Bottles of wine in a cellar (illustration).

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Paul Cooper / Rex Featu / REX / SIPA

Marie-Guite Dufay, the president of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, is counting on Joe Biden to lift the surtax on French wines and spirits.

The one who is at the head of the first wine region in France sent a letter to the new President of the United States on Thursday to demand the removal of "Trump taxes" which "penalize" wine producers.

As a token of Franco-American friendship, she took the opportunity to offer Joe Biden a bottle of the very famous Côte de Beaune and another of white wine made from the Chardonnay grape, emblematic of the best Burgundy wines.

In a letter to @JoeBiden, I call for a lifting of the Trump taxes which penalize winegrowers in the region.

As a token of Franco-American friendship, I am adding a bottle of Côte de Beaune and one of Chardonnay from our wine-growing schools pic.twitter.com/tW68LH2h20

- Marie-Guite Dufay (@MarieGuiteDufay) January 21, 2021

Joe Biden at the next Hospices de Beaune wine sale?

The president of the region also invites the Head of State to participate in the next Hospices de Beaune wine sale, the oldest charity wine auction in the world which traditionally takes place on the third Sunday in November.

“France's leading wine region, the wines of Burgundy and Jura have been subject to a 25% tax on their commercial value since October 2019 when they arrive on American soil,” writes Marie-Guite Dufay.

“This measure puts the winegrowers and winegrowers in my area in difficulty.

The United States is the leading export market for Burgundy wines and the shortfall is already estimated at more than 33 million euros, ”she underlines.

A “lose-lose” conflict

“It is therefore necessary to resume negotiations with the European Union in order to re-establish balanced and peaceful relations.

This "lose-lose" conflict must find a positive outcome in order to facilitate access to Burgundy and Jura wines to American consumers.

As a pledge of this renewed confidence, I am offering you, on behalf of all Burgundians-Francs-Comtois, two bottles of wine, ”adds the president.

Since the fall of 2019, the US administration has overtaxed French wines as part of an old dispute with the EU over public aid to Airbus and Boeing.

A second round of tariffs went into effect on January 12.

It extends the types of wine concerned (champagne is still spared) and includes cognacs.

Economy

Tariffs: Heavy US taxes on a myriad of European products

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