Young people are put off drinking red wine because they don’t know what to pick and how to match it with food. So they’re drinking more white and rosé wines.
That’s the conclusion of a recent report in Le Parisien.
What’s more, France’s youth are also shunning pre-dinner cocktails for wine – again, it’s white and rosé wines they are turning to increasingly when they want an apéro.
They know a white or a rosé will hit the spot – and won’t break the bank.
Unsurprisingly, then, vignerons across the land are tapping into this growing market.
In Bordeaux, the region has upped its production of white wines and even begun making rosés to court France’s youth. Its vignerons are already seeing dividends – they sold some 26 million bottles of white and 21 million of rosé last year.
However, Bordeaux is known – and revered – the world over for its red wines, rather than its whites. Who even knew it was making rosé?
“Bordeaux is known – and revered – the world over for its red wines, rather than its whites. Who even knew it was making rosé?”
The problem is that many young people would only a consider red if they were having a meal. My 20-something-year-old barber told me the other day that he only drinks vins moelleux, sweet white wines.
The other issue is that young people don’t really understand what to expect from each wine region. Obviously, this comes back to the way French wines are labelled.
In the UK, new world wines have risen in popularity partly because consumers know what they’ll get when they pick up a bottle of, say, Australian merlot. (Jam mostly, but that’s another story.)
When we open our cheese-and-wine bar, the answer for Damon and me will be to stock more white and rosé wines to cater for the youth of Dordogne.
We should also maybe try to educate them.
After all, if they understand what flavours and styles they’re likely from each of France’s regions, they can order a wine to suit their mood. Or the plate of cheese in front of them, hopefully…
Sounds like a business opportunity to me.
Rosé wine photo by Kaboompics.com from Pexels
..they don’t know what they are missing….! L’extase……nom nom nom….
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Oh yes! We want to stock that.
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exactly they have not been taught better especially since the govt and some prudes keep saying is bad for you! when scientific research like the effect pandora have shown otherwise. Keep drinking with moderation lol!
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You’re right. Red wine is great for reducing cholesterol, for example.
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yes indeed thanks.
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It is always a hit with us when an owner/manager offers a taste of wine that is on offer before we commit to buying the bottle/glass. We have been seduced this way many times.
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Ha! Me too. That technique works well for both seller and buyer.
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As the seller you get to open a bottle to taste and then have the customers pay for the bottle by buying a glass or two. Win – Win in my opinion.
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Absolutely!
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Ehrrr, am sorry, but i’ve always preferred (non moelleux ) white wine ( but then…i’m neither French nor young)
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Young at heart maybe…?
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Perhaps a monthly wine and cheese night with the emphasis on education? Pair that with late-night opening of art galleries in town and you have an evening event worth a detour.
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Sounds like a great idea!
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I love a good rose & am not in your “youth” category at all – but it’s an excellent suggestion to bring it on in Belves, close to where I am happily & comfortably having some R&R in our motorhome after 2 weeks of touring. To be back in the Dordogne is a pleasure….just saying & checking in from this rather special part of France ;-))
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Enjoy! We’ll be down there at the end of the week for a long weekend. Looking forward to it.
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