Q&A with Justin Knock MW winemaking consultant at Cobevco

Carol Emmas talks to Justin Knock MW, winemaking consultant for Cobvevco, the specialist contract bottling company

Douglas Blyde explores Alsace wine with Etienne and Kaoru Hugel on their "working honeymoon"

I reflect, an hour afterwards, on the lightening that threatened to lash my City Jet's slim belly as it was hassled by turbulence heading back to London. Now, with every sip of soothing Alsace wine savoured in Hakkasan's dining room of ebony and Chinoiserie, tension steadily slips away.

Giles Fallowfield travels back 100 years with Lanson's vintage Champagne

Lanson head winemaker Jean-Paul Gandon with his heir apparent Hervé Danton were in London last week for a dinner at Vintners Halls to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of vintage Champagne at the house. Lanson's first vintage Champagne was produced in 1904 and in a nice bit of symmetry it was the first opportunity to taste the newly released 2004 Lanson vintage, another good example of the large, forward and attractive '04 vintage showing biscuity complexity and a long finish.

Q&A: Siobhan Thompson, chief executive, Wines of South Africa

Siobhan Thompson starts work as the new chief executive of Wines of South Africa (WOSA) this week. Previously head of global marketing for Distell's Amarula brand, she brings with her a wealth of international experience. Claire Hu spoke to her about her views on the future direction of South African wine exports.

Richard Siddle: the PR lessons to be learnt from recent media blitz on wine

Jerry Lockspeiser stands up for the WSTA: a great British success

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has been around for a decade short of 200 years. Its name evokes wood panelled board rooms and gentlemanly discussions more than the world of Google and iPhone apps.

Mark Fiddes on whether marketing with cats is the "purrfect" way to sell more wine

"My name is Tiddles...this is my first time at Moggies Anonymous.

Douglas Blyde on all there is to know about Digby Fine English sparkling wine

"England has quite a lot of quite good wines, but few have thought through what their mojo is," says Trevor Clough, co-founder with husband, business partner, and "breadwinner" (a computer speech recognition specialist), Jason Humphries, of Digby Fine English sparkling wines. A former corporate strategist advising Fortune 500 firms, the American/Englishman, born north of Boston and raised in Germany, cites California as inspiration to quit his job to invest time in wine. "I want a tiny part of Napa's fairy dust to rub-off on England," he says.

Q&A: Sandrine Garbay, cellar master at Chateau d'Yquem

How is the 2013 vintage looking for d'Yquem?

Anne Krebiehl: How Doña Paula is making white wine in Argentina's Andean desert

The location is Doña Paula's Alluvia vineyard in Gualtallary, Tunpungato, Argentina. The altitude is 1350m (4429ft) above sea level. Annual rainfall is just 280mm which, technically, makes it a desert.

James McKenna to switch from Codorniu to Mentzendorff

James McKenna is to join Mentzendorff & Co as sales director in the new year.

Q&A: Nicolas Audebert, winemaker at Cheval Des Andes

Nicolas Audebert, Montpellier graduate and winemaker at Cheval des Andes, Cheval Blanc's Argentinian winery in Mendoza, spent the initial two years of the project working with Pierre Lurton in 1999 and has held his current position for seven years, after an interval as winemaker for Krug Champagne.

Richard Woodard talks to Pierre Lurton about Cheval des Andes in Argentina

Having a famous parent can be a tricky business. Launching the new vintages of Moët Hennessy's top Argentinian wine, Cheval des Andes, at Château Cheval Blanc certainly lent the event a whiff of Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) quality - but it also risked allowing the venue to overshadow the wine.

Q&A: Thierry Budin, general director of Crédit Agricole

Over a tasting at seminal London restaurant, Le Gavroche, due to close for a month-long refurbishment in January, Douglas Blyde talks to Thierry Budin, general director of Crédit Agricole. The châteaux collection incorporates Bordeaux properties: Château de Rayne Vigneau (first growth Sauternes), Château Grand-Puy Ducasse (fifth growth Pauillac) and Château Blaignan (Médoc, Bourgeois). Also in the portfolio: Château de Santenay (which includes Mercurey, Aloxe-Corton, Beaune 1er Cru and Clos de Vougeot in Burgundy), and Château Saint Louis La Perdrix (Rhône).

Anne Krebiehl: Pumanque breaks new ground in Chile

Sebastian Warnier, head of viticulture in Chile for Santa Rita Estates, stands atop a hill that overlooks a fair part of the almost 600ha of vines planted by the group in Pumanque, a valley about 50km from Apalta, in Colchagua, just behind the coastal range, a mere 23km from the Pacific, whose cooling fogs and winds can enter through the wind-gap created by the mouth of the Nilahue River.

Kevin Ecock: Tailoring wine education to your audience

The latest in a series of AWEsome opinion pieces from members of the Association of Wine Educators sees Kevin Ecock address the need to remove laziness from wine education and tailor each course to its audience.

Miguel Cruz Liljegren on a sommelier's life serving high rolling Chinese guests

What wines do the modern Chinese really like? Do they only buy what they enjoy the taste of, or are there other factors weighing in. What motivates or discourages the Chinese from a wine order is perhaps not well enough understood among the sommeliers serving them. Harpers had a chat with professionals active in the Maldivian wine trade to learn more, one of the fastest up and coming travel destinations for the young, wealthy and discerning Chinese.

Q&A: Gareth Lewis, chief executive, By the Glass UK

The chief executive of the wine-preservation manufacturer speaks to Carol Emmas about

Tristan Rogers on why Tesco needs to look more at working collaboratively

Tesco recently reported an unprecedented fall in like-for-like sales across all 10 of its international businesses.  The obvious question is 'why?' - but when you are dealing with a beast as big as Tesco, there are no easy answers.

Douglas Blyde gets his hands dirty in a "cook off" competition with Cloudy Bay