The French minister of agriculture, Michel Barnier, has presented a plan to increase the portion of organically grown (wine) grapes in France. The aim is to reach 6% of the total area by 2012. There will be new restriction against using chemicals as well as initiatives to stimulate growers to switch to organic. According to Agence Bio there is today (2007) 2.6% of organic vineyards in France. It is Burgundy (perhaps surprisingly) that has seen the most rapid growth in organic wine farming: plus 28% in 2007, compared to the country average of +16%. Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon are two other regions that have seen big increases. www.frenchwinesbulletin.co.uk
