French foreign legion launches wine

The French foreign legion is venturing into the wine industry to help raise money to fund its ageing veterans, it announced last week.

The wine, L’Esprit du Corps, will be sold at €7 (£5.50) a bottle on www.legion-boutique.com. The first wines in the range, from the 2007 vintage, are a red and rosé from the Cotes de Provence appellation.

They are made on a 40ha estate in Puyloubier, Provence, that also currently houses over 100 invalided legionnaires.

Annual production is rated at around 300,000 bottles.

According to the Legion, the wines are being sold in a bid to supplement the French government’s inadequate pension veterans.

Money raised from sales will be used to house and care for veterans as well as help them re-adjust to civilian life.

Written by Erica Loi