第2822期:Wine decline

We're looking at the wine industry. Yeah, we're looking at two countries whose wine industries have faced two very different problems recently. Richard, we're starting with South Africa.我们来看看葡萄酒产业。是的，我们要谈的是两个国家，它们的葡萄酒产业最近面临着截然不同的问题。理查德，我们先从南非开始吧。

Tell us about that. Yes, well they've been making wine for quite some time, since 1659, and they are the eighth largest wine producer, producing 3.3% of the world's wine. Who do they export to? Mainly to Europe.说说南非的情况吧。好的，他们酿酒的历史可以追溯到1659年，是世界第八大葡萄酒生产国，占全球葡萄酒产量的3.3%。那他们主要出口到哪里呢？主要是欧洲。

It's 13% to the UK, 11% to Germany and 3% toFrance. So they're doing quite well. Well, as it happens, wine production in South Africa has actually been gradually falling.出口比例是：英国13%、德国11%、法国3%。所以总体来说，他们的表现还不错。不过事实上，南非的葡萄酒产量近年来一直在逐渐下降。

Now it's mainly because of the drought that they've been having over the last few years. Right, but for this podcast, we're talking about a specific problem they have now. Yes, they have had a specific problem this year, is that they've got a surplus stock of about 300 million litres of wine, which is about 400 million bottles.主要原因是过去几年他们经历了严重的干旱。没错，但在这期节目中，我们要讨论的是他们现在面临的一个特殊问题。是的，今年他们面临的问题是，出现了大约3亿升葡萄酒的库存过剩，相当于4亿瓶酒。

That's a lot. It's about the total wine sales for them for one year. So how has that happened? I'll give you one guess.这可不少啊，这个数量几乎相当于他们一年的葡萄酒总销量。那这是怎么发生的？我让你猜猜看。

Covid. Now, South Africa has the most Covid-19 deaths of any African country and the President, he decided to introduce some serious measures and these included the total ban on alcohol sales in the country. A complete total ban? Yes, the President argued that it was necessary to reduce alcohol-related illnesses and injuries so that hospitals could instead focus just on Covid-19.新冠疫情。南非是非洲新冠死亡人数最多的国家，总统决定采取严厉措施，其中包括全国范围内全面禁止酒类销售。全面禁止？是的，总统认为这样做是为了减少酒精相关疾病和伤害，好让医院能专注于治疗新冠患者。

Right, OK. Now, what was the result of that? Well, the domestic wine sales decreased by 20% and, of course, exports declined as well because people in Europe were drinking less because of the pandemic. And actually, in addition, some winemakers were unable to launch any new products and the industry actually fears a loss of 27,000 jobs across the industry.好的。那么结果如何？国内葡萄酒销量下降了20%，当然出口也下降了，因为疫情期间欧洲人也减少了饮酒量。此外，一些酿酒商无法推出新产品，整个行业预计可能会失去约27,000个工作岗位。

That is 10% of the total workforce of 265,000. Not looking good for South Africa then. So what's your country then, Jackie? Well, the second country produces a lot more than South Africa, between three to four billion bottles of wine.这相当于全国26.5万名葡萄酒从业者中的10%。南非的情况看起来不太乐观。那么，杰基，你说的另一个国家是哪一个？第二个国家的产量比南非高得多，每年在30到40亿瓶之间。

That's got to beFrance, hasn't it? Yeah. Now, but interestingly, Richard, over the last few years, the French wine industry too has seen a steady decline. And why is that then? A number of reasons.那一定是法国，对吧？没错。不过有趣的是，理查德，近年来法国的葡萄酒产业也在持续下滑。那是为什么呢？原因有好几个。

The US has imposed import taxes on French wine. The UK left, so Brexit also caused a problem. Sales to the UK dropped.美国对法国葡萄酒征收了进口税；英国脱欧也带来了问题，对英出口量下降了。

And also, interestingly, competition with many New World wines. Such as South Africa. Well, exactly, exactly.还有一个原因是来自“新世界葡萄酒”的激烈竞争。比如南非。没错，正是如此。

Yes, French wine's always more expensive, isn't it? But there is now a specific problem. At least a third of French wine production, worth almost 2 billion euros, will be lost this year. Wow.是的，法国葡萄酒一直比较昂贵，对吧？不过现在他们也面临一个特殊问题。今年至少三分之一的法国葡萄酒产量将损失，价值近20亿欧元。哇。

Is that Covid-related? Not because of Covid. Why then? The weather. Rare freezing temperatures have devastated many vines across the country.这也是因为新冠疫情吗？不是。那是什么原因？天气。罕见的低温冻结摧毁了全国许多葡萄藤。

But it's not just the bitter frost and ice, which is the worst in decades, Richard. But the problem was, it came after a bout of warm weather. So the vines started to develop earlier than usual.不仅仅是几十年来最严重的冰霜灾害，理查德，问题在于它发生在一段温暖天气之后。葡萄藤因此提前萌芽。

And then they were killed off. And then they were killed off by the frost, yeah. 80% of vineyards have been affected inFrance.然后这些嫩芽就被霜冻毁掉了。是的，被冻死了。法国80%的葡萄园受到了影响。

Wow, that's a lot. That's a lot, yeah. And some areas have lost all of their crops, 100% of their crops, and they don't think they'll produce a single bottle.哇，那可真严重。是的，确实如此。一些地区的葡萄作物全部被毁，100%绝收，他们甚至预计今年一瓶酒都酿不出来。

It's been devastating. I'm sure. Yeah.这太毁灭性了。是啊，确实如此。

But, Richard, one wine country has done well. No US tariffs, no limits on drinking during Covid and no bad weather. Wow, where's that then?Portugal.不过，理查德，有一个葡萄酒生产国的情况相当不错。没有美国关税，没有新冠期间的饮酒限制，也没有恶劣天气。哇，那是哪儿？葡萄牙。