French wine

1
French Culture
2

• 5,000 varieties of wine variety of French
  ideosynchrasies
• Five characteristics
• Pureness
• Classification
• Composition
• Suitability
• Maturation
• Pureness
• It is a VERY complicated process to make wine,
  and many variables will affect the outcome
  (French are very unpredictable, too). You never
  know what youre going to get.
• Aggregation of peoples struggling to forge a
  unified identity
• Belief in cultural superiority

3

• Classification
• Overall 4 classifications of wine, and also four
  classes of people
• Haute bourgeoise aristocrats
• Petite bourgeoisie white collar workers
• Moyennes middle class
• Populaires - workers
• People know their place, but do not feel
  inferior to others

4

• Outsiders are countenanced but not readily
  embraced.
• Rules, regulations there is a certain, proper
  way to do something (same with wine making).
• Politeness, attention to detail.
• Little fluidity crossing class lines.
• Centralized social structure, including
  government tight control of institutions high
  level of centralization
• Low risk takers. Want to know you intimately.

5
Composition Abrupt, spontaneous,
relationship-oriented. Legally sanctioned work
week of 35 hours. Accept high degree of power
distance. Dislike uncertainty

• Highly individualistic very feminine (quality
  and pace of life are important All good wine
  in its own time.)
• Innate restlessness to explore every nook and
  cranny of an issue in conversation.
• They can be argumentative, quick to criticize.
• Family is very important, as are close friends.
• Long, deep conversations with close relations
• Little contact / conversation with others.
• Children must be brought up properly. To learn
  respect. They must be civilized by parents.
• Women are seen as equal but different than men.
  Different roles.

6

• Suitability
• Rules for everything
• Complicated but free government and politics
• Immigration
• The Maturation Process
• Controlled education maturity must be attained
  for the child to progress through grades. Skills
  must be demonstrated.
• More than anything, social status determines
  ones future.
• French are critical of the way Americans make and
  discard friends.