the struggling industry.
In a country with such a rich wine culture as France, it seemed bizarre that it had a teetotaller at its helm and one regarded by many as unsympathetic to the nation's struggling wine industry. Now Nicolas Sarkozy has been supplanted by Francois Hollande, who is partial to glass of wine or two, there are hopes that his appointment ushers in an era of greater support from the Elysee Palace.
Unlike Sarkozy, who allegedly preferred Coca Cola, Hollande is a man who has obviously had a healthy relationship with wine. In an interview with Johan Gesrel for the French website malolacti[K] website, Hollande recalled the revelation he experienced in tasting his first wine, a Burgundy given to him to try by parents who he said always served good wines at the family table. "My parents educated me that wine was a product to be respected, that it was a quality product," Hollande recounted.
"Like many French, I am seduced by the excellence of the wines of our country," he told the Revue de Vin de France in an interview before he was voted into office. "I appreciate tasting wines with friends and family. For me these are always moments of conviviality, sharing discovery. Sometimes I'll open a good bottle to celebrate a major event, such as a political victory. If I'm elected, I'll celebrate this with my family over a good French wine."
Comments like this have been encouraging for an industry that's seen dramatic decreases in its per capita consumption in its important home market. It's a situation that has been assisted by the country's powerful anti-alcohol lobby and draconian law Loi Evin, which prohibits alcohol advertisements on the television and in cinemas, and requires all alcohol ads to be accompanied by a health warning.
