Apparently, the binge-drinking, heavy-smoking, chaotic lifestyle of Bridget Jones isn’t aspirational to some people?
Personally, I can’t relate but according to one expert, the fictional anti-heroine caused a huge slump in sales of her favoured drink around the time of the column in The Independent and, of course, the film’s release back in 2001.
The expert in question is Oz Clarke, a prestigious wine expert and writer from the UK.
‘The blame should be firmly placed at the door of Bridget Jones’
According to The Telegraph in 2008, Clarke said: “Chardonnay has made some of the world’s greatest wines, everyone appreciated it – until Bridget Jones.
“Bridget Jones goes out on the pull, fails, goes back to her miserable bedsit, sits down, pours herself an enormous glass of Chardonnay, sits there with mascara running down her cheeks saying, ‘Dear diary, I’ve failed again, I’ve poured an enormous glass of Chardonnay and I’m going to put my head in the oven.’ Great marketing aid.”
Personally, I would argue that Ms Jones was not supposed to feel relatable to Mr Clarke, and that’s before we even get into the recession that was flooding the UK at the time.
The Independent reported at the time: “Across Britain fewer people are seeking solace – or enjoyment – in chardonnay. In the past 12 months, 7.5 million shoppers bought it, fewer than the previous year, according to the retail analysts TNS. Meanwhile, rivals such as sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio are rising in popularity.”
Clarke made his comments at London’s first self-storage wine facility, adding: “Until Bridget Jones, chardonnay was really sexy. After, people said, ‘God, not in my bar’.
“If you’re a marketing manager what would you say? ‘OK, I’m going to sell something that makes people feel really miserable. Let’s call it chardonnay!’”
Other experts argued that the drink had simply taken a new direction
Alan Griffiths, former wine director of Berry Brothers, Britain’s biggest wine merchants, said: “The appeal of chardonnay is still very strong. It’s a safer bet for a party. It’s more likely to go down well for a group of 50 than a gewürztraminer or a riesling or a sauvignon blanc, which some people find too grassy or acidic.”
Personally, I’ll be raising a toast to Bridget before seeing the newest instalment of her story.
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is out on February 13th in cinemas across the UK.
