Plans for a national Vins de Pays

A new category, Vignobles de France, will allow Vins de Pays from various areas in France to be blended together for export. Years after the idea was originally proposed Viniflhor, France’s government wine agency, has confirmed the name of the new category. Responses to the announcement have been mixed, with complaints primarily coming from producers of Vins de Pays d’Oc.

For others, the development is a positive one. Anne Burchett, MD of Castel UK, believes that this is "a step in the right direction for the industry". Burchett explains that "if you’ve got a global brand, you’re looking for the best wine, at the best price, that’s the best for the consumer." Vignobles de France, she believes, will facilitate this.

Castel is currently in the process of creating a new brand, but Burchett explained that, while details were not yet being disclosed, this would not be a Vignobles de France brand. "At the moment, like everybody else, we’ve just read the report saying its going to happen," says Burchett.