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.

Analysis: How France is holding its own in global wine production despite difficult 2013 vintage

In response to last week's report from Morgan Stanley Research, which revealed a possible global wine shortage on the horizon, Harpers.co.uk is taking a closer look at key wine producing countries to assess whether they may or may not be contributing to the the global wine shortage hype. Today we look at France.

Morgan Stanley predicts global wine shortage

Average French bottle of wine now sells for £6.20 says France Summit

The average bottle of French wine in the UK off-trade sold for £6.10 in the 12 weeks up to October 22 compared to the market average of £5.24, according to figures released at last week's inaugural Harpers France Summit in London.

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).

Château Haut-Gléon to open its gates to tourists

Southern French wine co-operative Les Vignobles Foncalieu is opening its Château Haut-Gléon vineyards as a wine tourism destination.

French Wine Awards 2013 winners revealed

Waitrose, Les Caves de Pyrène, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Gerard Basset MS OBE and Andrew Jefford were some of the major winners in the first Harpers French Wine Awards announced yesterday at its inaugural France Summit in London.

French attitude to UK wine market improved, hears summit

There has been a marked improvement in recent years in the attitude of many French producers looking to work in the UK market, according to Anne Burchett, managing director of Sopexa UK. 

Fears France's latest vintage will put pressure on UK retailers

Whilst the French wine category is currently enjoying "unprecedented" sales in some UK retailers, there are real concerns about what impact this year's expected troubled vintage is going to have on the market in the year ahead.

Gavin Quinney scoops Special Recognition accolade at French Wine Awards

Gavin Quinney, the English winemaker who owns and produces wine at Château Bauduc in Bordeaux, has won the Special Recognition Award at the first Harpers French Wine Awards.

Live report from the France Summit 2013

The darling of the UK market, France, is being celebrated today at St Ermin's Hotel in London, with players in all channels coming together to discuss the importance and future of the UK's favourite wine-producing country.

Leading UK wine trade figures head to London for first France Summit

Leading figures from across the UK wine trade will be attending tomorrow's inaugural Harpers France Summit that will look at how well the industry is sourcing, promoting and selling French wine across the on and off-trades.

Late Champagne harvest should still bring good balanced vintage

France Summit to reveal latest off-trade and promotional performance of French wine

Gerard Basset to take part in trade wine clinic at France Summit

Master sommelier and former World Sommelier of the year, Gerard Basset, is to take part in a special wine clinic at this month's Harpers France Summit, in which he will give his expert, personal advice on how best to source, range, price and promote French wines on a wine list.

Château Margaux releases first ever Balthazar bottle

Le Clos, retailer of fine wines and spirits, unveiled today it will be selling a Balthazar (12 litres) of Château Margaux 2009 for US$195,000, which is currently on display at Le Clos' flagship store at Dubai International Airport.

Shortlist announced for Harpers French Wine Awards

The shortlist for the inaugural Harpers French Wine Awards has been announced and includes who the trade see as being the best performing retailers, supplilers and indiviudals in promoting and selling French wine in the UK.

Grignan-les-Adhémar AOC looks to drive awareness in UK

Wine producers of the southern Rhône Valley's northernmost AOC, Grignan-les-Adhémar, are launching a campaign to generate awareness of its wines in the UK on the back of a 20% rise in exports.

Laurent-Perrier's Guillaume Deglise to replace Robert Beynat as chief executive of Vinexpo

Bruno Paillard releases 2004 vintage and praises family-owned Champagne houses