This article appeared in "The Times" today. (Sat, Feb 10, London):
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 10 2001
"Dear Jane
Q: I am French and prefer to drink French wines. Recently my British friends have told me that red French wines contain animal blood to give colour and also gelatine. Are these rumours true? — Mrs Moss, Harrow
A: Sadly, they can be. A long time ago fraudulent Italian wine producers were found doing just that with ox blood, and last year in the Rhône a few French growers were caught using an animal-blood-based powder to fine (clear) their red wine. It is illegal only since the BSE scare. Gelatine, in both its animal and vegetable forms, continues to be an accepted EC wine additive.
France is no more guilty of these old-fashioned wine practices than any other European country. And fining agents such as these are precipitated out of the wine long before it goes on sale. Do not let your witless friends scare you."
OK, I`m sure that the reference to witless friends is just coincidental, but it does make you wonder about the memorial. The phrase "This means my blood" could be a lot more accurate than many JW`s would care for!
Englishman.