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Torula News

Global News & Headlines 

February 1999 

28/02/99 Winners (Gold, Silver and Bronze respectively) at the 1999 Salon d'Agriculture in Paris for the Vin de Pays Charentais 1998 were: Jean-Pierre Gardrat, Cave de Saint-Sorlin and Domaine-Poncereau-de Haut for Red. Domaine-Poncereau-de-Haut, Coopérative du Liboreau and Jean-Pierre Gardrat for White. And silver for Rosé went to Domaine-Poncereau-de-Haut.
27/02/99 Many individuals work hard helping the beleaguered Cognac industry in the region. For example; Jean-Jacques Delage, founder of "St.Simon Village Gabarier" association obtained financial support from Vivendi to get gabare (an old Charente river boat famous for Cognac barrels transport on to the river again, La Pitchouli, a night club in Mosnac, Didobar in Réaux, Jonzacais in Jonzac are just a few examples where Cognac&Tonic outsells other beverages. And if you pick up Antony Grey's book titled Saigon, you will find on page 107 this sentence: "A glass of iced cognac and soda dangled from his right hand..."The year was 1929-30.   (SudOuest27/02/99;Torula News)
27/02/99 Unconfirmed story circulating in Cognac industry is that Rémy Martin passed Martell in number of Cognac bottles sold to take number 2 spot behind Hennessy. This may be the reason for an unusual share price jump of its parent RémyCointreau, up 3.77%. It also maybe the results of divestitures and consolidation within the company. The big question is - what about profitability?!
26/02/99 The hot autumn of last year is creeping back into the Cognac industry, and it is only February, while government continues its deliberations. 15 viticulteurs occupied branch of Credit Agricole bank in Angouleme recently while a secret report to overhaul taxation of the Cognac industry is being debated.
25/02/99 Cognac NAVARRE from Grande Champagne in Gondeville begins its Internet presence. NAVARRE Pineau des Charentes is also present on the Internet.
24/02/99 XO Café opened doors in Bordeaux at 11, rue du Parlement-Saint-Pierre. Among 5 shareholders is Jean-Paul Lafragette, President of L&L. Will we see world-wide expansion of XO Café following L&L successful business?
22/02/99 Alambic-Expo, an alambic on wheels, was unveiled to an enthusiastic crowd of 200plus viticulteurs, bouilleurs and Cognac industry bureaucrats in Moulidars. Under the guidance of Pascal Millasseau, President of Bouilleurs de Cru, building of Alambic-Expo was completed ahead of schedule. It is now on the road to Paris to participate in the Agriculture Exhibition. The plans, again, to utilize Alambic-Expo to promote Cognac abroad are bogged down at BNIC, which could only come up with Lille, Confolens and Poitiers as the next promotional appearances.
21/02/99 Cognac Bisquit lends its name to a "Finest Swiss Liquor Chocolate with Bisquit®Cognac Syrup Centre". And Grand Manier does the same. The mystery is in the expression of "Cognac Syrup Centre". Does it help Cognac industry? These chocolates are available at Duty Free on the ferry boats between UK and France. 
18/02/99 With no more delays, EC (European Commission) confirmed end of Duty Free shopping in Europe on 1July 1999. Many Cognac producers have already made alternative arrangements but not all. The European Commission rejected an attempt by member states Wednesday to save duty-free sales. The Commission plans to ban sales to intra-EU travelers beginning July 1.The Commission rejected the claims in a report released by internal market commissioner Mario Monti. It said abolition would free up more than $2.2 billion in tax revenue for job creation in other sectors.   Duty-free supporters maintain that governments will overrule the Commission and accept a three-year reprieve. We say good-bye to duty free sales in Europe. (CNNFN/Torula News)
17/02/99 Maison Prunier which sold some 200,000 bottles, in addition to brandy and bulk activity, last year finds itself in difficulty due to Asian financial crises. Loss of jobs follows a 30% drop in revenue.
17/02/99 Les Bouilleurs de Cru continue promoting Cognac in France under the banner of "Le Cognac en Fête"; last weekend some 200 bouilleurs, including BNIC President Bernard Guionnet, opened up a campaign "La Part des Anges" targeting discotheques in a Barbezieux discotheques of the same name. On the 22 February in Moulidars, they will introduce their "Alambic Exposition" before departing for Agriculture Fair in Paris. (CL17/02/99;Torula News)
13/02/99 Jean-Marie Verger of CV Cognac in Lachaisse, a distiller in Petite Champagne with additional vineyards in Grande Champagne begins testing retail waters with his outstanding VS and XO products. The VS is a 50-50 Grande and Petite Champagne and the XO is a blend of different Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie with oldest dating back to 1914. His new product line is interestingly called Gnac & Co. 
13/02/99 Éliane Croizet of Cognacs Éliane Croizet introduced new Cognac Valentine in homage to her mother but also with an eye for St.Valentine Day. This Fins Bois XO comes in 35 cl bottle, is targeted at women and begins new series of old Cognacs from Éliane Croizet under the name of "The Cognac is XO". Local painter, Mireille Kuta contributed to the development of label.
12/02/99 Week long visits to the Cognac region by various officials from many different semi-government organizations (i.e. ONIVINS) have ended. They brought much symbolism, lots of rhetoric and nothing concrete: no special tax removal, no appellation rules change to allow for Cognac Blanc. And the blame for the Cognac problems is being put squarely on the Asia's financial woes. How naive can they be? We note here the efforts of a regional politician, Marie-Line Reynaud who lobbies government for tax changes on Pineau des Charentes.
11/02/99 RémyCointreau, parent of Rémy Martin, continues selling of its properties. This time, through an MBO, they sold GVG (Grands Vins de Gironde), big wine trading house but did it include Cognac de Luze? (SudOuest11/02/99; Torula News)
11/02/99 Technicians at BNIC declare this year's eaux-de-vie as particularly aromatic and floral. Reflecting the current 'fashion' of removing Ugni Blanc vines (the so called Cognac vines), it is no surprise that Merlot vines are in a greater demand at the local nurseries. (SudOuest11/02/99;Torula News)
09/02/99 After a facelift, Tourist Office in Cognac is a more comfortable and inviting place to visit. The Cognac window presents Otard, Rémy Martin, Camus and Hennessy products. Hennessy presents its intriguing new Cognac series titled Single Distilleries; Le Peu, Camp Romain and Izambard.
09/02/99 BNIC reports 1998 Cognac production of equivalent of 134,550,000 bottles. In 1997, Cognac region produced an equivalent of 140,920,000 and in 1996 it was 145,720,000 bottles. The 1998 Cognac exports breakdown is: Europe over 48 million (with France accounting for over 8 million), Asia over 23 million and Americas over 36 million bottles. For details check www.bnic.fr
08/02/99 Hennessy problems with importers continue. Further to problems with an American importer over Hennessy Pure White, as reported by Torula News on 26/01/99, this time it is their Norwegian importer that is being replaced. Slow sales in a booming Cognac market like Norway are the reason for the change. Torula News has learned that Hennessy VS and VSOP are price leaders in this very competitive market. Might this be the reason for slow sales? Or are we seeing a major re-alignment in the Hennessy distribution network?
06/02/99 The USA Treasury Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms approved yesterday two statements for wine labels that would include references to some health effects of drinking wine. First statement is "The proud people who made this wine encourage you to consult your family doctor about health effects of wine consumption." The second one is "To learn effects of wine consumption, send for the federal government's Dietary Guidelines for Americans". In addition, The USDA's dietary guidelines note that "current evidence suggests that moderate drinking is associated with a lower risk for coronary heart disease in some individuals". A victory for American wine industry and, finally, Americans caught up to what every French persons knows. But how will this affect spirits made of wine, for example Cognac or Armagnac? (CNN05/02/99, Torula News)
06/02/99 Confirming an evident shopping and celebration hang over, www.swfrance.com and www.cognacnet.com registered 16336 visitors in January 1999, an increase of over 8700 visitors in January 1998. Click here for latest stats.
04/02/99 Under the guidance of Mr. Melin, President and Simon Palmer, Director; the International University of Eaux-de-vie and Alcoholic Beverages in Segonzac is expanding through creation of a partnership with OIV, International Office of Vineyard and Wine (founded in 1924), to become an International Observatory of all activities related to alcoholic beverages that are based on wine. This will complement 3 planned Observatories in Australia, Portugal and Switzerland in the areas of technical, economic, legal and social aspects of spirits drinks. An excellent initiative.
04/02/99 Francis Gay-Bellile booklet on Cognac in XXIst century offers some provoking thoughts but, in summary, it offers no great solutions and continues, in a very French way, to rely on setting up new quasi-government institutions (CPV, CANT). And that is precisely what Cognac industry does not need. Gay-Bellile is a big defender of Ugni Blanc but ignores an increasing use of Folle Blanche and Montils. He is obsessive in his attack on whisky which is a misguided repeat of the official BNIC position. An example of drinking cognac vs. whisky in the book is utterly wrong. Aromas of Islay whiskies are as interested as aromas of Borderies! The author promotes switch to armagnac like column distillation, to blends, to Cognac aperitif etc. Very little is said about quality, about marketing, about image building, about packaging because, we suspect, the author is a former employee of BNIC. And as such, this book is simply a re-hash of many ideas that are close to BNIC heart.
03/02/99 Michel Pelletier, President and Jean-Jacques Hauselmann, Director of le Comité de vins pays charentais reported significant progress in wine production and sales to the General Assembly that met yesterday. They have also delivered an unanimous message of strict production and marketing programs that is best summarized by one word: quality. (CL03/02/99)
02/02/99 There are orange juice futures, there are Bordeaux wine futures, there are oil futures, there are tin futures, so why there is no Cognac futures? And yet, we hear a quiet talk of exploring an opportunity to create Cognac futures.Watch this space in the coming weeks.
0202/99 Torula News begins weekly publication of an amateur Cognac taster notes and comments from a professional Cognac tasting course underway, at present, in the Cognac region.
02/02/99 Comité National du Pineau des Charentes suspends its marketing campaign in the USA. Badly thought out, poorly funded and lacking a message and understanding of American market this effort had to fail. But, a market exists for the Pineau des Charentes in the USA and there are now over 25 exporters. Some of them claiming success. What needs to be done now is a major re-think of how to present this product, raising sufficient capital (minimum of $2 million) and taking a long view that returns will be there over 4 to 6 years.
02/02/99 It is official! Armagnac has changed its labeling nomenclature, a move that was reported by Torula News several months ago. There will be, beginning this year, 4 categories of Armagnac: White Armagnac (Armagnac Blanche) with an eaux-de-vie (white, natural and fruity) straight from the alambic of the year of distillation, Armagnac which will contain eaux-de-vie of 1 to 5 years old, Old Armagnac (Vieil Armagnac) with eaux-de-vie older than 5 years and Vintage Armagnac (Millésime) of specific year as selected by the producer. This new system of labeling will be offered, initially on a trial basis. In addition, a comprehensive Internet web site is under development that will uniquely address professional and consumer needs. It is expected, according to Sebastian Lacroix, Director, Communications at BNIA, to be in full operation by the end of 2Q99. When will the Cognac industry follow the same path?
01/02/99 New look, new taste from Cognac Gautier XO Gold and Blue. Symbolizing water and sun and indirectly paying homage to colors of the European Union, Gautier has introduced this very interesting new XO.

Global News for:   January 1999    1998

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