I know there used to be a practice of using cow's blood to process something in French wines. I also understand they discontinued the practice after the mad cow scare in the 90's. Does anyone know anything more about this topic? I have some 1998 French wine and am now wondering if it was made after the practice was discontinued?

Yuck is what I thought when I read your headline. So I went to google and searched on french wine cow blood. In 1999 the french gov't caught 9 wineries continuing the practice that was banned in 1997. So your 1998 vintage probably is OK but it may not be. Not terribly reassuring.
http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Ar...5,2348,00.html

Yea. Since 1997 they've been using mostly pig blood instead, so you should be fine.

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/food/evian.asp

My clicker finger is too fast..

You "know" that there used to be a practivce of using cows blood to process something in French wine??


Snopes tells how the urban legend started with this cows blood story.

Sounds like the product may lack a certain finesse. If you're looking for something as full-bodied as that, but without the added protein, you'd be well advised to sample the robust reds of some warm-weather regions in this part of the world (eg Coonawarra, South Australia).

I remember reading about some Italian wineries being caught a few years ago for the same thing.

There's a Hungarian drop called Egri Bikaver (sp?), which I was told means "bull's blood". But I guess they wouldn't be advertising the fact.

Thanks for all the quick feed-back, folks. Scarlett: It was reassuring to read that snopes article. I can only hope the practice was eliminated or at least is not capable of passing on contaminants. I'd be SOL otherwise. Goshdarnit, I drank a bottle before I thought about the whole subject.

Thanks for all the quick feed-back, folks. Scarlett: It was reassuring to read that snopes article. I can only hope the practice was eliminated or at least is not capable of passing on contaminants. I'd be SOL otherwise. Goshdarnit, I drank a bottle before I thought about the whole subject. I can report it was excellent and not bloody at all.

How did that happen? Can't be the wine. Had that hours ago.

The main diet staple for the Masai in Kenya is a mixture of cow's blood and milk.

The stuff is used to make GREAT sausages, they would never ever waste it or put it into cheap wine!! This is absolutely inefficient, so it's not been done!
I am hungry now...

I believe the only place you can still buy French wine with Cow's Blood is at the MOOlin Rouge. Got Wine?

maitaitom - Udderly disgusting.

mm

I'd better cut down on my red wine intake. Lately I've had an uncontrollable urge to chew my cud.

Think about the post where some guy was scared he didn't get his vitamimes in Europe. ;-).
You really don't need them, nobody really does. Better get the real stuff, and it tastes so good!

I think if you drink the wine with the blood at a Full Moooon is when you run into trouble.

Wonder if that is why the Masai are so tall?

Udder nonsense!