Allocations of water to Australian wineries are down to as little as 8% following the country's worst drought since the 1880s, when records began. August saw the lowest recorded levels of rainfall for the country in one month, the latest in a pattern of reduced rainfall and high temperatures since 1997.
We are just about to enter the last six weeks of trading before the New Year celebrations, the time when consumers' spend on booze, particularly categories like Champagne and sparkling wine, goes up dramatically. And what do the major retailers do at this time when demand for fizz is at its strongest? They make their biggest, most dramatic cuts in price, of course. It's the start of the silly season in wine retailing.
By Christian Davis
Producers and importers may be able to sell their goods to UK consumers ex-cellar door after a landmark decision by the European Court of Justice.
Scotch Whisky distillers have welcomed the EU's decision to request World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks on India's failure to reform its discriminatory tax treatment of imported spirits and wines.
By Christian Davis
Vinexpo 2007 is nearly full, according to its chief executive Robert Beynat, who was in London last week.
Anzill Adams has been awarded the Institute of Masters of Wine Chairman's Scholarship for 2006.
At least 19 South African vineyard labourers were killed and 12 injured when a truck taking them to work was hit by a train.
Read more...The Chairman and board of KWV Limited has announced that Matthys (Thys) Loubser has been appointed CEO.
Read more...By Ron Emler
Majestic Wine continued its pattern of unbroken growth in the six months to the end of September. Compared with the same period last year, profits before tax increased by 17% to 6.5 million
By Rebecca Gibb
The 146th Hospices de Beaune auction raised 5.05 million (3.5 million) - almost identical to last year's sales figures, yet the 2006 vintage is not regarded as highly as that of 2005.
Berry Bros. & Rudd has announced the appointment of Philip Bowman - the former head of Allied-Domecq - to its main board as a new non-executive director.
Angela Hayward and Paul Raymonde met in 2002, and discovered that they shared a passion for Italian wines. The couple launched AP Vino in 2004 with input from Angela's stepfather, Fausto Pesci, who worked for many years as a restaurateur, Italian wine consultant, and major importer of Italian wine into Spain and Germany. Last month, AP Vino launched a consumer website, D'Vino, which is also home to The Wine Club of Italy, a scheme that offers mixed cases of wines complete with full tasting notes. AP Vino's portfolio lists 58 wines from 12 producers. Exclusive agencies include La Scolca in Gavi (selected wines), Il Carpino in Friuli, Tenuta di Riseccoli in Greve, and Pinino in Montalcino. A former property developer in Italy, Raymonde is also a well-known cartoonist, whose works have appeared in Punch and Private Eye, among other publications.
Read more...Australia may have to dramatically change both its wine styles and preferred grape varieties due to climate change, according to a new report from the University of Melbourne and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
Read more...By Ron Emler
The confidence expressed earlier this year by the world's largest wine and spirits groups is being borne out by latest sales figures.
Bordeaux launched a new global advertising campaign this week
Read more...By Ron Emler
Sales of Absolut, the third-biggest brand of vodka, rose by 13% to just under $600 million in the first nine months of 2006. This helped Vin & Sprit, the Swedish alcohol monopoly, to report an 18% rise in operating profit in the same period. Overall sales across all brands rose by 3% to 18.3 million cases.
Drinks logistics provider CERT Group is investing more than 20 million in a new fine wines facility at Hoddesdon.
Read more...By Christian Davis
Rebecca Gibb is this year's Circle of Wine Writers' Young Wine Writer of the Year'. The 25-year-old from Stockton-on-Tees in north-east England won with an article on the Australian cool-climateregion Mornington Peninsula, in Victoria.
By Christian Davis
Miguel Torres, the king of vinous Spain, backs his homeland for future growth and development but is also a big fan of Chile.
Robert Parker has tapped a little-known Essex boy to bring a British perspective to his popular wine website.
Read more...
