Openting remarks by Michel Bettane

On the occasion of the VDP-Frühjahrs-Weinbörse 2003 in Mainz

Michel Bettane, Chefredakteur „La Revue du vin de France“

"First of all I want to apologize for giving this speech in English (which will be more widely understood than my native French) Then I give sincere thanks to the V.D.P association for inviting a french  journalist as a guest speaker in such occasion, even if  for the moment  there is no market  or an extremely limited market  for german wines in France . As you know well it was completely the opposite in the past centuries when the Mosel and Rhine valley wines were very popular. For many generations of poets, musicians, artists they were the symbol of wine and large circles of consumers every day in Paris restaurants drank immoderate amount of Riesling in their famous slim bottle . Infortunately the different wars between our two peoples did end the consumption of such well loved  wines and the fashion for them never revived since. Nevertheless  I think  the moment is well chosen for a change and I will try to clear up why I am optimistic for the future.

First there is an evident revival of fashion for good german Riesling or pinot blanc in such important markets as America or Great Britain. This can be explained by correct price and very good quality. German wines even the rarest of them are not speculative and this is their good luck. Not only they please to discriminative people but they are more and more often acknowledged as fairly priced for their quality. I may add that their quality largely improved in the ten last years with wines more precise, truer to their origin and more immediately pleasant with their incredibly pure aromas and fruit. Japonese and asian consumers so sensitive to refinement and style share the same love for them and I cannot imagine any argument why it would not be the same for other countries. On the contrary numerous changes of gastronomic habits in a new generation of consumers are very convenient to modern german wines. They tend towards white wines because they are easier to drink, lighter in alcohol, more refreshing with a more pronounced acidity, more fruity and more convenient to fusion “food” (food more spicy, often salted/sugared, with asian , American and mediterranéean influence) specially when they are slightly of- dry. They drink wine for their own pleasure and not as before as an obligatory part of the every day diet. As they are more and more often aware of the danger of industrial food for their own health they will be attracted by wines made in small quantities by individual growers they may in case of need trace back. They will appreciate wines made from a specific place with an individual flavour which is the sign and the warrant of their origin. All this is in complete harmony with the philosophy and nature of production of the members of your association. Even if the labels are difficult to read and memorize (some improvements in this matter would be welcomed) the most imaginative among this new generation will find playful to learn the names and special features of the best vineyards when they are so bored with the lack of poetry or mystery of most of industrial drinks. And they will easily understand they have to pay a higher price (but not of course an exaggerated one) for all the history, the care , the refinement of flavour which is behind a wine from a great origin.

For all these reasons the case of actual France is most interesting. The new generation is free from any prejudice against german names or origins but the market for german wines does not exist. Very few people even know great wines are made there. One thousand at most, often linked by family or neighbouring to german wine growers drink one or two bottles a year for special occasions. No more than ten or twelve references are regularly available in the best wine shops and perhaps for or five restaurants list a german wine. But I never conducted or attended a tasting of german wines where the best of them were not admired for their balance and style. I remember one very special one where the judges , members of the Rouge et le blanc panel of tasters, some of the most critical French connoisseurs, gave the highest marks in their life to marvellous Mosel and Nahe Rieslings. Armin Diel can remember you the occasion because he and his wines were present!

My own history is an interesting exemple of what is possible in the future for a better evaluation of your wines in my country. My father was a French officer and you can imagine with no special fondness for a german label. But he loved and drank very often Alsacian wines as they were very popular in the fifties and sixties. I was not surprised by the peculiar taste of german Rieslings when I first encountered them in England as a young student in Oxford. The famous “hocks” were highly prised among connoisseurs and I too was impressed by their nobility of taste. I did for german wines what I did for burgundy ones at the same period, reading everything I could find about their history and their present state. I remember being specially fascinated by the comments of the late Alexis Lichine in his famous Wines of the world  book. I understood immediately the similarity between Rheingau and Burgundy in matter of philosophy of wine born from common origin and history: decisiveness of terroir, individuality of taste of each “lage” , complexity of labelling because of that (and also because of the clumsiness of the 1971  law, just brand new! ). As soon as it was possible to buy directly wines from the source without paying stupid taxes  I began a small collection of the best Rieslings I am very proud of. My guess is therefore a more important market is possible in France. I do not imagine an immediate popularity that may be compared with XIXe century one or an issue for the lowest wines or the cheapest ones as we offer for Italian , Spanish or Portuguese production. It will be a wine lover fashion for the best growths , specially if collectors know how well for instance the new type of “grosse lage” dry Riesling is suited to fish or lobster dishes (and to my opinion fare more suited than most oaked French or foreign chardonnays). But a good issue will be impossible if german growers themselves make no efforts for a better recognition . A simple strategy is easy to consider. 
 
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