Frost hits between 30% and 50% of Bordeaux

Bordeaux has had variable impact from early April’s devastating frosts, Harpers has learned, with estimates sitting at around 30% to 50% of vines affected, while some estates have “lost everything”.

Vineyard area edges back to Europe as Spain and France rise and China's growth slows

Vineyard surface area saw some subtle yet far reaching shifts in 2020, with China falling into third place behind Spain and France as EU plantings stabilise and China's plantings slow.

Ruinart dedicates historic vineyard to biodiversity project

LVMH brand Champagne Ruinart is furthering its commitment to nurturing biodiversity in the Champagne region by switching over its 40ha historic Taissy vineyard to a biodiversity pilot project in tandem with Reforest’Action.

Vineyard tour with Argento's Juan Pablo Murgia

Covid and Phylloxera – lessons for the wine trade

Sam Hellyer, head of wine and spirits at Chiswick Auctions, counts 10 years at Oddbins as part of a varied résumé where he headed up the Fine Wine branch in Oxford.

Tech vs critics: developing satellite scores

Saturnalia aims to overcome the ‘mystery and magic’ surrounding fine wine pricing and scores with space-based technology. Felicity Carter eyes up its heavenly ambitions

Q&A: Mark Driver, Rathfinny Wine Estate

As the 2020 vintage came in, Rathfinny owner Mark Driver spoke with Andrew Catchpole about the challenges of flexing the business in a remarkable year

Sussex winery launches with two vintages

New boutique Sussex vineyard Artelium has launched with two sparkling vintages created by winemaker Dermot Sugrue.

AI robot project launches to support UK wine industry

A consortium formed to develop robotics for the UK's viticulture sector to assist in the identification of disease, precision pesticide treatments, and to support pruning and picking, has unveiled its first project. 

Welsh Wine Week to launch with online tasting

Welsh Wine Week will launch with an online tasting led by wine experts Charlie Womersley and Oz Clarke OBE, who will be joined by iconic Welsh performer Max Boyce.

English wineries reveal re-opening plans

Bolney Wine Estate and Coates & Seely have announced how they plan to start reopening their businesses to the public following the PM’s confirmation yesterday that the on-trade can reopen on 4 July with a reduced 1 metre social distancing rule.

Soapbox: Doug Wregg talks natural beauty

Doug Wregg considers prejudice, provenance and ideology in a spoofy wine world.

Climate crunch

New mathematical forecasting is helping scientists plot vine suitability against an ever-changing climate map. Jo Gilbert looks at the challenges to 2050 and beyond.

Essex and East Anglia primed for viticultural expansion say climate change researchers

Climate change researchers have pegged Essex and Norfolk as the next major areas to plant as warmer summers extend the area where grapes can be grown productively in the UK.

Tim Atkin MW: Taking wine to the limit

The life jacket seemed like a good idea, given the size of the launch and the strength of the wind barreling down the jetty. Nervously, I climbed on board and prepared for the final leg of a journey that had started more than 1,000km away in Santiago with a flight to Puerto Montt. From there, I’d taken a ferry to the Isla Grande de Chiloé and driven to Quicavi on its eastern coast. Now it was time to visit the tiny island of Añihué, home to one of the most remote and unusual vineyards in the world.

Alliance adds Manos Negras to portfolio

Importer Alliance Wine has won the exclusive UK agency rights for Argentina’s Manos Negras winery.

Sotheby’s launches own-label range of wines

Global auction house Sotheby’s has launched an own-label range of wines.

Michelin awards first star to UK vineyard restaurant

Interlude, the restaurant at the Leonardslee Estate and Gardens in Sussex, has become the first restaurant attached to a UK vineyard to win a Michelin star.

Tim Atkin MW: Canary in the global coalmine

“Phew. What A Scorcher!” I’m old enough to remember June 1976, when we had 15 consecutive days above 32°C. The Sun’s headline captured some of the excitement I felt as a teenager. In those days British summers were frequently cool, overcast affairs and all of a sudden Kent felt like the Costa Brava. What was scorching then seems almost temperate now. Last week Cambridge sweated through the second hottest day ever at 38.1°C, just behind Faversham’s UK record of 38.5°C in August 2003.

Fit for the future

Maison Martell has formed a dynamic partnership aimed at preparing its vineyards for climate breakdown, as  Alison Reid, of ethical-hedonist.com, reports.