Paris and Reims — Day #6

Our second week abroad began with a trip to INRA, the French ag research facility that is very similar to the USDA Ag Research Service in the U.S. They explained the research objectives of the organization and how much politics play a role in what they do. In fact, they are the second largest ag research center behind USDA.

Much of what they focus on is determined by their funding sources.

Which basically meant that they went after popular research in order to maintain funding, even if that research wasn’t as scientifically relevant.

The second visit of the day was with the French Ministry of Agriculture where we received an overview of their organization and the Common Ag Policy (CAP). One of the biggest takeaways for me was about the quota system. Each French producer is only allowed to produce a certain amount of food and if they go over that amount they are taxed. This really affects the dairy industry as many producers are stuck at the quota they were given in the 80s. These farmers are unable to expand and grow as inflation and cost of living increase.

This accounts for the fact that while France is one of the strongest ag-based countries in the European Union, it exports very little in terms of ag products. In the U.S., ag sectors talk about feeding the world, something that has yet to even be broached in our European trip, quite possibly because the very structure of their ag system is limiting. France has the land and the farmers, but doesn’t seem to have the desire to feed the world the same way we do.

Our final stop of the day was at Pommery Cellars, the second largest champagne producer in France.

The entrance to the chalk cellers at Pommery Champagne House.

We toured a small portion of the 11 miles of chalk caves that house all of their champagne as it ages. The youngest champagne they offer is at least 30 months old and they age their champange up to 15-20 years. They began a few years ago to produce a non-traditional, less bubbly champagne that they market heavily in the U.S. known as POP. You can fine soda-sized bottles of POP, complete with the straws to drink it with at many upscale markets.

POP, a new type of champagne for casual drinking.

Champagne Region — Day #7

After getting to sample champagne yesterday we went this morning to visit with the Champagne Council. The council serves as a sort of commodity organization of the grape growers and wine makers to help regulate prices and sustain quality standards. The council is also responsible for upholding geographical indicators, a big deal in Europe.

The ALOT class samples champagne.

Geographical indicators are the rights to produce a specific product, in a specific region with specific rules and production practices. For example, we often toast with “champagne” in the states, but our champagne can be from California just as easily as France. To the French, however, champagne only comes from specific, hand-picked sites in a very specific region of France that has undergone strict testing and does production under stringent rules.

They find it offensive that we use the term to talk about any sparkling wines and in all but seven countries in the world the Council is able to punish or fine those that misuse the word champagne or those that attempt to counterfit wine lower quality sparkling wines.

After visiting the council we went to an organic champagne house that was developing two varieties of champagne from organic grapes. The house still does conventional champagne as well, but they’re continuing to perfect practices to be more organic. However, legally they are not allowed to call their products organic because no rules or definitions yet exist for organic champagne. They also discovered that they can’t produce champagne without sulfides, which are often considered an inorganic addition to the sparkling wines because they are usually man-made.

Steel tanks at the organic champagne house.

We returned to Paris in the afternoon to hop a bullet train to Brussels. After a frantic run to the train we enjoyed an hour and a half ride into the heart of Brussels where our meetings will continue tomorrow.