The Béziers city council wants more local wines in the city's restaurants.

For some time now, a new consumer trend has been developing across France. It is called localism, which involves favoring local products. And in Béziers, the city council seems very interested in this concept. A few days ago, the mayor decided to implement a charter promoting local wines. The goal is simple: to promote the local wine industry, which has long suffered from a poor reputation. However, over the past decade, the quality of local wines has improved. The time has therefore come to inform the general public, starting with the residents and customers of the town's restaurants.

A measure designed to promote local production

To promote the quality of Coteaux de Béziers wines, the mayor of Béziers is encouraging local restaurants and bars to offer at least four wines from this protected geographical indication (PGI) by the glass, pitcher, or bottle on their menus. In return, they will benefit from a tax reduction. In concrete terms, this means a reduction in the fee they pay to the municipality for their terrace, known as the public domain occupancy fee. Similarly, employees of establishments involved in promoting this IGP will have to undergo training to learn more about these local wines and thus be able to sell them effectively to customers. In addition, the municipality has designed a sticker that says "I love Béziers wines" that bars and restaurants can display in their windows.

Coteaux de Béziers, a PGI produced in the Languedoc vineyards

The union representing this PGI is quite pleased with this initiative by the mayor of Béziers. Its president, Pierre Calmel, explains that today "there are many restaurants that are not in the habit of offering our products." As a result, wine lists in Béziers—as elsewhere in France—mostly feature wines from Burgundy and the Côtes-du-Rhône. But this should change soon in Béziers and, who knows, perhaps in other municipalities too. Especially since this appellation has evolved considerably over the last ten years and therefore deserves to be better known. Covering 17 municipalities, the Coteaux de Béziers PGI is attributed to red, rosé, and white wines. Among the grape varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Cinsault, Grenache, Merlot, Pinot, and Syrah. While the reds are round with fruity aromas, the whites and rosés have aromatic notes of fruit and flowers and are characterized by their freshness.