THE INTERVIEW - PATRICK SALLES

VINEXPO LABELS LONDONERS 'BLISSFUL' WINE DRINKERS

Wine is the last piece of the jigsaw' and when it fits, it's absolute bliss'. This is one of the findings of research into Londoners' view of wine commissioned by Vinexpo in advance of its major exhibition in Bordeaux in June.

WOW STRIPTEASE

Seven leading wine trade figures are to strip for charity at a wine industry event this summer. Christelle Guibert, tastings manager at consumer wine magazine Decanter, has persuaded The Observer's wine columnist Tim Atkin MW, Wines of Chile marketing director Michael Cox, Peter Darbyshire of Thierry's, Murray J Harris of The Bridge in Barnes, Richard Milsom of Charles Taylor Wines, Michael Palij MW of Winetraders and Stone, Vine & Sun's Andrew Shaw to perform a Chippendale-style Full Monty' striptease at a charity bash she is organising in conjunction with Women of Wine (WOW).

TEN OF THE BEST AT LIWSF

Brintex, the organiser of the London International Wine & Spirits Fair, has come up with a new feature to celebrate its 25th anniversary - a tasting featuring 10 of the best wines from the 10 top producing countries.

ON-TRADE WINE SALES FALL 6%

After years of uninterrupted growth, the on-trade wine sector has slipped into decline. The latest figures from AC Nielsen (December/January bi-months) show that the volume of wine drunk in the UK's pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants has fallen by 6% in the past year (MAT to the end of January).

WILLIAMSON TAKES OVER AT WAITROSE

Mark Williamson will be succeeding Derek Strange as head of buying for wines, beers, spirits and tobacco at Waitrose.

FRESCOBALDI BUYS ORNELLAIA

Following the recent acquisition by Frescobaldi of 50% of the shares of Luce della Vite, which Constellation Brands had bought from Mondavi, Marchesi de' Frescobaldi has announced it has now purchased from Constellation the remaining half of the shares of Ornellaia, which had also been Mondavi's.

WILKIN NAMED TOP SOMMELIER

Matthew Wilkin of The Capital Hotel Group has won the 14th Champagne Ruinart UK Sommelier of the Year competition, organised by the Academy of Food & Wine Service.

NZ WINERY DEFENDS ITSELF AGAINST SLUR

Vavasour, the New Zealand winery in Marlborough's Awatere Valley, has denied giving the next New Zealand high commissioner to London a barrel of wine in return for promoting the company in the UK.

DECLARATIONS AND A NEW STRATEGY FROM OPORTO

The Symington Family Port Company has become the first producer to reveal officially one of the wine world's worst-kept secrets, by declaring the 2003 Port vintage for every house in its portfolio.

VIRGIN WINES AND SAINSBURY'S IN SPAT OVER 'WINE' BUYERS

Sainsbury's has hit back at claims made in an email sent by Virgin Wines to its customers that to work as a supermarket wine buyer you don't need to know anything about wine'.

WADSACK IS TOP COMMUNICATOR

Broadcaster, writer and consultant Joe Wadsack, is the International Wine & Spirit Competition's (IWSC) 2005 Communicator of the Year'.

WINE IS TOO INTERESTING, SAYS CHOCOLATE MARKETER

Not enough cues, almost too much choice and a complete risk in trying to make an appropriate choice. These are the impressions of the wine fixture of Mark Palmer, marketing director of Green & Black's, the leading premium organic chocolate brand.

BLOSSOM'S ITALIAN HILL

Blossom Hill, the Californian brand that sells more than three million cases a year in the UK off-trade, is treated as an Italian wine, according to Her Majesty's Customs & Excise (HMCE). The same rule applies to all wines that are shipped to another country for bottling, and then imported to the UK.

DIRECT WINES BUYS INTO VIRGIN

Direct Wines has expanded its direct sales empire by buying a significant stake, understood to be more than 50%, in the web-based Virgin Wines business.

BIODYNAMICS UNDER QUESTION

Biodynamic viticulture is more than just a marketing tool, but more hard scientific evidence is required to prove some of its adherents' claims.

HARPERS DEBATES THE VALUE OF YOUR MARKETING SPEND

This year's Harpers LIWSF debate will look at the issue of
marketing, and how to get the most out of it. The debate is
entitled: Spending Power: Are you getting value from marketing?

GRAHAM HINES LEAVES WINES FROM SPAIN

Graham Hines is leaving Wines from Spain after 21 years of pushing the Spanish generic message.

FOSTER'S TO RAISE SOUTHCORP BID?

Reports in Australia are claiming that Foster's is preparing to extend the bid period for rival Australian wine company Southcorp for a fourth time next week, and will also increase its bid for the producer.

CIVB FINALISES VINE-PULL DETAILS

The CIVB is preparing the final details for its proposed vine-pull programme and has also announced that it will allow producers to release more of the 2004 vintage - which is currently capped at a limit of 50hl/ha for most of Bordeaux - if they can prove they have market for it'.