Beaujolais fireworks hide worries about the future

BEAUJEU, France (AFP) - Thousands of people packed the village of Beaujeu for the midnight launch of Beaujolais Nouveau, but the fireworks that lit the sky could not add sparkle to the French wine's market.

 

Beaujolais put on its usual marketing blitz with dozens of barrels opened for tasting in the regional capital, Beaujeu.

 

Abroad, festivities were even more frantic. In Japan fanatics bathed in the wine at the Hakone hot spring resort and in New York 15 French chefs formed a "Bikers Brigade" that escorted the wine opened for the US launch.

 

But the Beaujolais impact has gone flat in recent years and growers are worried that the global financial crisis could undermine already falling sales, particularly as Japan and the United States are their main foreign markets.

 

In 2007, Beaujolais nouveau exports fell 21 percent over the previous year, with just over 17 million bottles sent abroad, according to the federation of wine and spirit exporters, FEVS.

 

In Japan the fall was by 28 percent. Sales in Japan have dropped from a record 12.5 million bottles in 2004 to 8.26 million last year.

 

FEVS deputy director general Renaud Gaillard said the fall was likely to continue this year. "The two main markets in the United States and Japan are less inclined to party around Beaujolais nouveau," he said.

 

On the bright side, Gaillard said the economic difficulties could help low and medium priced wines like Beaujolais, for which a bottle costs a few euros in Europe and about 3,000 yen (25 euros) in Japan.

 

Lyon wine expert Alain Albert said however that Beaujolais also has an image problem, particularly in France, because: "It is a wine which cannot meet the expectations made of it."

 

"Beaujolais Nouveau is not a great wine. It is flattering to deceive, a party wine," he said, adding that the marketing image may now be "tired".

 

Beaujeu still enjoyed its annual party, when the population of 2,000 is multiplied by up to 10 for the night of festivities to mark the opening of the first 2008 barrels.

About 15 television crews from France and abroad were on hand as 1,400 people from 18 countries got stuck in to a special dinner laid on by the "Compagnons du Beaujolais".

 

Several foreigners were there to party, such as Wu Yu, a Chinese student on an exchange programme in Lyon who had previously escaped the Beaujolais blitz. "Before coming to France, I had never heard of Beaujolais," she said.