French ‘ooh-la-la’ over proposed wine change

Paul Jeune started working in his father’s vineyard at the age of 14 and has traced his family’s winemaking history back to an ancestor born in 1775. But he says his way of life is under threat from plans to legalize in France the winemaking methods pioneered in the US and Australia.

Jeune, along with most French winemakers, opposes EU plans to relax strict rules governing the making of rose, or blush, wines just as they are starting to gain respect — and sales.

Currently, red grapes are usually crushed and left to ferment briefly with the skins, the two being separated before the juice colors fully to produce blush wines. The EU proposal would allow Europeans to simply blend red and white wine together to create a pink blend — a less complex method used by New World producers.

“If you do this, why not allow people to make wine without any grapes at all?” Jeune asks, growing steadily more voluble over a glass of his own rose, from grapes grown in Provence. “You could do it in a laboratory, with alcohol, water, artificial flavors.”

Only some of the rose wine made outside France is blended; many New World winemakers employ the traditional method, using only red grapes. Some wineries use both methods.

But clearly the dispute has touched a nerve here, bringing accusations that the planned EU change will vulgarize rosi and undermine its blossoming reputation.

“We are trying to save a certain style of winemaking and they make more problems; they denigrate our profession,” Jeune said, as the sun set over the scenic vineyard of a fellow winemaker near Beziers, in the southern region of Languedoc. “It’s a scandal.”

Vintners also see the move as another measure that will allow traditional winemakers to be squeezed out by beverage multinationals. And the controversy has touched off a debate over whether New World winemakers are saving rosi or wrecking it.

The European Commission argues its changes make sense.

“There has been a lot of ooh-la-la-ing about this without too much regard for the facts,” said Michael Mann, its spokesman.

One compromise would allow France to label “traditional rose” to set it apart, though New World exporters would not be forced to identify blended wine.

In Languedoc, Anne Sutra de Germa, who runs a small winery, Domaine Monplezy, and also opposes change, is optimistic.

“In some ways it’s good to have stupid laws,” she said. “Because the consumer who wants good wine will eventually find us.”