Béziers town council wants more local wines in its restaurants

For some time now, a new consumer trend has been developing throughout France. It's called localism, and it's all about buying local products. And in Béziers, the town council seems very interested in this concept. A few days ago, the mayor decided to set up a charter to promote local wines. The aim is simple: to promote the local wine industry, which for a long time suffered from a bad reputation. However, over the last ten years or so, the quality has improved. The time has come to inform the general public, starting with local residents and restaurant customers.

A measure designed to promote local production

To raise awareness of the quality of Coteaux de Béziers wines, the town's mayor is encouraging Béziers restaurants and bars to offer at least 4 references of this PGI by the glass, pitcher or bottle on their menus. In return, they will benefit from a tax reduction. In practical terms, this means a reduction in the fee they pay to the municipality for their terrace, known as the "redevance d'occupation du domaine public". Similarly, employees of establishments committed to promoting this PGI will be required to undergo training to gain a better understanding of these local wines, and thus be better able to sell them to customers. In addition, the municipality has introduced a "J'aime les vins de Béziers" (I love Béziers wines) sticker that bars and restaurants can display in their windows.

Coteaux de Béziers, a PGI produced in the Languedoc vineyards

The PGI syndicate is very pleased with the mayor's initiative. Its president, Pierre Calmel, explains that "today, many restaurants are not used to offering our production". As a result, wines from Burgundy and Côtes-du-Rhône often feature prominently on menus in Béziers - as they do throughout France. But this should soon change in Béziers, and who knows, maybe in other towns too. All the more so as this appellation has evolved considerably over the last ten years, and therefore deserves to be better known. Covering 17 communes, Coteaux de Béziers PGI is attributed to red, rosé and white wines. Grape varieties include Cabernet-Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Grenache, Merlot, Pinot and Syrah. And while the reds are round, with fruity aromas, the whites and rosés have above all aromatic notes of fruit and flowers, and are characterized by their freshness.