“The year 2025 will be very, very tough”: the new wines of Gard were presented at the town hall of Nîmes despite a context of wine crisis

Chantal May, représentante du maire, aux côtés d’élus et de Romain Angelras, président des Jeunes agriculteurs du Gard. Midi Libre – Pierre Meuriot

Malgré la traditionnelle fête des vins primeurs organisée ce jeudi 17 octobre à l’hôtel de ville nîmois, l’heure est à l’inquiétude pour les viticulteurs du Gard.

The tradition continues, but the observation itself is alarming. This Thursday, October 17, in the lobby of the office of the Nîmes town hall, the traditional presentation of the new wines of Gard was held, an event which, for thirty years, has marked the third Thursday of October. However, this year, the celebration took a more serious turn, marked by the profound difficulties that the Gard wine industry is going through.

Chantal May, deputy for Vegetation, Parks and Gardens, and representative of Mayor Jean-Paul Fournier, opened this meeting by praising the richness and diversity of the Gard vineyards, which constitute an essential pillar of the local economy. “I am very happy to be here today, particularly in view of the current situation of wine growing in the Gard”, she said, referring to the challenges the sector has been facing for several months.

"An unprecedented crisis"

The Compagnie des vins de pays gardois, created in 1989, has a clear mission: to promote local wines and defend the interests of the department's winegrowers. Usually festive, the presentation of the primeur wines, whether red or white, took place in a more sober atmosphere. However, this sobriety did not prevent the actors present from recalling the importance of viticulture for the region.

Every year, the Compagnie des vins de pays du Gard is invited to the town hall to promote local wines. Midi Libre – Pierre Meuriot

Romain Angelras, president of the Young Farmers of Gard, spoke to highlight the scale of the crisis the profession is going through. If this moment should be a moment of celebration, the tone is serious. Wearing a black armband in protest, he explained that the symbol represented "an unprecedented crisis" which has been raging for almost a year. This gesture echoes the many actions carried out recently in the department, such as the overturning or tearing down of town entrance signs, aimed at challenging the government without targeting local mayors. “The families who strive to keep this territory alive are suffering”, added the young president, insisting on the idea that the Gard without vines would be inconceivable.

A call for local consumption

In a speech marked by gravity, the president of the Young Farmers recalled that behind each bottle of wine, there are men and women who work tirelessly to maintain a lively local tradition. “It is important to consume locally, so think of us for the holidays”, he said, calling for solidarity with the producers of the Gard.

The future seems uncertain for the winegrowers of the Gard, and Romain Angelras concluded by warning that “the year 2025 will be very, very hard”. This meeting, usually placed under the sign of the celebration of new vintages, was thus transformed into a moment of reflection on the future of viticulture in the department. Despite everything, the primeur wines remain a strong symbol of the Gard identity, recalling the importance of preserving these lands and the know-how that brings them to life.