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BORDEAUX
– MARKETS –
Exhibitors at the independent winegrowers’ exhibition
stresses that they should be referred to per hectare. “Otherwise”,
he says, “it is unfairly penalising for France’s largest wine region”.
The organisation therefore fought for High Environmental
Value (HVE) certification, which endorses good practice, to be
officially recognised, just like organic farming. Consequently,
Gironde is France’s leading HVE-certified region.
The Trump tax was brought to the attention of French MPs and
plans for a solidarity fund materialised in January 2020. But
before any funds could be released, the pandemic occurred.
Restaurants became off-limits and none of the 12 annual shows
that the Independent Winegrowers’ Federation organises, and
which attract half a million visitors, could take place. The
organisation subsequently expanded its e-commerce website
considerably (vigneron-independant.com). Sales increased fourfold
and the website was available in 5 languages, ramping up
sales opportunities. It also helped its members improve their
e-mailing shots and set up click & collect facilities. “The purpose
is not just to grow sales but also to maintain engagement”,
explains Coubris. Failure to do so would have left a gap for
other platforms to develop. But for independent winegrowers,
direct-to-consumer sales are the obvious marketing channel. The
federation also made sure that the French State Guaranteed Loan
applied to their members. Offering 0% interest and up to 25%
of previous turnover, it prevented bankruptcies by providing
between €10K and €500K in loans per farm. 2020 also saw tax
16 AUTUMN 2021 GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE