"I like swimming against the tide," he told AFP, announcing plans to propose top bottles of Burgundy and Bordeaux at knockdown prices to encourage diners to order wine by the bottle rather than by the glass." "I'm obsessed with selling wine," Ducasse said, adding that he was horrified to see customers in New York order iced tea with their lunch instead of wine. In France too, wine is becoming less of a staple during business lunches, prompting some restaurants to offer food-tea pairings. Dry January - or le mois sans alcool as it is known in France - has also run into opposition from the country's winemakers. The minister has backed several intiatives to try and limit drinking in France - which is responsible for 41,000 deaths a year.

Source: The Local January 15, 2020 07:52 UTC