There are tensions in the Languedoc, the volume powerhouse wine region of France, and sometimes they run over. On 19 July, balaclava-clad members of militant winemaker organisation Comite Regional d'Action Viticole forced their way into the premises of large wine negociant Vinadeis, at its Sudvin site, near Beziers. They daubed slogans, tried to empty tanks (which were already empty) and set fire to offices. CRAV was angry that Vinadeis (formerly, Val d'Orbieu) was importing cheap wine from Spain. These tensions are caused by underlying structural problems in a region that has traditionally been associated with servicing the bottom end of the market. This article examines the challenges in the region and also highlights two wine types that are proving major successes.
