French Wine Rides German

Wine country lives in the hills and slopes of the region north of Lyon where some 45,000 seasonal helpers during September and early October hand harvest all the wine now shipping as Beaujolais Nouveau.

      For the 2006 crop of Beaujolais Nouveau, the moment is near, anticipation reaches a fever pitch and the third Thursday in November is officially a day of wine and roses for the growers of Lyon, France.
      Thousands of tons of packed and palletized boxes of wine depart the vineyards here by truck and onto Lyon Airport Thursday, November 16th, as Beaujolais Nouveau departs to be sold around the world.
      A dozen top-flight logistics providers are in on the vine to deliver the celebration.
      Lufthansa Cargo and Lufthansa Cargo Charter Agency alone will manage 1,700 tons of the sought after new wine as the precious cargo wings its way around the world on freighters and passenger flights to various destinations including the coveted Japanese market.
      Near the giant construction site of a soon to come “new “Lyon Airport, currently a row of huge tents operated by a handful ground handling companies serve as wine central here.
      As forklifts pirouette amongst the cargo buildup, they maneuver the wine-laden units to their respective truck loading position for dispatch via both air and road feeder services.
      Consignments are staged ready to depart to Frankfurt, Munich, Copenhagen, Vatry and elsewhere.

Monsieur Bernard Georges, director exports of Georges Duboeuf during his impressive briefing with FT Guenter Mosler.

      FlyingTypers talked and toured and sipped and supped with Monsieur Bernard Georges, Director Export of Georges Duboeuf at Romaneche-Thorins near Mocon, France.
      Erudite and smooth with a slight hint of the grand event and estate he represents, Bernard Georges may play a closed hand as this one company holds a commanding market share of 20% of the new wine market, but he goes along with the writer’s interview anyway.
      More than 500 of the 3,600 Beaujolais growers trade their “Nouveau” through Monsieur Bernard.
      He is an original in the big business of Beaujolais while at the same time an outstanding ambassador for the product and a connoisseur.
      Monsieur Bernard travels the world, convincing wine traders and dealers that this fresh, quickly elaborated wine is just the thing for people looking for something special as a gift to celebrate the end of year holidays ahead, or to stock up on at home for the holidays.
      By the time we finish our conversation and tasting, he has elevated his position into legend.
      Bernard Georges admits, that the size of the new wine business is huge and has grown every year since the mid 1960’s when the November Beaujolais craze was born.
      During a tour of the winemaking process we discover a totally state of the art environment with quality checks everywhere underscored by the creative touch of the founder and owner of the company Georges Duboeuf.
      In terms of the operation here at Georges Duboeuf, just110 people generate 130 million Euros in revenues. Monsieur Georges Duboeuf (age 73) occasionally greets the guests and is said to love the detail and discipline afforded the BN yearly ritual since he started the company in 1959.
      A bottle of this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau will cost the young lady who wants to impress her new boyfriend in Kyoto about €18.00. Same bottle in Tahiti €40.00. Same bottle in Lyon €2.50.
      The massive air cargo wine move to Japan alone this November is billed at €nine million, while the logistics costs are pegged at around €14 million.
      A votre santé!
GFM