Matthew Dickinson on rubbing shoulders with the French political elite

Last week, I had the potentially dubious pleasure of being invited to the French Embassy in London to participate in a round table discussion with a roll-call of French dignitaries - the French export minister Mme Bricq, a senator, a (rather attractive, and surprisingly young) 'député' - as French MPs are known -  the Ambassador, a raft of bureaucrats, the chief executive of Danone UK etc. As far as egos, remuneration and importance in the general pecking order went, I was way down the far end of the table.

Wines announced for the 2011 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

Sotheby's to auction rare Moët & Chandon's vintages going back to 1914

Sotheby's London is to hold an exclusive auction featuring never-before-seen vintages of Moët & Chandon with lots that go back to 1914.

Q&A: Graham Shore, Domaine Vintur, Provence

Bought in 2010 by former investment banker and Oxford graduate Graham Shore, Domaine Vintur is situated on the lower slopes on Mount Ventoux and is run by Shore who has just completed his diploma in wine production from Plumpton College.

Dany and Michel Rolland on the look out for investments in Napa Valley

Investing in California's Napa Valley is next on the list for Bordeaux oenologists and consultants Dany and Michel Rolland, owners of the Rolland Collection.

UK wine educators look to bring story of Bordeaux back to the UK

Fifteen UK-based tutors have attended a specialised accredited course at L'École du Vin in Bordeaux in a bid to help spread the word in the UK about the region's wines.

Laura Clay on how Bordeaux is taking on the New World - at last!

As an accredited Bordeaux tutor, Médoc ambassador, claret drinker, Bordeaux Blanc lover, sweetie fanatic and occasional primeur buyer, I'd really quite like the Bordeaux bashing bandwagon to come to an end.

Provence harvest begins after most vineyards escape weather damage

Vineyards in Provence have escaped wide-scale weather damage and the harvest looks set to begin this month. 

The 2013 harvest begins in France and Spain

This week marks the start of the 2013 harvest in Europe, with the vineyards in Tenerife, Spain in the Canary Islands and Roussillon region in France, reports wine-searcher.com.

Q&A: Charles Sichel, export director, Maison Sichel

With customers tiring of high prices on the Bordeaux marketplace, Katherine Canfield talks to Charles Sichel at Maison Sichel about
how the company remains competitive in the global wine trade

Affluent parts of UK put fizz back into Champagne sales

Champagne corks are beginning to pop again in more affluent pockets of the UK, while sparkling wine continues to be "a runaway success" across the board, according to recent trade figures.

France Summit to reveal thoughts of most important French influencers in the UK

What the 100 most influential figures involved in French wine in the UK think of the category will be a central focus of the Harpers France Summit in October.

Shortlist announced for 2013 Champagne Ambassador's Awards

The shortlisted candidates for the 2013 Champagne Ambassador's Awards organised by Comité Champagne (CIVC) have been announced.

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Pommery Champagne pop-up at Edinburgh Fringe

Following its success as part of last year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival the Champagne Pommery pop-up café bar has once again made an appearance.

Bordeaux winemakers seek government bailout after devastating hailstorm

French wineries and vineyard owners in the Entre-deux-Mers region in south eastern Bordeaux are seeking government assistance in order to avoid bankruptcy after last weekend's "catastrophic" hailstorm, which affected an estimated 20,000ha, reported France 24.

Jeanjean launches new brand Maison du Sud

Jeanjean, a wine producer from the Languedoc region, is launching new wine brand Maison du Sud for the off-trade in the UK.

Chance to shine in Harpers French Wine Awards

Harpers is looking to recognise the best retailers, restaurants, suppliers, distributors  and ambassadors for the French wine category in the UK over the last 12 months with our inaugural French Wine Awards being run as part of the France Summit on October 22.

Sud de France to hold Joie de Vivre festival on South Bank

Sud de France has announced it will be holding a Joie de Vivre festival this month in London to celebrate the wine regions of southern France.

Luc Belaire launches sparkling Provence rosé

This summer sees the launch of Luc Belaire Rosé, which it claims to be "the world's most exquisite sparkling rosé".