Wine's world

Australia's most prestigious university (UNSW Sydney) has just developed and patented a component that could make lithium-ion batteries more efficient, more affordable and more durable.

This component uses food acids, such as tartaric and malic acids, present in fruit and especially in higher concentrations in wine. This has the advantage of reducing the environmental impact of its materials and manufacturing processes, while increasing energy storage capacity.

We can't wait for the next studies to find out which are the best wines and appellations to put in our car batteries. These are great times...

The result of the US elections, expected in 8 days' time... or not for several weeks if there are protests and endless recounts, will be decisive for the future of the wine world in the short and medium term, in America and well beyond.

If Kamala Harris wins:

- The fear of American producers and distributors is the return of Prohibition 2.0 when the US dietary guidelines are due to be revised in 2025. The Biden administration has already begun drafting guidelines on the recommended level of alcohol for adults, and restrictive or even repressive policies in this area have always been more likely to come from Democrats than Republicans.

- Her motives regarding alcohol are not known, but as a native of Northern California, it is common knowledge that she likes wine and was once a member of a wine club in Aladena (California). In fact, Republican supporters have posted and reposted on the Internet any photos they find of her holding a glass of wine, claiming that she is an alcoholic.

If Donald Trump wins:

- During his first term in office, Mr Trump decided to impose a 25% tax on French, German and Spanish wines, as well as British spirits. For his second term, he has already announced the return of specific customs duties on European products, at a minimum of 15% but which could go up to 100%. For the record, the US Wine Trade Alliance has already expressed its concern, stating that these taxes have had a significant negative impact on the business of American importers/wholesalers/retailers.

- The fears of the American wine sector also relate to the availability of labour. The Republicans' resolutely anti-immigration policy raises questions for all farmers, and in particular winegrowers, who know that Californian wine would not exist without Mexican workers.

Agreste (French Ministry of Agriculture) has just published its annual report for 2023/2024, bearing in mind that the wine-growing year runs from August 1 to the following July 31.

Here are their statistics and observations for French wines with protected designation of origin (A.O.P.):

- 2023 production (19.4 Mhl) is identical to that of 2022 (19.6 Mhl) and to the 2018-2022 average (19.3 Mhl),

- producer stocks are up slightly (+2%),

- exports have been declining since August 2023, both in volume (-16%) and in value (-12%): China (-32% in value), Japan (-20%), United Kingdom (-11%), U.S.A. (-7%)...

- Producer prices are also falling: -13% compared to 2022, -9% compared to the 2018-2022 average (and without taking current inflation into account). This applies to all appellations except Champagne, where prices have risen by +10% (!).

Agreste offers several explanations for this worrying situation, while pointing out that it is nevertheless less unfavorable for A.O.P. wines than for others:

- the end of the post-Covid recovery dynamic that prevailed over the last two years,

- economic circumstances, notably inflationary pressures, affecting world trade (to which we add ongoing geopolitical events),

- a downward trend in consumption, as in France for example, of wines as opposed to other alcoholic beverages such as beer.