French people never lack opportunities to drink wine; especially to accompany cheese, Fois Gras or even to improve blood circulation. Whether it's at home or at the restaurant, for diner or for lunch, they'll drink it for meal purposes mostly. When going to a bar or a café , they order beer (even passable ones), pastis or other sweet aperitifs. In the end it's pretty rare when they do drink wine for the only sake of it, whithout food to go with. And it's with surprise that we discover that France is actually not so big into Wine Bars. Lots of other countries, even with far less wine culture that ours, do enjoy going to a moisty joint to lift a glass of the precious liquid. Czech Republic for example does have a strong tradition of "Vinarny" where while coming to fil up there jugs (often plastic bottles) the czechs always pound one (or 6) balloon(s) of modry portugal (type of cepage in the Czech Republic). The more "wine" cultured hungarians also love to taste their Tokay at the counter. It almost seems like the wine Bar concept had to be imported to France, where from now on you do occasionally see such establishments in Paris or Lyon.
Are we that arrogant that we despise the concept of openning a bottle when there is no plates on the table? Or Are we just so strongly set in our habits that we can't conceive changing the drinks of our social activities? Who knows? But it's true that in France, each moment has his own beverage. Petanque goes with Pastis, Barbecue with Rosé, crêpes with cider ect...
It's funny to notice that it's the younger generation who's somehow slowly bringing the change. Indeed the few wine bars existing are usually very arty and trendy type of places and it's becoming a more and more "IN" thing to do as a city residents.
If you thought that investing in wine in France wasn't really possible, maybe you might reconsider and look into moving the french outside of their hinges...
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