Thursday, May 11, 2006

EU to reduce wine relief

From Decanter.com [link]

The EU is going to reduce aid to winemakers in a bid to break what is becoming a vicious cycle of subsides (aka “throwing money”) to a system which overproduces.

If aid is split between the member states in a fashion relative to previous production over say, the last 5~10 years, then it should be quite equitable to vignerons over the entire area. But I’d expect to hear A LOT more rumbling from the low-end producers before the end of the next harvest…

I fact, I’d be willing to bet the move will cause more rioting, civil unrest and general mayhem like that we witnessed this past year.

It’s necessary to break the cycle, but nigh impossible to get the producers to feel “OK” with the fact that they’ll have to find something else to plant than grapes for wine use (here’s a REAL problem with tradition based systems: change is viewed as anathema….).

Good luck.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Zini, are you ears burning? They're talking about you over at eGullet, and one guy in particular has got a lot to say:

"There's a link (thank you) to a page wherein the Zinfidel explores: "Minerality: Mythos and real;ity."
I challenge anyone to navigate the gibberish that follows!
Even if one could--the conclusion reached is so inane as to leave one breathless with astonishment.
I am sure the Zinfidel is a nice guy and he or she may even be reasonably about wine but really!"

It gets better from there. Others of course are holding you up as a example of a great blogger.

I wanted to jump in the conversation but eGullet requires you to complete an extremely silly "application" to be allowed to post on the forums.

Anyway, have fun. Heres the link

May 12, 2006 7:56 AM  
Blogger St. Vini said...

Thanks for the pointer Josh...

I thought the use of "the Zinfidel" was a nice touch on his part. :)

More than surprising was the fact that people came to my defense - I've made no effort to hide the fact that my writing technique is...well...that of a hack.
Hopefully some of the intended message makes it through the static...

For your and Bill/Caveman's efforts on my behalf I'd like to bestow the first ever Zinquisition "Jr. Samaritan award" on you both.
(It's good for free refills on the sacramental wines of your choice and 5 years off any Purgatory sentence! Hopefully neither of you will ever need to use the latter...)

May 12, 2006 8:21 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home