Let’s do a bit of reading together.

A couple of days ago, I read an article in one of France’s most famous newspaper, and I’m dying to share it with you! The article is called “What does it mean to be French – Qu’est ce qu’être français-“; it is an attempt to summarize the opinion of some of the most renowned French writers.

But SACRE BLEU! This is what the Humble winemaker –Jean-Claude Mas- has been doing with me since I was born, make you discover France and French people! Through my wines and labels, limited editions and blendings, I am conveying a little bit of French way of life, and I’m in some way (and in total modesty) a certain representation of France and French people!

So, let’s start. Here we can read a writer describing the charm of the regions and “the long countryside roads, edged with poppies, where we could stop to visit some Roman churches”.

Another writer describes the “extraordinary patchwork of landscapes”, a “constant wonder”. Of course, there is no doubt that France is the most beautiful country in the world, and my dear South of France a jewel in the “hexagone” (this is how we –French people- geographically and geometrically describe France). Another writer shares the same view: “few territories offer such a historical or geographical diversity. Our language too includes many words from other languages”. “I love French landscapes, the countryside, the trees, the cities, the villages, the mountains…”.

Here, I had great fun reading this writer talking about “art de vivre”; I think he expresses a vision that is the nearest to mine when describing France. I promote our “art de vivre” every time I travel, or in any bottle: drink well (in moderate quantity) and eat well, our best desired secret. “It is when I am abroad that I feel more French than ever. I believe I am a good defender of France. I defend its nonchalance, its spirit, this kind of lightness, frivolity and elegance, the taste for luxury and good eating. But then, when I’m back in France, I spend my time criticizing France, and this is also very French.”…”I love the way we live in France, a kind of softness, we develop an art for conversation, a taste to dress up, which cannot be found anywhere else, except in Italy.”

The following words could be mine, but they aren’t. “I also feel French for its ironical sensibility. Arrogance too, which we inherited from centuries of elitist culture”.

Those are another writer’s words: “The mocking mind of French people makes them often forget to be proud of their country”. He is right in many cases, but I tell you what, I am so proud of my country of my wine! I am so happy to make people discover and learn about French wine in a nice way, with reasonable prices!

The 7th writer, French with foreign origins, tells us that “When a French person is abroad, he is different from the others, but he is so attached to his “Frenchness”. He is really interested in the other culture he is in contact with”. Just ask Jean-Claude Mas, whenever he travels he meets so different cultures, and he just gets passionate telling them about our country and his dear South, and his dear good wines. But anytime he comes back, he will take into account all his experience he brings back from abroad, to make the wines, packaging, limited edition, evolve and make them even closer to what you want to keep you a Frog enthusiast.

Guess what, this article made me feel really good, and I hope you enjoyed taking a break reading my summary. I will finish with that sentence: “The French bullshit (sorry for this word, it is in the article) is to believe that we are the only one in the world to make something good, or the only one to think we don’t do anything good at all!”. But there, I don’t fully agree with the writer. It is true that I was born thanks and in reaction to this French “connerie”, to the myopia of those French wine producers who didn’t care about what the consumers wanted and were still thinking they were doing the best wines in the world; this is why the Humble winemaker dared doing something different and introduced a bit of self-derision in this very serious French world of wine. But I totally disagree to read the last part of the sentence, because I am deeply convinced to make something good and to do the right thing!”.

Article coming from Figaro