The Smith Report: Potential impacts of China's economic slow down

As the Chinese economy slows down people are bracing for a global slump, but what are the potential impacts if any to the global wine and spirits trade?  

Chinese distillers caught lacing drinks with Viagra in police raids

Police in China have seized over 5,000 bottles of popular spirit baiju as part of an investigation into whether distillers are lacing their products with the drug Viagra, which is designed to treat erectile dysfunction.

Vinexpo 2017 show to drop to four days

Vinexpo closed its doors on 2015 yesterday and in the concluding press brief a new format for 2017 was announced taking the show from five days down to four.

New Chinese and Australia free trade agreement could benefit the wine trade

A landmark trade could help to increase exports of Australian wine to China.

Vinexpo: Spirits globally are bouncing back

Spirits globally are bouncing back according to the latest Rabobank Spirit Quarterly Q3 2015 report, which made Vinexpo's new "Spiritual" zone a big draw for attendees.

American whiskey challenges Johnnie Walker lead in alcohol power list

Johnnie Walker has retained its title as the world's leading alcohol power brand - but risks losing the crown in future years.

Chinese consumers shifting towards 'mainstream' wines says new Wine Intelligence study

According to a new Wine Intelligence China Portraits 2015 report, the "traditional" Chinese wine consumer is evolving away from just drinking the top end Bordeaux wines and  "a new generation of wine drinkers who are drinking more frequently and seeking value in the category" are emerging.

Economists brace for China's slowing economy

China has reported a 15% fall in exports and a 12% fall in imports for the month of March 2015, which has increased concerns that the Chinese economy is slowing down.

David Furer discovers much to admire in Ningxia - China's arguably best quality wine region

Oliver Zhou on the likely impact of Coravin's launch in China

I am sure as an industry professional, you have heard quite a bit about Coravin. Yes, I am talking about that state-of-art, revolutionary device that can draw the wine out of a bottle without pulling out the cork while replacing the missing wine with Argon gas. The Coravin system has been adopted by many top-notch restaurant and celebrity sommeliers around the globe and it has significantly changed many high-end venues' wine by-the-glass offer.

Oliver Zhou's personal tips on how to enter the Chinese wine market

As someone who has been working in the Chinese wine industry for quite some time, it is not uncommon to meet winery owner/export manager/brand manager who are desperately talking about trying to enter Chinese market and get on track with this fast growing industry. But like the old saying, it is always easier saying(in this case, planning) than doing. Chinese market is more sophisticated than other market in many ways, and spending days reading marketing research material simply won't cut it. I would like a share some Chinese insight into entering the Chinese market which many wineries might neglect one thing or two.

Chinese importer Summergate bought by Australia's Woolworths Liquor Company

Woolworths Liquor Group has bought Summergate, one of the China's most influential wine importers, in a move that considerably strengthens the Australian retail drinks giant's position in the country.

UK wine trade slow to react to Millennials' sweet tooth, says Mintel

The 18 to 34 year-old age group is partial to sweeter wines, with 44% of wine buyers believing they're better quality than drier ones, but few UK brands have "attacked this space", says Mintel.

Mintel's Jonny Forsyth: Evolving tastes among global wine drinkers

Wine tastes are evolving but is the industry agile enough to take advantage? Mintel's research clearly illustrates how different the coveted Millennials are to previous generations, global drinks analyst Jonny Forsyth told Wine Vision.

Australia's free trade agreement with China would see wine tariffs gone by 2019

Australia has signed a declaration of intent for a free trade agreement with China today after 10 years of talks between the two countries which is set to benefit Australian farm exporters, including wine producers.

China's Singles Day online spend surpasses $2 billion in first hour

China's Singles Day is the world's largest online shopping day of the year and today it smashed online spending records yet again hitting more than $2 billion spent online in the first hour.

China's Singles Day is huge opportunity for online wine retailers

Wine retailers looking to crack the Chinese market should get ready for next week's Singles Day, when China is expected to set a record for the most money spent online in one day.  

Armagnac Academies expands to China

French brandy Armagnac is setting its sights on China with the launch of its Armagnac Acadamies there later this month. 

Decline in Far East and Europe hits global Cognac sales but US rallies

The clampdown on luxury goods gifting in China continues to hit the global spirits industry with Cognac announcing total exports are down both in volume and value for the year to July 2014.

Wine & Spirit Education Trust boosts student numbers by 16%

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust attracted 16% more students in the past year as the importance of education in the wine industry globally continues to grow.