Michelin releases its 100th guide

Several chefs have opted out of Michelin's system in recent years, saying the personal and financial investment needed to maintain its standards only pays off for restaurants with a large and fast turnover.

Nine new two-star restaurants and 63 new one-star restaurants were also announced in the latest version.

The guide's first edition was released in 1900, but it didn't come out during the two World Wars or in 1921.

The Michelin guide is published by the French tire company and is considered the bible of French gastronomy. From its start in France, it now publishes guides covering 22 countries.

French winemakers angered by Government move to cut alcohol intake

Wine drinking is in decline in France, a trend exacerbated by government initiatives to curb binge-drinking

The Boyer family business has survived a revolution, four wars with Germany, two with England, eight changes of regime and more economic crises than anyone can remember since it began making wine by the Mediterranean in southern France.

So it is perhaps surprising that a handful of bureaucrats should be able to disturb Jacques Boyer’s sang-froid at he sits overlooking his centuries-old estate on the dry, yellowish land of the Côtes de Thongue outside Béziers. “It’s incredible and dramatic,” he says, shaking his head at the campaign to cut alcohol consumption in France, in the name of public health. “These incessant, regular attacks are undermining our national heritage.”

French wine exports slip in recession

France exported$11.7 billion worth of wine last year, said Claude de Jouvencel, the head of the French Federation of Wine and Spirits Exporters.

Though the world export market held out surprisingly well and was just under the record-breaking result of about 9.4 billion euros in 2007, de Jouvencel said the outlook for 2009 is murky.

"It will be a difficult year, without a doubt," de Jouvencel told journalists at a news conference.

While exports of Champagne and wines from Burgundy slipped, and exports of table wines and Bordeaux were up — mainly on sales of the critically acclaimed 2005 vintage, which went on sale in early 2008, the group said.

Champagne sales lose some bubbles

There doesn't seem to be much to celebrate these days, what with social unrest, economic doldrums, terrorism and civil war. So, it should come as no surprise the beverage most associated with celebrating is suffering a sales slump.

France's Champagne Vintners' Committee this week announced shipments of Champagne within the country and abroad fell 4.8% in 2008 compared to the previous year.

One consolation may be that the 322,453,852 bottles sold is slightly more than in 2006.

The industry group said in a statement that exports to European Union consumers outside France were down 6.5% per cent in bottle terms, and non-European exports were down 6.2& per cent in 2008. Shipments within France were down 3.6%.