117. Why You Can't Buy Spanish Wine at a French Supermarket - The Wine Wars of the Languedoc

Episode 117: Why You Can't Buy Spanish Wine at a French Supermarket - The Wine Wars of the Languedoc

Host: Joanne Close Episode Length: 10:50 Release Date: June 25th 2026

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Episode Description

Joanne heads into Narbonne to do a grocery run at the local Carrefour and comes back with a story. Two full aisles of wine, almost entirely French, overwhelmingly local, and not a single bottle of Rioja, Barolo, or Albariño in sight. This episode is about why that is, and the surprisingly dramatic history behind it.

The Languedoc produces around a third of all wine made in France, and local growers have fought hard to protect that. Joanne traces the story back to 1907, when hundreds of thousands of producers took to the streets of Narbonne and Béziers to protest collapsing prices and rampant fraud. What followed was more than a century of unrest, culminating in the Wine Wars of the 1970s through 1990s and right up to recent protests in 2023 and 2024 that involved stopped tanker trucks, smashed cases, dumped wine on highways, and tractors blocking motorways.

It is a genuinely fascinating piece of wine history that also happens to explain a lot about the regional pride you feel when you are here, and why the wine aisle at a French supermarket looks nothing like the one back home.

What You'll Learn in This Episode Buying Wine in the South of France

• What the wine selection actually looks like at a major French supermarket
• Why over 95% of wines available are French, with around 85% being local Languedoc and Roussillon wines
• Why Champagne is the one exception and why the Champagne aisle in a French supermarket tends to be exceptional
• Where to source non-French wines if you need them for a WSET Level 2 class in the region

The History of the Wine Wars

• The 1907 protests in the Narbonne and Béziers area, when hundreds of thousands of growers demonstrated against price collapse and wine fraud
• How fraudulent labeling, with wines from other regions being sold as Languedoc, undermined local producers
• The pattern of continued unrest through the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, including the targeting of imported wine shipments from Spain
• The 2023 attack near the Spanish border when growers stopped trucks, smashed cases, and poured wine onto the highway
• The 2024 tractor protests, when farmers blocked highways and dumped manure outside government offices to demand protection for local wine

Why the Languedoc Is Worth Protecting

• The Languedoc produces approximately one third of all wine made in France
• The sheer variety and quality available at all price points means there is genuinely no need to import cheaper wine from neighboring countries
• The local pride that runs through everything from the supermarket shelf to the family vineyard

Episode Highlights and Quotes

"Languedoc makes about a third of all the wines in France. There's plenty of wine to choose from at all price points, so there's no need to truck in inexpensive Spanish wine that's gonna act as a competitor and potentially put you and your cousin out of business."

"When you're mad and you're a farmer, you gotta work with what you got. Well, you've got a tractor."

"To see a whole aisle and a half full of Languedoc appellation wines makes me pretty excited. I kind of really love it."

Quick Reference: The Wine Wars Timeline Year Event 1907 Mass protests in Narbonne and Béziers over price collapse and wine fraud. Troops sent in. Lives lost. 1970s to 1990s Ongoing Wine Wars. Imported Spanish wine tankers stopped and emptied onto roads. Retailers pressured to support local producers. 2023 Growers near the Spanish border stop trucks, smash cases, and pour wine onto the highway. 2024 Tractor protests block highways. Manure dumped outside government offices. Rotten produce and grape marc left outside supermarkets. Resources Mentioned

• Carrefour supermarket, Narbonne
• Cave a Manger, Narbonne (restaurant mentioned in episode 116)
• Fête de la Musique, the French summer solstice music festival
• Languedoc, Roussillon, and surrounding appellations
• Wine and Pilates Retreat (upcoming trip)
• Spring 2027 trips: https://www.wineeducate.com/trips

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About Wine Educate

Wine Educate is a WSET Approved Programme Provider offering internationally recognized wine certification courses. Through the podcast, Joanne Close makes wine education accessible to everyone, breaking down complex topics into practical, easy-to-understand lessons. Whether you are studying for your WSET certification or simply want to learn more about wine, you will find the guidance and knowledge you need to enjoy wine with confidence.

Episode 117 of the Wine Educate Podcast | Hosted by Joanne Close | © 2025 Wine Educate