French primary children to get wine education!
Along with learning how to read and write, French primary schoolchildren could soon be having wine appreciation classes as part of their curriculum. The idea was put forward by French politicians in a report that calls for an education campaign to help revive the country’s ailing wine market. French winemakers have suffered not only from a decline in exports, but also a fall in domestic consumption. Currently, over 90 per cent of French under-25s say they prefer other drinks to wine. According to the report, compiled by ruling UMP party deputies Philippe-Armand Martin and Gerard Voisin, young people should be taught about the origins, history and characteristics of French wine. The hope is that this will ‘promote demands for quality and a respect for nature,’ and introduce a new generation to the joys of drinking wine. British university students would surely be delighted to be offered a similar course!