In France, California wines are catching on

A second American revolution is taking place in France -- one which promises to change forever a long-held French conviction. French wine experts are beginning to admit that the quality of many American wines now rivals that of some of France's premium varieties. This remarkable shift in attitude on the part of many French connoisseurs is reflected in the recent increase in the popularity of American wines in Paris, where world class hotels and exclusive restaurants are beginning to recommend wines from "Etats-Unis" to their French guests, and both chic wine shops and supermarkets are now selling a growing quantity of vintage American wines.

Until a few years ago, the idea of comparing the quality of any American wines to those produced in France would have seemed laughable to the French. American wines were associated with cheap bulk production, mostly of the jug or screw top caliber. But since the late 1980s, the reputation of American winemakers in France, particularly of California's premium vintners, has reached heights that would have been unimaginable a decade before.

The numbers tell part of the story. According to figures compiled by the Wine Institute in San Francisco, during the four years between 1984 and 1987, total gallons of all American wines exported annually to France grew steadily from 39,000 to 92,000. During the next three years, American wine exports rose more rapidly, to a total of 696,000 gallons in 1990. After a drop of 7.1% in 1991, due largely to the effects of the Gulf War, American wine exports to France are growing faster than ever, jumping to 252,000 gallons in the first quarter of 1992, compared with 144,000 during the first quarter of last year -- an increase of 75%. But even more impressive is the change of opinion that has occurred among Parisian wine stewards in recent years.

At the Plaza Athenee Hotel on Avenue Montaigne, in the heart of Paris' haute couture shopping district, the world-renowned Le Regence Restaurant was one of the first in France to serve American wines. Thomas Didier, wine steward at the Plaza Athenee for 16 years, says he began to offer American wines about 10 years ago. "I have drunk a special reserve of Mondavi '86 Cabernet Sauvignon," he recalls, "and it was a really fantastic wine -- it can be considered equal to the second growth of a Bordeaux." Didier admits that at first the idea of serving American wines in his restaurant "seemed like a risk," and he assumed they would appeal only to their American guests and visiting businessmen. But recently, Didier noticed that many of their French diners "are now curious to discover what an American wine is like. When they try one, they are at first surprised at the quality of these American wines." At present, Le Regence only serves two American varieties, an '85 Mondavi Chardonnay (460 francs) and an '83 Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon (475 francs). Didier says he will probably offer other American brands in the near future, since he has recently tasted "several high quality American wines," and he feels French people have begun to realize that "Americans now produce some very good wines."

Over at the Hotel Ritz on the historic Place Vendome, an American wine has just scored a major breakthrough. George Lepre, the wine steward and restaurant manager at the Ritz for the past nine years, is a world-renowned expert on wines. In 1978, he became the manager of the famed Academy de Vin in Paris, and has lectured to thousands of students at wine seminars all over the world. "Until this year," he concedes, "I thought we might not ever serve an American wine here." Not that he wasn't acquainted with the quality of some premium American wines. At a blind tasting in New York in 1986, Lepre was part of a panel of judges that picked a Napa Valley Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon to win first prize. "After that, my fellow wine stewards in France called me 'The American Agent'," he laughed.

Yet Lepre judged that putting an American wine on the wine list at the Ritz was too much of a gamble in the mid-'80s. He finally changed his mind on May 15 of this year, when he met Francis Ford Coppola during an interview with "Passion des Vins" magazine in the courtyard at the Ritz. There, he tasted a glass of Coppola's Francisco Paolo '82 Rubicon, and immediately decided to include it in the hotel's wine list. Lepre ordered 4 cases, and at 800 francs a bottle, he says he "will recommend it to people who are ready to have a new experience."

"You see," Lepre explained, "French people are now curious about the quality of American wines. A few years ago, French winemakers couldn't imagine any American wines could be as good as French wines. I tell them they are not to be compared directly -- they can be as good in a different way." Indeed, Lepre hopes to add Mondavi's Opus One to his wine list soon, and may offer other American brands in coming months if the reaction of his customers is as positive as he believes it will be.

Some hotels in Paris that have been serving American wines for several years are beginning to notice a marked improvement in the response of their French customers to these imports. At the Intercontinental on the Rue Rivoli, wine steward Claude Marie has seen a major change in the French attitude toward American wines during his 20 years at the hotel. "We have been serving Thanksgiving dinners here for a long time, and about 10 years ago we were asked by some of our American guests to offer some American wines." Over the past two or three years, he says good reviews of American wines in blind tastings done by French wine magazines have begun to convince his French customers that they should try these wines. "When our French guests try an American wine, they generally are pleased with it. They choose the Zinfandel most often, since they prefer red wines." At their Terrasse Fleurie outdoor restaurant, the hotel offers three American varieties: an '84 Caymus Zinfandel (240 francs), an '84 Beaulieu Cabernet (260 francs) and an '87 Clos du Val Chardonnay (260 francs). Marie is certain the popularity of American wines will increase in France over the next few years because "the French press is becoming very favorable to American wines, and the GATT talks should remove some of the trade barriers and increase the availability of American wines in France."

Falling trade barriers may be a while in coming, but American wines in France already have a major advantage over many of their French competitors: price. At some of the fine restaurants in Paris that have begun serving American wines recently, competitive pricing is a major factor in the receptiveness of French customers toward these new arrivals. At the Michel Rostang Restaurant on Rue Reniquin above the Arc de Triomphe, wine steward Alan Ronzatti feels lower prices will insure that "future sales of American wines in France will continue to rise." A survey of their wine list reveals that of the seven selections of American wines they offer -- ranging from an '85 Morgan Chardonnay at 170 francs to an '87 Iron Horse Cabernet at 505 francs -- the prices of these wines averages 100 to 200 francs less per bottle than comparable French varieties. But this is only part of their appeal, Ronzatti says. "I toured some Napa and Sonoma vineyards in '88," he recalls, "and felt they produced really good wines. So I suggested to Mr. Rostang that we serve them here." Ronzatti feels American wines are more "delicate" than they once were, and now, "it's my job to introduce American wines to our French customers. They often resist the idea at first, but I sometimes introduce them in blind tastings at the tables, and they usually like them very much."

At Lucas Carton's business club in their elegant Art Nouveau restaurant on Place de Madeleine, they only began serving American wines last year. Wine steward Thierry Pruvot says after he came to Paris five years ago," I was able to taste American wines at a few restaurants. Before that, I wouldn't have thought American wines were very good." Now, his restaurant carries 10 American wines, including an '83 Beringer Cabernet (250 francs) and a '75 Stag's Leap Merlot (360 francs). Pruvot also employs blind tastings of some American red wines, and he says his French customers often think they are tasting a Bordeaux. "French wines have a long history," he stresses, "but American winemakers have better techniques to produce wines from newer soils."

The budding success of American wines in France has been carefully cultivated by two very different marketing approaches, as employed by two of the largest exporters of California wines to France, Robert Mondavi of Napa Valley and Wente Bros. of Livermore Valley. Michael O'Reilly, Vice President of International Sales at Mondavi, says that the increase of their sales in France has been the result of slow, painstaking groundwork carried out since their varieties first entered the French market in the late '70s. "The French have been the most provincial of all the nations we work with in trying wines from other countries," declares O'Reilly. "We're in 400 restaurants throughout France now, including 15 Michelin 2 and 3 star restaurants. But it has required taking our wines individually to each wine steward," he states. "They have to be shown one by one -- it's been day labor for 14 years."

Wente Bros. has only been exporting their wines to France for two years now, but their growth in sales has been impressive. From a total of 2,800 cases in 1991, they have expanded to 2,600 cases already in the first half of this year, and expect to ship well over 4,000 cases for 1992. John Schwartz, Wente's export director, explains, "Our strategy is to penetrate the skins of the French consumers. We're trying to get our wines out to the general public, the local market in France." At present, Wente sells two of its varieties throughout France, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as a generic red, "Vin de Table Rouge de Californie." "We're concentrating on getting our wines on prix fix menus in cafes and bistros in Paris, and other cities," Schwartz reveals. "We're also selling our products at various wine and gourmet shops, such as Fauchon's on Place de la Madeleine in Paris, and in national supermarket chains such as Carrefour and Genty's."

The future of American wine sales in France should be bright indeed due to the impact of two recent American imports: EuroDisney, and the California VINEXPO show. At the hotels adjacent to EuroDisney's theme park, dozens of California and Washington wines are served with a variety of American cuisine at affordable prices (ranging from $17 to $50 a bottle). One particularly popular innovation offered at the California Grill in the Disneyland Hotel is a red or white "wine flight": four sherry glasses with different varieties of American wines for 45 francs. Mondavi's Michael O'Reilly states, "EuroDisney has made a significant impact on the sale of American wines in France. Our shipments to EuroDisney alone may soon equal our total shipments to our 400 other accounts in France." The Wine Institute's International Marketing Director, Steve Burns, points out, "At EuroDisney, the young, international, European wait-staff is being educated as to the quality of American wines."

The semi-annual California VINEXPO will hold its fifth show in Bordeaux in June of 1993, chaired by Wente's Schwartz. This showcase event for California wines has grown in popularity with French wine consumers every year since its inception in 1985 (over 40 wineries have signed up to participate next year). At VINEXPO '93, there will be a California Grill to demonstrate California cuisine, where three wines by the glass will be served with a three-course prix fix meal. As John Schwartz puts it, "There's been a lot of interaction and professional sharing between winemakers in our two countries lately." It seems American vintners have learned well from their French counterparts -- as French wine drinkers are now beginning to attest.

(Mark Wilson, a freelance writer based in Berkeley, Calif., has written for a variety of publications. This is his first contribution to "Wines & Wines.")

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