by Sophie Kevany

Known as ‘France’s new world’ the Languedoc Russillion wine region is fast gaining a reputation for innovation and quality, but continuing news of terrorist style acts by disgruntled winemakers are, however, an indication that for many, their way of life is coming to an end too soon. For some winemakers, this is a signal to reinvent themselves in ways that will raise quality in the area. For others, it is a call to war.

The arrest last month of a young wine grower, for production and possession of illegal explosives, and his admission that he was involved in the July 2006 bombing of a local tax office, is just the latest the history of CRAV, aka the Regional Committee of Viticulture Action or France’s ‘wine terrorists’.

CRAV operations began in 2005 and the list includes bombings, vandalism and emptying many thousands of litres of wine from local vats. Last year the group sent a video to France’s newly elected president, Nicolas Sarkozy, demanding assistance or else, ‘blood would flow’.

Assistance finally arrived this year in the form of €2m worth of aid, and the passing of laws decreasing payment times and implementing a 15% down payment rule on sales from producer to merchant.

Assistance of another kind has been the determination of certain growers to raise the quality of the region’s wines, and their willingness to adapt.

New world habits such as a focus on distribution, varietal wines and snappy labels are proliferating, and organic - as well as biodynamic - farming techniques are all considered a vital part of the region’s future.

Prime examples are local producers such as Cazes, Bertrand and Mas.

Domaines Cazes has the largest organic vineyard in France and an annual sales turnover of over €3m. Organic was one way forward, but so was distribution, said director Emmanuel Cazes. In 2004, after seeing some difficulties with selling all his stock, he signed up to an exclusive partnership with a major local wine merchant.

Gerard Bertrand, who has five organic/biodynamic vineyards and recently helped to broker a production partnership between four wine co-ops and himself, turned over €27m in 2007.

Later this year he will launch the first organic French wine range for the restaurant, hotel and bar trade. Bertrand says, in the Languedoc, making good wine is important, but not enough. “To succeed, you need … one third quality, one third distribution and one third marketing.”

Jean-Claude Mas would agree. Best known for his cheekily labelled Arrogant Frog wine, which sold 1.3m bottles of it to Australia last year, it is now the leading French wine sold down under.

Success stories like these, however, throw the activities of CRAV, into sharp relief.

“We are in mutation,” explains Emmanuel Cazes, asked about the gulf between successful producer and bitter bomb maker.

His prediction, that over the next five to 10 years, the number of wine co-ops in the area will fall from about 60 to 10, and that one in three people will lose their jobs, show, however, how much mutation is yet to come. Bringing with it, the distinct possibility of further disruptions.