Matthew Dickinson: why some wine business survive and others become extinct

Bill Hardy vows to protect family name

Bill Hardy, winemaker and family member at the leading Australian wine brand, is intent on safeguarding his heritage and has no intention of stepping down from the firm his family built.

Wine Rack plans four new stores by Christmas

Wine Rack is "holding steady" - having boosted profits in its last financial year it is looking to open another four stores before the end of the year.

Wine Rack plans four new stores by Christmas

Wine Rack is "holding steady" - having boosted profits in its last financial year it is looking to open another four stores before the end of the year.

Boosting wine tourism: Geoffrey Dean blogs from Cape Town

While the biennial Cape Wine trade fair in South Africa last month was another big success, a new exhibition that ran alongside it in the Cape Town Convention Centre enjoyed a sparkling debut. Vindaba, part of a long-term strategy to boost wine tourism, derives from the South African government's aim to gain promotion by 2020 to the travellers' Premier League - the top 20 global destinations.

Speakers join the Chile Summit debate

Chilean wine supporters will be going head to head with trade skeptics in the converts versus cynics debate at Harpers' second Chile Summit.

Waitrose relaunches own-label range

Waitrose is relaunching its own-label wine, beer and spirit range, which includes 77 lines and wines for under £5.

Hatch Mansfield upbeat despite difficult climate

Hatch Mansfield is optimistic about the future given its brands operate in the more premium sector.

Douglas Blyde travels to Holland to discover South American wines with Salentein

En-route to the sixteenth century Salentein castle in Nijkerk, wind-farms replace windmills. Once crunching the gravel drive, I glimpse decorators painting window frames. The structure has evolved from mud house to mansion and children's home. For the past 30 years it served as headquarters of Pon Holdings, established by entrepreneur-tycoon, Mijndert Pon, also founder behind the Argentinian wine brand, Salentein.

DeBortoli adds to Willowglen range

Two new additions to DeBortoli's Willowglen range are the Willowglen Pinot Grigio 2011 and Willowglen Gewürztraminer Riesling 2011 (rrp £7.29).

Julio Faustino Martinez receives award for brand expansion in Rioja

Julio Faustino Martinez of the Faustino Group has been awarded 'Personalidades Ilustres del Rioja', for his contribution to the expansion of the Rioja brand both in Spain and globally.

AdVini appoints UK trading director

France's third biggest wine group, AdVini, has appointed Phil Priest as its new UK trading director.

New blog series: Negociants UK Winemaker Tour

Six winemakers from Australia and New Zealand hit the road last week as Negociants embarked on its first ever UK winemaker tour, in order to re-establish close links with the trade. In the first of a new series, Virginia Willcock, chief winemaker at Vasse Felix in the Margaret River, blogs about her return to the UK and what's happening at the vineyard back home in Oz.

Anne Krebiehl blogs on the latest Booths Tasting

It's not often that regional merchants come to London to show their wares, but a rather popular north-western player, Booths, showcased 100 wines from its wine range at the Saatchi Gallery's Mess Room on Friday afternoon.

Virgin Wines launches the Rioja Experience

Virgin Wines has launched its second Virtual Winery, the Rioja Experience, where customers can become virtual winemakers and interactively help create a new wine.

'Business as usual' for Stratford's under Kingsland ownership

FE Barber, which trades as Kingsland Wine & Spirits and Legacy Wines, has acquired Stratford's Wine Agencies out of administration and has underlined that it is "business as usual".

Mike Matthews on the Wines of Chile Annual Tasting, September 13

The annual Wines of Chile trade tasting found itself settling in at its new home this week, the MCC, or Lord's to the rest of us. Over 80 exhibitors turned up to showcase just over 850 wines, including some familiar faces, Errazuriz, Cono Sur, Valdivieso, and some not so familiar faces, Junta, Quebrada de Macúl and, one of my favourites, Quintay. The last three wineries are seeking UK agents so please, at least, someone pick up Quintay.

First South African wineries to show new ethical seal at Cape Wine

The first 26 wines to be receive the new, traceable ethical seal in South Africa will be on show at next week's Cape Wine trade exhibition in Cape Town.

Bibendum confirms sale of Argento

Bibendum Wine has confirmed it has sold the Argento Wine Company to the Argentine group, Inversora Agroindustrial Sudamerican.

Beaujolais predicts low yields to match 2003 levels

Beaujolais is predicting a lower than average harvest for the 2012 vintage after repeated hail storms.