Hundreds of wine-growers in France's Bordeaux region are selling up, blaming mounting costs, global over-production and crushing loans taken out to finance fruitless investment. Though the finest wines from internationally-famous vineyards can demand high prices, the average bottle of Bordeaux costs less than £2. There is a similar story in many other parts of France. There has been civil unrest in Languedoc with farmers demanding state subsidies, while growers in Beaujolais have formed collectives. Meanwhile foreign investors – many described as "Asian nouveaux riches" – are hovering. The Observer 07/05/06 page 36