The annual general meeting brought together a large number of elected representatives of independent, Hérault and national winegrowers. ML
The annual general meeting brought together a large number of elected representatives of independent, Hérault and national winegrowers. ML
The annual general meeting brought together a large number of elected representatives from independent, Hérault and national winegrowers. ML
The annual general meeting brought together a large number of elected representatives of independent, Hérault and national winegrowers. ML
L’assemblée générale annuelle a réuni de très nombreux élus des Vignerons indépendants, héraultais et nationaux. ML
The independent winegrowers of Hérault met in a general assembly on Monday, February 3, in Lattes. In a difficult context, they insist on the need to turn to wine tourism.
“How to promote, increase awareness and market your wines and wine tourism services ?” To answer this vast question, the Independent Winegrowers of Hérault, who held their general meeting on Monday February 3 at the Vinalia space (Syndicat Pays d'Oc) in Lattes, organized a round table after the speeches and the presentation of the various reports (read below).
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000This moment of exchanges and debates, introduced by Ludovic Walbaum, vice-president of the Vignerons indépendants de France and president of the Atout France Wine Tourism division, was informed by the contributions of five professionals: Valérie Castan, from the eponymous estate; Jérôme Villaret, from Pépites du Sud; Caroline Dubois de Montreynaud, from Polymnie conseil; Didier Conversy, for Pack & Carry; Rachelle Redondo, from Isagri. Each spoke on the theme in their field of expertise (strategy, marketing, communication, etc.)
“A lever for resilience”
“Wine tourism is a lever of resilience for independent winegrowers. It corresponds to the demand of today's consumers: reconnecting with the essentials and returning to simple, authentic things, rediscovering human connections and values”, recalled the Hérault president François Régis Boussagol. And to add: “The development of “tourism at the winegrower” is the way to allow us to guarantee the sustainability of our activity. The profession must organize and structure itself in order to meet this challenge imposed on us by the economic context and societal change. The structuring of the wine tourism offer and its digitalization seem important today.”
A national platform for online booking of tourist services at independent winegrowers (sales at the cellar, visits to the estates, guest rooms, etc.) was also set up a few weeks ago. For the moment, only 40 producers from the former Languedoc-Roussillon are registered there. “This brand new platform is just waiting to be developed”, specified Cécile Gairaud, the director of the Vignerons indépendants de l'Hérault.
“For about twenty years, a good number of producers in private cellars have started wine tourism, by choice or by necessity. For them, it was a means of additional financial income as part of diversification. But today, wine tourism is becoming a fully-fledged activity, this sector is part of their DNA. The more things go on, the more the winemaker must include it in his work. From now on, in the region, tourism and viticulture are closely linked”, added the director.
The union must, and will, work in this sense.
“Lower harvest and consumption, sluggish bulk markets…”: a complicated economic situation
“The hazards and difficulties have been numerous” in 2024, launched François Régis Boussagol, as a preamble to his presentation of the moral report. And to give two elements, "water and consequently drought" which "have been a source of concern as the damage is significant on the Hérault vineyard, particularly the western part." “The situation is complicated: between the drop in harvest and consumption, the bulk markets which are sluggish and reveal ridiculous prices, our companies are subjected to a severe test.” Not to mention the customs surcharges that Trump wants to impose: “&Cedil;this is going to hit us hard. Like four years ago, we fear again that importers will ask us to cover part of the taxes. Hence the price of our wines at the decline in one of the few buoyant markets we had left. One more difficulty…“, deplores the president.
After listing the various measures obtained in 2024 (grabbing aid, revaluation of the emergency fund, etc.) and the various proposals put forward by independent winegrowers for 2025 (administrative simplification, payment of the deposit in purchase contracts, etc.), he called on an obvious fact: “Every winemaker must be able to live and even live well, from his profession.”
Faced with the difficulties and challenges to be met, he insisted on the need for the profession to promote its profession and its wine. “The diversification of activities is more than necessary: it is essential to allow the continuation and development of many of our estates.”
The annual general meeting was attended by, among others, Jérôme Despey, president of the Vin de France Agrimer specialist council; Jean-Marie Fabre, president of the Vignerons indépendants de France; René Moréno, regional councillor and Yvon Pellet, departmental councillor, delegate for viticulture. I subscribe to read the rest