France Eases Wine Laws to Cork Competition

France is ditching some long-cherished wine rules to compete with upstart New World wines, the London Times reports. The country, which sees itself as the center of the wine world, has been steadily losing market share to wines from places like Australia and California. A new class of French wine will permit "foreign" techniques such as adding tannins or wood chips.

The new system, which defines some wines by grape variety rather than place of origin, is likely to make purists turn up their noses, but most French don't object to the relaxed rules. “I have faith in the savoir faire of French winemakers,” said the chief sommelier at the Paris Ritz. “We will not fall as low as the Americans, who make vin rosé that is sugary and fizzy like soda.” (More wine stories.)