The news must have generated quite a hangover the other morning in the Carnotzets. In addition to the traditional ravages of powdery mildew, downy mildew or gray rot, winegrowers had already had to deal with overstocking and drought. And now we’re throwing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder at them! Understand: all the damage caused to the fetus by alcohol consumption during pregnancy. In Switzerland, nearly 1,700 babies suffer the consequences annually: hyperactivity and other behavioral disorders.
Women are not the only ones concerned, since alcohol could alter the quality of sperm. It is therefore advisable to give it up three months before conception. The World Health Organization (WHO) is adding another layer by recalling the major risk factors proven for more than 200 other injuries and diseases, including cancer.
What arguments are left for wine lobbies? The optimism of Jean Ferrat: “It was a horrible prick, but he was centuries old and didn’t know what to do with it, if he didn’t turn your head” (La Montagne). As proof: the daily glass of port of Jeanne Calment, who died at the age of 122 years, 5 months and 14 days.
Yes, but Jack London, died prematurely in 1916 from his alcoholism, Truman Capote died in 1984 from cirrhosis of the liver, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, died at only 44 years old, worn out by the booze…
So, what future for viticulture? It seems that alcohol-free wine hardly convinces oenophiles. Grape juice? (I remember the delights of red or white Grapillon from my childhood). Or switch from the vine to the olive tree, whose oil – an excellent source of nutrients – protects the heart, reduces inflammation and takes care of the skin… You will definitely have a little glass of it for the road!
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