The Bordeaux Court of Appeal is due to examine an appeal on Tuesday, November 3, brought by Valérie Murat, spokesperson for the Alerte aux toxiques association. In 2021, a court in Libourne ordered her to pay more than €125,000 to the Bordeaux Wine Council and 25 cooperatives and wine estates for allegedly disparaging Bordeaux wines.
The case concerns analysis results published in the press in September 2020 that found pesticide traces in wines carrying the “high environmental value” (HVE) certification. The Libourne court described the communication around the report as deliberately alarming and ordered Murat to remove it from digital platforms, with a financial penalty for non-compliance.
Murat has since closed her website, X account and Facebook page. The association La Maison des lanceurs d’alerte has described the ruling as a “gag procedure,” arguing that such legal action can be used to silence critical voices rather than simply to secure a court victory.
The appeal hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Bordeaux. Alerte aux toxiques says it wants to break the silence around pesticides.
Sources: Le Monde.