Paris, France -- If you ever thought that a newspaper article was so effusive in its praise of a particular wine or winery that it sounded like an ad, then you might understand a Paris county court's recent ruling that such articles should carry health warnings, as paid ads must in France.

However, if you're a believer in freedom of the press, or even a normal consumer of media, you'll probably find the ruling bizarre.

Decanter.com reported this week (decanter.com/news/173401.html) that an editorial piece about Champagne in Le Parisien newspaper during the Christmas holiday season in 2005 could be considered an advertisement even if it wasn't paid for. The article, "The Triumph of Champagne," recommended specific wines of Champagne to buy, where to find them, and told the stories of the brand producers. One particularly effusive headline stated, "Champagne, the incontestable star of the party."

The court's view, reported Decanter, was that "the article was intended to promote sales of alcoholic beverages in exercising a psychological effect on the reader that incited him or her to buy alcohol." The court said that the article should have come with the health and safety disclaimer seen on all alcohol ads in France: "Alcohol abuse is dangerous to your health."

A spokesperson for the French National Association for the Prevention of Alcoholism and Addiction (ANPAA), said of the ruling, "Any communication in favor of an alcoholic drink, such as a series of articles in favor of Champagne, constitutes advertising and is therefore subject to the public health code."

Le Parisien was ordered to pay damages of 5,000 euros to the ANPAA, which brought the case to court. The newspaper had argued that the article as purely an editorial piece.

Wine & Spirit magazine in the UK (wine-spirit.com) reported that France's Evin Law, passed in 1991, placed strict controls on alcohol advertising. Messages must only relate to the quality of the product, and drinking scenes are banned. Health warnings are also now compulsory on all advertisements.

The magazine said President Nicolas Sarkozy promised to reform the law during his election campaign last year, but has not acted so far.