SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO BRING BACK OLD WORLD WINES

The EU is still struggling to find middle ground. The Union reportedly denied Italy and France the right to turn surplus wine “lakes” into fuel or industrial alcohol. France has asked the EU to finance the “crisis distillation” of 2 million hectoliters of table wine and quality wine, while Italy wants to convert 3 million hectoliters of table wine and 100,000 hectoliters of quality wine. The EU is reportedly set to approve distillation of lower quantities and at lower prices than what France and Italy are currently lobbying for.

This comes right before Mariann Fischer Boel, the EU’s agriculture commissioner, is set to reveal reforms for EU wine subsidies that will supposedly help gain back market share from New World wines. In order to help offset the damaging wine surplus in Europe, officials propose a major cutback – 400,000 hectares altogether - in the EU’s wine-producing capacity. The officials hope that by cutting out winery land, they can save the millions of dollars (about €1.2 billion) currently spent getting rid of unsold wine.

Furthermore, European countries that produce more wine, such as Italy and France, will receive more money in the future while lesser known countries will receive less funding, if the proposal is passed.