The World’s Best Vineyards awards are something of a misnomer. The competition recognises wineries for the quality of their visitor experience rather than their vineyard – tourism over terroir, if you will. But they are no less reputed, or noteworthy, for that.
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Bordeaux winemaker and British expat Gavin Quinney says UK duty is ‘even crazier’ than we first thought.
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Jo Gilbert catches up with Stephanie Jordan-Balmforth on Avallen, the ‘planet-friendly’ calvados.
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How should we respond when values we hold dear conflict with opportunities for business advantage or personal gain? How best to navigate conflicting aspirations?
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Walla Walla disciple Matt Austin, co-owner and winemaker of Grosgrain, shares the appeal of this fast-evolving region with Andrew Catchpole.
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Wine Importers’ Neil Renton gives Andrew Catchpole the low down on this Scottish stalwart’s plans.
Michael Goldstein, entrepreneur and founder of prosecco.com, questions whether celebrity investment in the booze business is all it’s cracked up to be.
Celebrity status is lighting up the spirits, wine and cocktail scene, with A-list faces trading scripts for spirits and couture for wine cellars. A stroll down the drinks aisle can now sometimes feel like a walk down the red carpet, with famous names backing many labels. But stardom does not necessarily guarantee long-term success for a beverage brand.
The French call it an “embarras de richesses”. The closest we come in English is a confusing abundance or possibly too much of a good thing. But I really appreciated the choice and the thought behind it. Would I like to taste the producer’s wines out of a Riedel Veloce Syrah, a Spiegelau Definition or a Zalto Bordeaux glass? “Try them and see what you think,” I’ve been told. “We find that our wines show differently in each of them.”
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Marcelo Papa, technical director at Concha y Toro, is in the UK to bring some new wines to market, including a lighter-alcohol label. James Bayley gets the lowdown.
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Sanket Gawand was one of the youngest winemakers in India when he started working at this boutique Nashik winery in 2009. Sophia Longhi went to visit to talk innovation and Indian wine.
Everyone in the UK trade will be acutely aware that the new duty system comes into effect on 1 August, making most wine more expensive and all of it much more complex to administer. The negative effects will be exacerbated on 1 February 2025, when the tax banding will be divided further into an extraordinary 27 different segments, with some going up and some going down.
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Vino’s boss is a familiar face well beyond the Edinburgh scene, but his passion remains rooted in retailing great wine to locals. Andrew Catchpole dropped by.
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Without greater financial sustainability for Cape growers, an increasing number of South Africa’s premium vineyards are under threat. DGB marketing director Andrew Harris explains the problem.
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Rarely have I tried to recall an email as quickly as I did after notifying a female contact that it would be great if she could find time to meet up, as I’d heard how busty she was these days.
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Major moves are taking place at Freixenet Copestick, with a change in leadership at Jascots and a new team at the helm of recently acquired Bolney Wine Estate in Sussex. Jo Gilbert catches up with the duo leading the transition
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With turnover rising from £280m in 2019 to £530m last year, drinks wholesaler LWC has also been busy strengthening its wine offer. Andrew Catchpole catches up with wine buyer Frances Bentley for the lowdown.
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The Bank of England’s decision to increase the base rate to 5% is a stab in the eye to under pressure businesses and struggling consumers. It would be hard enough to swallow if it were the right medicine for the illness. When it is based on a misdiagnosis it is unacceptable.
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UK MD Richard Cochrane and President Félix Solís, the two leaders of the major wine company, fill Andrew Catchpole in on the latest innovative developments.
In part 2 of our series, Jo Gilbert goes back to basics with on-trade suppliers to tease out the nuances of the burning question: what makes a good wine list?
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Bottle shop, wine bar or app? The Drop’s marketing director Helen Fletcher explains to Andrew Catchpole how it is all three and how this popular hybrid is set to grow.
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