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1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Thursday 30 July 2009

Do I need to speak French?

Today I received this question from someone in New Zealand, who will soon be visiting the Loire and wants to go and see a number of producers.

'I understand a tiny bit of French but really am not able to speak it ~ is that likely to prove a major problem at cellar door?'

My response?: lack of French can be a problem but many producers now speak some English and some very well as they have worked abroad. It is always worth making an effort to speak French as it is appreciated.

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I think it is remarkable how far it is possible for people who have the same interest but don't share the same language can manage to communicate. However, there is no doubt that if you can speak French when visiting producers in the Loire you will learn much more. There are the subtleties of language that get lost in translation. The important thing is to try to speak – irrespective of how many mistakes you make – it is the only way to learn, although it is tiring and requires concentration.

I pleased that when I started to write about wine at the end of 1988 I made a special effort to improve my pretty limited French. When speaking to French people I would refuse to speak English, even though their English was way better than my French at the time. I clearly remember one day when it clicked and I discovered I had the confidence to change what I was saying if it wasn't working. Rather like that moment when you find you can ride a bike or swim.

For my work I have have found it hugely useful to be able to speak French whether it is face to face or on the phone. Now if I'm in a country where I either don't speak the language or I only have a few words I find it frustrating during a visit to a wine producer with an interpreter because I know that only about half (at best) of what the producer says gets translated and sometimes wrongly.

There are also nowadays a number of producers who speak English, particularly the younger generation either because they have made wine in California, South Africa, Australia or New Zealand etc. or because they travel to English speaking countries exporting their wines without forgetting the influence of American films and TV.

10 comments:

StephenC said...

All good points.
If you understand any French, there is a wonderful FREE podcast that is (in my humble opinion) easily the best podcast out there for improving your French. I think I've listened to all of them.
www.learnfrenchbypodcast.com

regards

michaell said...

I have found learnfrenchbypodcast.com really really good. For visits to wineries and the odd bit of technical stuff LexiWine (a specialised french-english dictionary) published by C & P Cadiau ISBN 2-907080-10-5
has taken me out of a few foggy patches.

Jim's Loire said...

Thanks Stephen and Michael. Yes LexiWine is useful.

Jim's Loire said...

I meant to add that I find reading the local newspaper every day very useful. When I'm in the Loire I buy La Nouvelle République – when I'm away I read it on line.

Jean said...

A lot of the smaller producers speak very little English but I still recommend visiting them. It can be entertaining and fun and we have always had a good experience even when our French was much poorer than it is now. We have always been made welcome. The important thing is to have a go.

Jim's Loire said...

'The important thing is to have a go."

Completely agree Jean and keep speaking French even when people reply to you in English!

Bob Rossi said...

I find that at most wineries, it helps to speak some French. Although my wife's French is very good, my French is pretty poor. However, for some reason, when the subject is wine or food, I can converse in French much better than, say, when trying to discuss the weather or politics. So no matter how bad my French, I try to converse in French at wineries, and it really helps.

glennw said...

We visited the loire recently from South Africa. We really weren't able to speak much more french than a greating and good bye. But we tried to speak a few french words every now and then. We didn't have too many problems with english as lots of french wine makers can speak english. But making an effort to speak a few french words is always a good idea. I think the french appreciate it even if you make lots of mistakes and it makes for an interesting visit. Enjoy the loire, we had a great time.

Jim's Loire said...

Thanks Glen. I always made a big effort to enjoy the Loire!!

Jim's Loire said...

Bob. I agree. You learn a specialist vocabulary for wine. In other fields it can be more difficult as you don't have the necessary specialist words.