Vintners threaten violence

last updated 8 January 2015

Languedoc, France

“Blood will flow” unless President Nicolas Sarkozy does something to raise the price of wine, a group of vigilante winemakers has warned. The threat, issued by the shadowy Union for Viticultural Action, or CRAV, came on a video sent to Sarkozy’s office showing seven masked winemakers reading out their ultimatum. CRAV has already bombed several Languedoc grocery stores that sell foreign wine. Languedoc winemakers, none of whom will admit to being in CRAV, say they are operating at a loss because of falling wine prices. Exactly 100 years ago this week, a price revolt by vintners ended when the French army shot six demonstrators dead.