HOW TO HELP THE FRENCH WINE INDUSTRY
Vinexpo is the world’s biggest annual professional winefest, this year chalking up 2,400 exhibitors from 48 countries and over 40,000 visitors. French smiles at the event’s undoubted popularity among the international wine community were a little forced, however, as France’s own wine exports are set for a swingeing 20 percent fall in 2009. I promise to do everything in my power to help French winemakers back on their feet again (even if means getting legless myself), but I do draw the line at more European Union largesse – I’d rather get some direct bang for my largely wasted EU eurobuck. Richard Hesse