The French government will pay its wine producers some $216 million to destroy nearly 80 million gallons of surplus vino that they were unable to sell.
French wine producers are getting bailed out after being hammered by a confluence of difficulties — including overproduction, inflation, skyrocketing costs and changing drinking habits among French citizens opting for other beverage choices in a hyper-competitive environment.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also disrupted shipments of fertilizer and bottles, while climate change is wreaking havoc on growers who must contend with extreme weather.
French Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau told AFP on Friday that the government is paying farmers to destroy the excess wine so as to allow winemakers, who would be unable to turn a profit if they lowered the price of the surplus wine, to “find sources of revenue again.”
In the southwestern region of Bordeaux, which is famous for its vineyards, farmers have had to move up the harvest season, which once began in mid-September, to mid-August due to severe drought.
The French government is offering winegrowers in Bordeaux compensation if they choose to repurpose their land and rip up their vines.
The government funds will enable farmers to distill the alcohol from the surplus wine to pure alcohol, which can then be sold at a loss to producers who make cosmetics, perfume and cleaning supplies.
Over the last 10 years, sales of red wine have fallen by 32% in France, where young people are instead consuming non-alcoholic choices, beer and ros.
Winemakers have also struggled to recover from the coronavirus pandemic, when restaurants were closed and trade shows canceled.
Were producing too much, and the sale price is below the production price, so were losing money, Jean-Philippe Granier of the Languedoc wine producers association told the Guardian.
The challenges facing the French wine industry mimic those of US grape growers who must also contend with a decline in demand for wine.
Earlier this year, Silicon Valley Bank released a study titled “State of the U.S. Wine Industry Report” which found that Americans over the age of 60 are the only group of consumers who are drinking more wire than in previous years.
The report found that “younger buyers are increasingly less engaged with the wine category.”
According to the report, just over one-third (35%) of those between the ages of 21 and 29 consume alcohol, but do not drink wine.
That number falls to 28% for individuals between the ages of 50 and 59.
Last year was the second consecutive year of negative growth when measuring total US wine consumption by volume, according to the Silicon Valley Bank report.
Oasis have reunited on stage for the first time in almost 16 years – with brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher sharing a high five and the briefest of hugs as they closed a performance that for fans was more than worth the wait.
After the split in 2009, for many years Noel said he would never go back – and for a long time, as the brothers exchanged insults through separate interviews (and on social media, for Liam), it seemed pretty unlikely to ever happen.
But now, here they are. As they walked out on stage at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, all eyes were on the Gallaghers for a sense of their relationship – dare we say it, friendship? – now after all these years.
There was no reference to their fall-out or making up, but the gestures were there – lifting hands together as they walked out for the first time.
Image: The headline “OASIS REUNITED” was shown on stage at the gig. Pic: PA
Image: Fans at the Oasis gig. Pic: PA
Headlines and tweets of speculation and then confirmation of the reunion filled the screens as the show started. “This is happening,” said one, repeatedly.
In the end, it was all about the music.
Liam has received criticism in the past for his voice not being what it once was during his solo or Beady Eye performances, but back on stage with his brother tonight he delivered exactly what fans would have hoped for – a raw, steely-eyed performance, snarling vocals, and the swagger that makes him arguably the greatest frontman of his day.
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This was Oasis sounding almost as good as they ever have.
Image: Fans sang along and held up their phones to film as Oasis performed. Pic: PA
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2:56
Oasis: ‘It’s good to be back’
They opened with Hello, because of course, “it’s good to be back”. And then Acquiesce, and those lyrics: “Because we need each other/ We believe in one another.”
The song is said to be about friendship in the wider sense, rather than their brotherly bond and sibling rivalry, but you can’t help but feel like it means something here.
Over two hours, they played favourite after favourite – including Morning Glory, Some Might Say, Cigarettes & Alcohol, Supersonic and Roll With It.
Image: Liam Gallagher as Oasis takes to the stage in Cardiff. Pic: PA
In the mid-section, Liam takes his break for Noel to sing Talk Tonight, Half The World Away and Little By Little; the tempo slows but there is by no means a lull, with the fans singing all his words back to him.
Liam returns for hits including Stand By Me, Slide Away, Whatever and Live Forever, before sending the crowd wild (or even wilder) with Rock And Roll Star.
Image: Noel Gallagher performing on stage. Pic: PA
Image: An Oasis fan is pointing at the stage during the gig. Pic: PA
When the reunion announcement was made last summer, it quickly became overshadowed by the controversy of dynamic pricing causing prices to rocket. As he has done on X before, Liam addressed the issue on stage with a joke.
“Was it worth the £4,000 you paid for the ticket?” he shouted at one point. “Yeah,” the crowd shouts back; seemingly all is forgiven.
After Rock And Roll Star, the dream that very quickly became a reality for this band, Noel introduced the rest of the group, calling Bonehead a “legend”.
Image: Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs of Oasis. Pic: PA
Image: Liam Gallagher carried a tambourine in his mouth during the concert. Pic: PA
Then he acknowledges all their young fans, some who maybe weren’t even born when they split. “This one is for all the people in their 20s who’ve never seen us before, who’ve kept this shit going,” he says before the encore starts with The Masterplan.
Noel follows with Don’t Look Back In Anger, and the screens fill with Manchester bees in reference to the arena bombing and how the song became the sound of hope and defiance for the city afterwards.
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1:31
‘I’d have paid £10,000 to see them’
Image: Two fans sat on their friends’ shoulders as Oasis performed. Pic: PA
During Wonderwall, there’s a nice touch as Liam sings to the crowd: “There are many things I would like to say to you, but I don’t speak Welsh.”
It is at the end of Champagne Supernova, which closes the set, that it happens; Noel puts down his guitar, and they come together for a high-five and a back-slap, a blink-and-you’d miss it hug.
“Right then, beautiful people, this is it,” Liam had told the crowd as he introduced the song just a few minutes earlier. “Nice one for putting up with us over the years.”
From the roar of the audience, it’s safe to say most people here would agree it’s been worth it.
Gunnar Strömmer reportedly said that Swedish authorities had confiscated more than $8.3 million worth of criminal profits since a law related to seizures was passed in 2024.
13 people have been killed in the US state of Texas after heavy rain caused flash flooding, according to local media reports.
Officials have also said more than 20 are missing from a girls’ camp in Texas.
As much as 10 inches (25 centimetres) of heavy rain fell in just a few hours overnight in central Kerr County, causing flash flooding of the Guadalupe River.
Judge Rob Kelly, the chief elected official in the county, confirmed fatalities from the flooding and dozens of water rescues so far.
A flood watch issued on Thursday afternoon estimated isolated amounts up to seven inches (17 centimetres) of rising water.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.