The French wine sector is suffering the full brunt of the coronavirus crisis, with the closings of bars, restaurants and the absence of tourists in France for long weeks.
The prices of the 2019 vintage of Bordeaux wines could not therefore be assessed., and the grands crus could not therefore be purchased in time before their bottling, according to the usual protocol.
The French state has established a rescue plan for the sector, approved last month by Europe. On Thursday, the European Commission authorized France to further support its winegrowers, by increasing the volume of wine which will be subject to crisis distillation.
Clearly, 3.3 million hectoliters of wine will be withdrawn from the French market, which should free up storage capacity, restore the balance between supply and demand and prevent a collapse in prices. .
On a voluntary basis, wine producers will be able to sell their unsold products to distilleries, at the price of 83 euros per hectolitre of wine bearing a protected designation of origin or a protected geographical indication and at 63 euros per hectolitre for wines without designation.
These wines will then be transformed into alcohol used for industrial purposes, including disinfection, or for pharmaceutical or energy purposes, specifies the European Commission. A heartbreak, no doubt, for lovers of great wines …
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