Testing times for French wine producers

Wine is less a beverage than an elixir of life in France, but the country’s vintners say they’re confounded by a problem that threatens their livelihood - too much of a good thing and not enough people drinking it.

Pinched by overproduction, shrinking exports, advertising restrictions, an aggressive campaign against alcohol abuse and changing drinking habits, at least 6,000 growers and winemakers staged spirited demonstrations nationwide yesterday to press the government for help.