ij Feb., 1 910.] The Wine Industry in Southern France. 71 



has always been in countries warm enougli for tlie growth of the vine 

 since Biblical times. It figures on the table at the midday and evening 

 meal, from the highest to the lowest in the land, in private houses and 

 cottages as well as in hotels and restaurants, where it is no more considered 

 an extra, or charged for as such, than bread. It is, in fact, part of the 

 daily bill of fare, just as tea is with us. The fundamental difference 

 between the wa\ in which wine is consumed in France and in Australia 

 may be summed up in a few words. Most of the wine consumed in Aus- 

 tralia is taken between meals, whilst almost the totality of that drunk in 

 France is taken with meals. This point has a vital bearing on the ques- 

 ^tion. Frenchmen do not drink wine between meals — to do so is usually 

 •considered " bad form "" — but they do not consider a meal complete unless 

 accompanied by a glass or two of wine. As will be pointed out presently, 

 this wine is of verv low alcoholic strength, and is very usually further 

 diluted by the addition of a little water at table. Taken regularly in this 

 way wine is a food and not a stimulant — it forms part of the daily ration, 

 replacing an isod\namic quantitx of other carbohydrates. In other words, 

 though consumed very generally, it is the custom of the country to take 

 it only in strict moderation. For it to l:>e possible for wine to occupy such 

 a position in the daily life of the nation, two things are necessary. The 

 wine must be of low alcoholic strength, and it must be available at such a 

 reasonable price as will place it within the reach of all. Both these 

 requirements are met in the common French wine universally known as 

 •' \/in Ordinaire,'" and frequently referred to in France as Vin de Con- 

 sommation \C our ante (Current Consumption). 



Vin Ordinaire. 



There is perhaps no type of wine which is so completely an unknowii 

 ■quantity to the average Australian or Englishman, who has not travelled 

 in France, as tht* ''vin ordinaire" of that country, and yet this is the 

 type produced and consumed to the practical exclusion of all others, not 

 only in France, but in all countries which produce wine in large quan- 

 tities. It is the everv-dav drink of the wealthy classes, as well as of the 

 artisan and labourer.' Other wines are placed on the table occasionally; 

 but it is "vin ordinaire,'' often mixed with water, which is the usual 

 beverage of France. The total consumption of choice wines in France 

 would not greatly exceed the export trade, and this we have seen to only 

 constitute about 4 per cent, of the total production of the country. 



As regards alcoholic strength, statistics show clearly the low alcoholic 

 strength of the great bulk of this wine. The 1,453,564,000 gallons pro- 

 duced in France (Algeria excepted) in 1907 have been classified as fol- 

 lows:^ ^ „ 



Gallons. 



Wii.e of less than 19A 1 er cent, proof (11° French) ^'??!!'nnn'SSn 



Wine of 19i per cent, proof . lo'lSSWO 



Wineof more than 19i per cent, proof - ■•■ ■■• '4U,l».i,UUU 



These figures render further comment almost unnecessary ; it is interest- 

 ing, however, to note that the quantity of sweet wine made in France in 

 1907 only amounted to 712.030 gallons, probably less than we produce 

 in Australia. . 



Turning to the price at which the bulk of this wine is sold, we tind 

 figures whtch appear at first sight rather disconcerting. The y;eld of 

 1907 vintage (1,453,564,000 gallons) was officially estimated to be worth 

 -J, 117, 343, 626 francs^(;£44. 693-74.- o;,. 6d.;, or rather less than 7id. per 



