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 A survey conducted by the prestigious wine magazine Terre de Vins (Wine Country) in May through ViaVoice and published on Tuesday, indicated that surprisingly 71% of French admitted to not knowing a lot about their national drink. 41% of these said they did not know anything at all about wine. 26% of participants said they knew enough with 3% claiming they knew a lot.
What may not be surprising is that the survey also found a correlation between social class and wine knowledge with white collar workers being far more likely to know something about wine than the blue collared ones. 43% of white-collar workers-managers and professionals, in the questionnaire claimed to be connoisseurs, while 30% of the middle management and only 16% of blue-collar workers regarded themselves as such.
In response to what they saw as irresponsible drinking behaviour abroad, a majority of French agree that wine education and moderation are important for youngsters. 51% of those surveyed supported an introduction to wine and moderate consumption for youths. Interestingly, these respondents thought that the youngsters should learn about wine through tastings at the age of 17 to combat binge-drinking whereas the legal age to drink alcohol is 18 (In India the age varies from 25 years in the Capital to 21 years in some states).
The Survey also echoed the feeling among most Indians that it is an elitist drink and they cannot afford to drink quality wines. “It is primarily the social differences that structure the sense of wine knowledge. Evidence indicates that a very elitist initiation to wine still exists in French society but also that a feeling, real or perceived, for many households with limited purchasing power that they cannot afford to buy quality wines,” says ViaVoice according to Drinks Business.
 Again, it might be soothing to the Indian ears when they learn that “In general French people think the wine world is complicated because behind the taste there is a whole universe, a language, the land they fear expressing an opinion about.”
The magazine adds that, “Faced with the binge-drinking phenomenon and the massive exposure of youngsters to alcohol, wine, which is the mark of civilisation, constitutes a healthier and more cultured alternative.”
Some French may rightly challenge the accuracy and efficacy of the findings in the poll conducted by ViaVoice on phone among 1,015 adults between May 28 and 30, the results of which were published in the Terre de Vins magazine on Tuesday. But it does give an interesting picture about people in what is still considered the Mecca of wine even though the United States has overtaken it in consumption and the per capita consumption is going down.
For the original article, click http://www.terredevins.com/
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Tags: Terre de Vins, Drinks Business |