The Elbert County tribune., 1910-01-06
Product in France Is Less Than
Home Consumption.
Yield Is Only About One-Tenth of Nor.
NAL Amount-Wiil Not Create De-
mand for American Article
Weather Is Blamed.

Paris.-The wine production of
france this year will be only about
one-tenth of the normal amount. The
French vineyards yield an average of
$4,000. 100000 gallons of taxed wine a
year. and this year they will not
yield more than 1.400. 100000 gallons
at most. The taxed wine is that put
on the market and sold. That con-
sumed by the producers is not taxed.
There are 100000 wine producers,
and their annual consumption of wine
Is about 265.000.000 gallons. The nor
maj consumption Of persons in France
VINO buy their wine is 1922. .000. 900
gallons. This. with the 265. .00O, 900
gallons used by the wine producers,
makes the total consumption of
French wines in France about 1887
100000 gallons.
Not only will the production this
year fall far short of that amount,
but even II all the old stock of wine
Is added to it there will still be a
large shortage The stock on hand
ought to be from 25O,0O0, 900 to 30O.-
100000 gallons. 1t is, in fact, only
about 200,000.O00 gallons.
The sales of wine in bulk which
mark the fetes with which the vintage
season closes have already indicated
an augmentation of prices over last
year The shortage of something
like 137.000.000 gallons as regards
french consumers will. it is expected,
be filled by importations from Algeria,
Spain and Italy.
At the same time, however, it is
recognized that in those countries
also the production this year is far
below the average. The cheerful
view is based on the fact that Spain,
Italy and Algeria normally produce.
relative to their own consumption, a
much larger surplus of wines than
France
A leading writer on wine produc-
ton. asked whether the shortage of
supply in France would cause a de-
mand here for American wines, an
swered emphatically in the negative.
The reason, he said. was that Ameri-
can wines could not be sold cheap
enough to the French wholesaler to
leave him suitable profit on his own
subsequent sales.
He admitted, in making this state
ment, that large quantities of Ameri-
can wines are brought to France, ma
tured and treated here in accordance
with the practices of the trade. and
then put on the market under labels
which do not distinguish them from
the regular French product.
mi nf
go back to America. Incidentally 1t
may be remarked that any one can
note in Paris and also in London that
wherever American wines are found
on the menus of restaurants the
prices affixed are much higher than
those of the corresponding grades of
European wines
The vintage fetes this year have
beel as gay as usual. 1t is pretended
in some of the wine districts that the
quality Of the vintage is above the
average. But this is by on means
proved. and is doubted by experts. 1t
is too early yet to know positively
whether it is true or not.
The prices obtained for the fine
wines in Burgundy at the vintage
sales are not SO high as they were in
1904. when the yield was not only
extremely abundant, but the quality
was far better than that of ordinary
years
1t is evident that unless there are
large importations. France must be.
gin the next season with its great
wine cellars virtually empty. and that
for months to come exports of wines