The whole “anti-French” thing

25 Comments »

Personally, I think it was initially a knee-jerk reaction at first to perceived anti-American feelings from France (we Americans tend to take things personally) over Iraq.

Now, you hear all these reports about the French wine industry hurting so badly. What’s usually overlooked is the current surplus (even glut) of production in France and the explosion of competition from emerging markets like Australia/New Zealand and South America. People here in the States may be interpreting the drop in wine sales in France as an effect of many Americans refusing to buy French wine. So maybe the belief that “sticking it to Frenchie” is working is what’s keeping this trend alive.

The customer you mentioned might not understand all that much about the diverse (and delicious) wines from around the world. It wasn’t until I recently got so into wine that it dawned on me how silly an attitude this is. Because as a wine consumer I’d only be hurting myself by missing out on some terrific stuff.

I’d point out to anyone who’d shun any wine with France as its country of origin to remember that American importers and distributors are responsible for it being here, and they need to make a buck - which helps the American economy.

Beyond that, I’d just say “ah, grow up already.”

Comment by Gary — December 14, 2006 @ 2:20 pm

It’s just plain silly.

My take is this…how many clones are derived from original French stock? Do people not drink wine from the U.S. if it is fermented in French Oak? No Sparkling made Methode Champenoise? No U.S. wine that is owned by French Wine makers, or made by French Winemakers? It’s all quite silly isn’t it? We owe so much to the french when it comes to wine……

Remember people, the Statue of Liberty sits on a base, and has the internal structure designed and implemented by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel!

It’s a little narrow minded to think in such ways, but then, I don’t profess to try to walk in anyone elses shoes.

Comment by Brandon M — December 14, 2006 @ 3:42 pm

Gary-

I think that you hit it right on. It’s a certain level of arrogance that basically says that no one could dare to disagree with the U.S. of A., and anyone who tries it is in line for a smack down…we ARE infallible after all…it also points up the provincial, “black and white” view that many Americans have of the rest of the world - the attitude that makes the “cheese-eating surrender monkeys” epithet possible.

TOM CIOCCO

Comment by admin — December 14, 2006 @ 4:13 pm

Brandon M-

You also bring out some of the other valid points in this silliness. It reminds me of people who “buy American” at all costs - let’s say a Ford automobile - but don’t realize that more than half of the parts that go into the car are made abroad, or that even the whole car was made in a Canadian or Mexican assembly plant. It’s funny, one of my colleagues here at WL also often brings up your French oak barrel argument when HE gets such flack from customers.

TOM CIOCCO

Comment by admin — December 14, 2006 @ 4:22 pm

You know, if it weren’t for the French we’d be singing God Save the Queen at baseball games.

Ah, well. More for me.

(Of course, there’s the possibility that they’re just confused by French wine–it can be intimidating to figure out what all those weird place names mean, and then match grapes with regions and etc.)

Comment by E — December 14, 2006 @ 5:23 pm

I think the biggest irony is that each culture suffers from a certain level of chauvinistic arrogance. The problem is that each tends to see it in the other but fails to recognize it in themselves.

My advice would be to accentuate the positive with customers who cop the “anti-French” attitude. Appeal to their sense of adventure and confide in them that you just happen to know of a particularly excellent French wine at a reasonable price. And promise not to tell anyone else if they choose to try it.

Comment by Gary — December 14, 2006 @ 7:42 pm

I boycotted French products for a while based on Jacques Chirac’s snide attitude towards the American people. After sometime, I realized I have a problem with the French government, not the people of France. Why starve a French winemaker because Chirac is a loudmouth? It takes some people longer to forget. Our collective grudge will fade away like every other fad.

Comment by Brian S — December 14, 2006 @ 9:21 pm

Gary-

BINGO! I think your first thought is RIGHT ON! I was going to write this idea into the piece, but wanted to see if it came out in discussion as it obviously has…I think that this is precisely what it is: two GREAT nations that not only have a great love and friendship for each other, but an eqaully intense rivalry - like two very accomplished brothers that still like to fight like they did when they were 11 and 8 years old…

TOM CIOCCO

Comment by admin — December 15, 2006 @ 10:39 am

Hold your horses!!!!!….there was never any confirmation as to WHY this customer didnt want to buy French wine. We all assume it was political. Maybe his pallate just doesnt like French wines.

But of course, we all assume it’s political, a throw back to anti-Iraq war French feelings, Freedom Fries etc.

Comment by Dan Brahms — December 15, 2006 @ 4:06 pm

I just had a thought, which might be ridiculous, but what if you’re wrong? I mean, what if your assumption about this recent incident is incorrect. Perhaps the customer just doesn’t understand French wine? I guess if I were you at that moment, I would have politely said, “No French wine? May I ask why - I’m just curious.” or something like that to see if my assumption was correct.

Nevertheless, it seems very silly to most of us when a friend or acquaintance says something like, “I only drink California chardonnay” or “I only drink pinot grigio” because most wine lovers want to try a diverse set of wine.

I would also add that I do a lot of international travel, especially to Europe, and while the French and most other Europeans that I have spoken with on the topic really objected to the US action in Iraq, they were angry at President Bush and our government leaders rather than at Americans in general. In fact, they have consistently treated us like their friends rather than held the actions of our government against us.

It completely baffles me why anyone would want to “punish” an entire large group for the actions or statements of a few anyway. For example, the farmers and vinners in Bordeaux haven’t done anything bad to Americans, so why punish them?

Comment by JayZee — December 15, 2006 @ 4:44 pm

Dan AND JayZee -

Funny how both of you had the same thoughts, and posted them within 1 hour of each other…anyway, I do see your points, but it was all in the tone. If you had been standing at the edge of the conversation, you couldn’t have interpreted it any other way…you could tell that these folks were not rejecting French WINE, but FRENCH wine if you see what I mean…besides, with the exception of Italy, no country has a more diverse palette of wines to choose from…how could anyone possibly hate them all?

I agree with you JayZee that Europeans separate a people from its government with much greater ease than most Americans do, which to me stems from a much lower degree of cultural isolation as well as their own disastrous misadventures with monsters like Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, Salazar, Quisling, etc. Despite all of the horror stories you’ve heard, most French people have quite a high regard for the American people.

TOM CIOCCO

Comment by admin — December 15, 2006 @ 5:15 pm

You’ve got me dead to rights, Tom, but I hope you’ll still give me good tips on Italian wines. I choose these days not to drink wine because of what I easily perceive to be a very anti-American attitude on the part of the French Government towards our (my) government. I have been to France a couple of times and had a blast, but that was prior to the current animosity between the two governments. Until I see the relationship thaw out, I will continue to choose to avoid sending them my dollars when I have the choice before me. There is more good wine around than I’ll ever be able to drink, if I never drink another French wine.

Comment by elbowroom — December 15, 2006 @ 11:43 pm

I have a hard time with French wines. I’m born and raised in California, raised on California wines! (Yes, really.) Most French wines I just don’t seem to care for, though I love wines from every part of the world. Maybe I am unlucky - for a time I could do no wrong with Chablis and wallowed in its crisp fruity goodness, but now they elude me again.

If this person was buying for me (what a friend!) they might very well specify “no French” for completely apolitical reasons…

Comment by eljefe — December 16, 2006 @ 2:20 am

The reason I have so few French wines in my cellar (it’s my basement, who am I kidding) has nothing to do with patriotism or snobbery. It seems that the world of French wine is a little more complicated than anywhere else. There are so many regions, subregions, appellations, classifications, etc. It’s a little daunting. Another thing that comes into play is the fact that I tend to buy bottles of wine based on how much I liked them when I’ve tried them at tastings. And at the tastings I’ve been to, there’s been a dearth of French wines up for sampling. For someone like me–a wine novice who’s not made of money–I’m more comfortable buying something I already know I’ll like.

Comment by Suzanne — December 16, 2006 @ 6:41 pm

There is a really simple and easy answer to this question: most Americans are lemmings and believe anything and everything so-called “authorities” tell them, whether it’s President Bush or Robert Parker. When people in this country stop being afraid to think for themselves, we’ll have finally gotten somewhere. In the meantime, people continually succumb to societal/peer pressures and will vainly pursue the Horatio Alger myth of the “American Dream”, as opposed to how most Europeans live, which is exactly that: living. They don’t worry about petty things, like what kind of car you drive or what kind of wine they drink; they truly know how to LIVE. We could all learn a valuable lesson from the example of our predecessors, the Western Europeans. I also work in a retail liquor store that focuses on wine, and whenever someone tells me they won’t buy French wine, I always ask them why and will often challenge and debate them on their (usually ignorant) beliefs. Of course, in America, you aren’t supposed to discuss religion and politics, something else I’ll never understand about this country. It’s probably why priests rape little boys and politicians bonk their interns: no one’s supposed to talk about it. Let’s just all put on a red, white and blue blindfold and sing God Bless America. Lest we forget, this country was founded on the genocide of Native Americans. So, should we really expect anything less from a country whose very own history began with such acts of ignorance, intolerance, greed, and violence? But I digress…

Comment by andrew — December 17, 2006 @ 8:05 pm

As for French wine, there isn’t any better wine producing country on the planet. Anyone who chooses to segregate themselves from these glorious wines is doing so at their own peril. I guess I should have mentioned that as well.

Comment by andrew — December 17, 2006 @ 8:08 pm

We could all quess as to the reason(s). Without asking the question we don’t know. I find it interesting how quick many are to question his wine preferences and even more interesting how quick people are to practically apologize for being American or American attitudes.

PS Is this a wine question or a Sunday morning political show????????

Comment by steve — December 18, 2006 @ 12:27 pm

Andrew-

You bring up some very important points, but “digress” might be the understatement of the year - please keep the discussion as close to wine as possible. I think that they call this “thread hijacking”…

TOM CIOCCO

Comment by admin — December 18, 2006 @ 5:09 pm

Steve-

As I said in an earlier post, the tone of the reponse, and the face that went with it said it all - there was no mistaking that this was not a rejection of French grapes, winemaking styles, etc. but some personal campaign to boycott French products.

TOM CIOCCO

Comment by admin — December 18, 2006 @ 5:22 pm

Tom,
In your initial writing you make no mention of tone or facial expression, but you do make reference to assuming the reason. Perhaps your assumption is correct, perhaps not. If your assumption is this relates to the Iraq war and his decision is based on the French support (lack of), frankly I applaud his conviction when exercising his “freedom of choice” purchasing wine.

Comment by steve — December 19, 2006 @ 3:48 pm

I wonder if the wine lovers who take the view that France and all its inhabitants and products are “against us” and to be shunned categorize wine in a similar fashion. No need for 100 point rating scales or multi-paragraph tasting notes - only “good wine” and “bad wine”?

Comment by NickG — December 19, 2006 @ 10:22 pm

You’re right, I apologize for the obvious political slant to my post. Not really relevant to the discussion. I got a little carried away, it happens.

Comment by andrew — December 21, 2006 @ 11:57 pm

Andrew,

Don’t apologize. You can’t respond to this subject without some political content, because we’ve all heard so many talk of this “boycott” of French goods. Even the author of the “freedom fries” has recanted, so let’s go back to wine on its merits.

I like the fact that people throughout this earth differ in taste (and politics). Vive la difference!

Comment by GeneV — December 31, 2006 @ 4:59 pm

I suppose the reason of that customer may have been political. It may also be striclty cultural. I am doing a Master’s thesis currently dealing with the marketing techniques of the French wine industry. In short, we can’t completley blame an American consumer for not wanting to “go French”. The French wine industry does little to communicate effectively to the international consumer. Add that to relatively recent political issues and it may be understandable that American consumers don’t jump at buying French.

Comment by rebecca — January 1, 2007 @ 9:55 am

I, personally, do not hold a grudge against the French people. My decision to avoid French ‘pockets’ has to do with their present attitudes. And, yes, it is a political choice to not support the French government, as well as the people because of their proven anti-semitic posture. …As far as wine is concerned, although I have and will drink French wine, I will make another choice when given the opportunity. There are lots of good wines out there. I’ll use French wines as a referance only, as I do for other wines also, and Buy American. I would prefer to drink from the diversity of our own country first, and have the profits go in American pockets, in wine … as well as autos.

Comment by winedude — January 28, 2007 @ 2:18 pm

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