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It was 18 years ago in 1991 : 60 Minutes correspondent Morley Safer appeared on my television screen with a bottle of wine on a table in front of him and a glass of wine in his hand . He elaborated in glowing terms about how the health and absence of heart disease in France is directly related to what was “found all in this wonderful glass of red wine , ” which he held out to the camera . Chills went up and down my spine and I remember as if it were yesterday — wine’s “eureka” moment had finally come and this “tipping point” was accelerated by this powerful , highly watched TV show and its cultured host.
Safer referred to this phenomenon as the French Paradox , which indicated that societies that have wine as part of their normal meal lead healthier lives and (probably happier ones as well) because of properties in wine that fight heart disease. This was regardless of the extremely rich diet filled with cheese and other highly caloric foodstuffs that the French generally consumed on a daily basis. Hence the paradoxical aspect of the health of the general population in France.
I mentioned this story to a friend of mine who is a senior executive in the wine business and he recalled exactly where he was when the story ran as vividly as most baby boomers remember where they were when President Kennedy was assassinated.
My friend elaborated on how red wine had to be allocated after this broadcast and that the sales of red wine exploded in the ensuing weeks by more than 40% , a testament to the power of network TV in those days and in particular 60 Minutes.
Do you remember where you were when the French Paradox segment first aired? Do you think there is anything that could happen on the internet that could generate a sales explosion comparable to the one in the early 90’s in the wake of the French Paradox story?
Adam Strum is the Founder and Chairman of Wine Enthusiast Companies and Editor and Publisher of Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
Filed under: Health & Diet
2 Comments
2 Responses to “The Story that Changed the World of Wine”
Please Wait
September 30th, 2009 at 3:45:43 PM
I remember seeing the show. It didn’t strike me immediately how important it was. I didn’t really understand until the industry began reporting a significant boost in the sale of wine, especially red wine. Now, of course, we know it was one of the most important things in the modern history of wine in America. I can’t imagine anything comparable that could happen today. Things like The French Paradox happen once in a generation, if that.
June 22nd, 2010 at 10:47:48 AM
[...] The Story that Changed the World of Wine [...]