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| French Raise a Glass to a Health Warning About Too Much Wine | French Raise a Glass to a Health Warning About Too Much Wine |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| PARIS — The government began a publicity campaign this week warning Frenchmen and women of the dangers of too much drink. | PARIS — The government began a publicity campaign this week warning Frenchmen and women of the dangers of too much drink. |
| When it comes to wine and other alcohol, it said, “for your health, it’s maximum two glasses a day, and not every day.” | When it comes to wine and other alcohol, it said, “for your health, it’s maximum two glasses a day, and not every day.” |
| France’s response? Deafening silence. | France’s response? Deafening silence. |
| The French media hardly bothered to react. Wine producers in the multibillion dollar industry scoffed. The neat rows of wicker chairs outside the ubiquitous cafes continued to buzz with patrons. | The French media hardly bothered to react. Wine producers in the multibillion dollar industry scoffed. The neat rows of wicker chairs outside the ubiquitous cafes continued to buzz with patrons. |
| How could it be otherwise in a country where the relationship to wine is so intimate? Where even the most humble corner grocery is certain to have a decent bottle of Bordeaux waiting for an emergency? | How could it be otherwise in a country where the relationship to wine is so intimate? Where even the most humble corner grocery is certain to have a decent bottle of Bordeaux waiting for an emergency? |
| Where the evening meal (and sometimes the midday meal) are not really meals at all without a bottle of wine on the table? | Where the evening meal (and sometimes the midday meal) are not really meals at all without a bottle of wine on the table? |
| Where even the president, Emmanuel Macron, reassured the big annual farm fair last year, “Me, I drink wine at noon, and at night.”? | Where even the president, Emmanuel Macron, reassured the big annual farm fair last year, “Me, I drink wine at noon, and at night.”? |
| He added, pointedly, “Don’t give the French a hard time,” in a nod to one of his predecessors, Georges Pompidou, who first used the phrase. | He added, pointedly, “Don’t give the French a hard time,” in a nod to one of his predecessors, Georges Pompidou, who first used the phrase. |
| Another predecessor, Pierre Mendès-France, tried to promote milk consumption instead, in the 1950s. That was a big flop. The populist rabble-rouser Pierre Poujade responded, “You, Mr. Mendès, have inflicted a blow on every Frenchman.” | Another predecessor, Pierre Mendès-France, tried to promote milk consumption instead, in the 1950s. That was a big flop. The populist rabble-rouser Pierre Poujade responded, “You, Mr. Mendès, have inflicted a blow on every Frenchman.” |
| Without going that far, several esteemed wine producers insisted Thursday that the scolds from the state’s public health agency, who now say that a quarter of the French exceed the recommended limit, are missing the point. | Without going that far, several esteemed wine producers insisted Thursday that the scolds from the state’s public health agency, who now say that a quarter of the French exceed the recommended limit, are missing the point. |
| Alcohol is a principal cause of avoidable death in France, the agency warned. No, wine is the opposite of death, the producers answered. | Alcohol is a principal cause of avoidable death in France, the agency warned. No, wine is the opposite of death, the producers answered. |
| It is about three essential elements of French life, they said: liberty, fraternity and the pursuit of pleasure. | It is about three essential elements of French life, they said: liberty, fraternity and the pursuit of pleasure. |
| “Look, we agree with the moderation aspect, but on the other hand, we always feel that they’re picking on wine,” said Maurin Bérenger, a well-respected producer of the rich dark Cahors wine, in southwest France. “Even limiting it, this is a constraint on liberty,” he said. | “Look, we agree with the moderation aspect, but on the other hand, we always feel that they’re picking on wine,” said Maurin Bérenger, a well-respected producer of the rich dark Cahors wine, in southwest France. “Even limiting it, this is a constraint on liberty,” he said. |
| “The wine that we’re producing and that we champion, it’s to be consumed for pleasure, with moderation, and not to get drunk,” said Mr. Bérenger. He is one of thousands of wine producers in one of the bibles of French life, Le Guide Hachette des Vins, which tells you just about everything you need to know before you drink. (Regions, grapes, pairing …) | “The wine that we’re producing and that we champion, it’s to be consumed for pleasure, with moderation, and not to get drunk,” said Mr. Bérenger. He is one of thousands of wine producers in one of the bibles of French life, Le Guide Hachette des Vins, which tells you just about everything you need to know before you drink. (Regions, grapes, pairing …) |
| French wine consumption has had its ups and downs. Even without the public health warning, in the last half-century it has declined by about 50 percent, according to Vin et Société, a consortium of wine industry actors. | French wine consumption has had its ups and downs. Even without the public health warning, in the last half-century it has declined by about 50 percent, according to Vin et Société, a consortium of wine industry actors. |
| The old culture of the workman sidling up to the bar in the local cafe at 10 a.m. and demanding his small glass of red wine, or “petit rouge,” is far less prevalent, if it still exists at all. | The old culture of the workman sidling up to the bar in the local cafe at 10 a.m. and demanding his small glass of red wine, or “petit rouge,” is far less prevalent, if it still exists at all. |
| But a prewar marketing slogan still captures the essential spirit of wine’s place in French culture: “Wine is the sacred foodstuff that alights the fire of the French soul.” | But a prewar marketing slogan still captures the essential spirit of wine’s place in French culture: “Wine is the sacred foodstuff that alights the fire of the French soul.” |
| Véronique Desfontaine, who produces a succulent and subtle Burgundy with her two sons at Chamilly, was baffled by the health agency’s declaration. | Véronique Desfontaine, who produces a succulent and subtle Burgundy with her two sons at Chamilly, was baffled by the health agency’s declaration. |
| “I don’t agree with it at all,” she said. “Consuming wine is about sharing. The French drink wine because, for instance, they might have friends over,” she said. “They want to drink well. This is about quality.” | “I don’t agree with it at all,” she said. “Consuming wine is about sharing. The French drink wine because, for instance, they might have friends over,” she said. “They want to drink well. This is about quality.” |
| She pointed out — and Vin et Société agrees — that most French wine drinking takes place around the dinner table, to accompany the meal. | She pointed out — and Vin et Société agrees — that most French wine drinking takes place around the dinner table, to accompany the meal. |
| “Consuming wine at the table, this is the specific French cultural model,” said Vin et Société’s delegate-general, Krystel Lepresle. “It’s a cultural object,” she insisted. | “Consuming wine at the table, this is the specific French cultural model,” said Vin et Société’s delegate-general, Krystel Lepresle. “It’s a cultural object,” she insisted. |
| She and Ms. Desfontaine were too polite to say so, but the Anglo-Saxon culture of drinking to get drunk is far less present in French life, though not entirely absent. | She and Ms. Desfontaine were too polite to say so, but the Anglo-Saxon culture of drinking to get drunk is far less present in French life, though not entirely absent. |
| “The government says, ‘don’t drink.’ But we’re talking about another category of people here,” she said, confident that “those who appreciate quality wines won’t be affected by this publicity, no, not at all.” | |
| Mr. Bérenger, speaking from deepest rural France in the rolling hills of the Quercy region, sounded a frequently heard complaint. | Mr. Bérenger, speaking from deepest rural France in the rolling hills of the Quercy region, sounded a frequently heard complaint. |
| “There’s a disconnect between the officials, and what actually goes on in the country,” he said. “And this is very French. They are targeting a whole profession. Very clumsy.” | “There’s a disconnect between the officials, and what actually goes on in the country,” he said. “And this is very French. They are targeting a whole profession. Very clumsy.” |
| “They’d be better off educating the young,” he added. “We don’t force people to drink.” | “They’d be better off educating the young,” he added. “We don’t force people to drink.” |
| Ms. Desfontaines consulted her own experts. “I have excellent customers in the medical community,” she said. “They’re not worried about this.” | Ms. Desfontaines consulted her own experts. “I have excellent customers in the medical community,” she said. “They’re not worried about this.” |