On November 30, 2024, masked individuals broke into the premises of a winery belonging to the Les Grands Chais de France (GCF) group. They set fire to a storage unit using planks and tires and opened four wine tanks, two of which were completely emptied. The incident was reported by publications, including Decanter. Harald Weitzl, Marketing Director at GCF, confirmed the events to the German trade magazine Weinwirtschaft. The targeted winery was the organic estate Château La Boutignane in Corbières. Weitzl also confirmed the estimated damages of approximately €130,000 cited by Decanter.
No suspects have been apprehended yet, but a police report has been filed, and investigations are ongoing, according to Weitzl. A “CAV” tag was reportedly left behind, suggesting the involvement of the Comité d’action viticole (CAV), a radical group of Occitan winegrowers. The group, active since the early 1960s, has a history of violent actions, including bombings of public institutions and attacks linked to the wine industry. CAV has also been known to oppose the import of foreign wines through direct action.
"Some people have had enough because nothing is changing. We're heading into difficult times, and I can imagine that some might resort to such acts out of desperation,
Additionally, the inscription "viti en colère" (likely referring to "viticulteurs," meaning "winemakers in anger") was found at the crime scene. Currently, there is growing frustration in France over low grape and bulk wine prices. "Some people have had enough because nothing is changing. We're heading into difficult times, and I can imagine that some might resort to such acts out of desperation," said Frédéric Ruoanet, President of the Syndicat des Vignerons de l'Aude (Winegrowers' Association of Aude), in a statement to reporters from France 3. Despite extensive subsidized vine-pulling programs, France is still grappling with a significant overproduction, particularly in the red wine sector.
The reason Château La Boutignane was targeted remains unclear and has not been further commented on by Harald Weitzl. In 2009, a GCF winery in southern France was also attacked—at that time, the target was Domaine de la Baume. VM
