“WINES AND CHEESES FROM FRANCE” RETAIL PROMOTION KICKS OFF AT WHOLE FOODS MARKET

Promotion to Include Tastings in Select Stores of French Wines Paired with French Cheeses and Preserves; a Facebook Live Tasting Event; and a “Made in France, Made with Love” Sweepstakes

NEW YORK, NY – (September 13, 2017) –The French Ministry of Agriculture is joining with Whole Foods Market to present “Wines and Cheeses from France,” a culinary celebration at 320+ Whole Foods locations across 42 states*, from August 30 to October 31, 2017.

Whole Foods Market’s global specialty team, Cathy Strange, Doug Bell and Devon Broglie, MS, have curated pairings of delectable French cheeses and Bonne Maman preserves designed to enhance and complement the flavors of 12 very special French wines that are newly available at Whole Foods Market stores.

All locations that offer wine will highlight these select French products on retail shelves and with significant case displays in their wine and cheese departments. In addition, nearly 200 Whole Foods Market locations will offer in-store tastings, allowing customers to sample the French wines, accompanied by the handpicked selection of French cheeses and preserves.

The featured wines represent a range of French wine regions, from Champagne and Chablis to Côtes du Rhône and Bordeaux. The paired cheeses are sourced from throughout France, from the fertile grasslands of Normandy to the deep valleys and steep mountains of the Basque region. The preserves are from Bonne Maman, the beloved French brand made from natural ingredients, following traditional recipes.

“Whole Foods Market is on a mission to provide shoppers with interesting, delicious and high quality wines, and provide a sense of discovery in the process,” states Doug Bell, Whole Foods Market’s senior global coordinator of beverage. “The wine regions of France create the perfect opportunity for people to explore unique terroirs and superb winemakers, and hopefully find some new favorites along the way.”

The selection of wines, cheese and fruit preserves featured at the tastings will vary from store-to-store, but some of the pairings that may be enjoyed include Jacques Bardelot Champagne Brut with Hervé Mons St. Nuage, the classic combination of a delightful bubbly with a buttery soft cheese and a fig preserve added to underline the sweetness; a bright Domaine de la Fruitière Muscadet Gneiss de Bel Abord Sur Lie coupled with a salty Istara P’tit Basque, the smoothness of the sheep’s milk balanced by a tart cherry preserve or quince spread; or Caves D’Esclans Whispering Angel Rosé and Hervé Mons Terre des Volcans Bleu 1924, the richly intense blue cheese highlighting the berry notes in the wine and the fig preserve adding depth.

In late September, Broglie and Strange will host a Facebook Live tasting event. These renowned connoisseurs will share their passion for French products, talk about how they generate their ideas for creating pairings and advise how to best savor the choicest delicacies that France has to offer. The event will offer a rare behind-the-scenes peek into the processes of two of the most knowledgeable food and wine experts in America.

“When it comes to the exploration of cheese and traditional, artisan cheese making, France is the epicenter,” says Cathy Strange, Whole Foods Market’s global executive coordinator of specialty and product innovation and development. “We are thrilled to offer customers a taste bud tour of France by pairing these exciting regional cheeses with wines from the same locale.”

The promotion will also include a contest giveaway – the “Made in France, Made with Love” sweepstakes, with a Grand Prize of a trip to Paris for a 5-day river cruise along the Seine. To enter and for more details, visit www.tinyurl.com/francesweeps.

*The Wines and Cheeses from France promotion will take place at locations that are licensed to sell wine in FL, MD, VA, OH, KY, PA, NJ, DC, IL, MI, IN, NE, WI, MN, MO, MA, NH, CT, ME, RI, CA, NV, NY, OR, WA, NM, ID, CO, TX, KS, UT, GA, AL, SC, NC, TN, MS, LA, HI, AZ, AR, and OK. Dates and times of tastings and products to be tasted determined by each individual store.

For a listing of stores by state, please visit http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/list/state.