What is the strategic direction of the UK Wine Industry?
Concern has been raised about the lack of data, coordination and planning for vineyards.
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Wine News Archive
China responds to Trump trade war by increasing tariffs of US wine
China has raised tariffs on £60bn worth of US goods including a 15% increase in the tariff on wine.
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Decanter release their awards for 2018
Decanter Magazine has released the results of their 2018 Awards. Of the 50 Best in show, France came first with 13, followed by Spain with 8 while Australia came third with 6 best in shows.
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The UK’s vineyards are to expand by 24% this summer as 3 million vines go into the ground.
The UK's largest planting season so far has been announced, making the UK the fastest growing wine region in the world.
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Robert Parker retires from The Wine Advocate
Robert Parker retires from The Wine Advocate he founded in 1978.
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Chateau Palmer leads price rises in Bordeaux 2018 En Primeur campaign
Chateau Palmer has put the price of its 2018 vintage release price at €240 per bottle ex-Bordeaux, 25% higher than the 2017 vintage.
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English Wine Week 25th May - 2nd June
Just in time for English Wine Week, Furleigh Estate and Chapel Down release new wines.
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Frenchman spent 127 days adrift crossing the Atlantic in a wine barrel
Frenchman Jean-Jacques Savin spent 127 days drifting across the Atlantic in an unpowered wine barrel.
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Claims to ditch Organics to improve the environment
Claims that the higher carbon footprint associated with organics and the environmental damage from over-relying on one spray means organics should be dropped to save the environment.
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Bottle Deposit Scheme for glass resisted by WSTA
The UK government is exploring a proposed Deposit Return Scheme aimed at reducing plastic packaging.
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South Africa drought casts a shadow on the 2019 vintage
The 2019 South African vintage will be the smallest since 2005, the volume is less than the 2018 drought hit vintage.
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Sainsbury's trial of till free shopping means wine cannot be sold
Trials of till-free stores by Sainsbury's has meant that wine and other alcoholic drinks can not be age verified and so cannot be sold legally. Sainsbury's has got around this by removing all alcohol from the store.
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The move to spirits has seen the UK drink more alcohol in over 10 years
The UK may be drinking less volume of alcoholic beverages, but the move to gin, above all else, has seen an increase in the amount of alcohol being consumed according to Mark Meek, who is CEO of the IWSR.
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Majestic unsure of the future of its retail wine business
Majestic’s board has appointed investment bank Rothschild to look for potential buyers for the company’s brand and 200 stores while it tries out new Naked branded showroom.
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The French wine raise funds to re-build Notre Dame
France's wine industry offer to help rebuild Notre Dame after devastating fires. Money, wine and oak have all been donated.
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Bordeaux 2018 En Primeur set alight with Ch Angelus surprise early release at realistic prices
As many critics are still trying to process the two weeks of tasting the Bordeaux 2018 vintages top St Emillion producer Ch Angelus has launched its campaign by releasing its 2018 vintage at the same price at 2015.
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America threatens trade war with the EU with wine in the firing line
Th US this week announced plans to start a new trade war by threatening $11 billion tariffs on a number of goods, including wine.
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Vermouth back in fashion
Vermouth is among the most fashionable drinks in London’s top high-end bars, according to the latest CGA and DrinkUp. London's 2018 Influencers Report.
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UK wine producers grow, but it’s not all in the vineyard
Both Denbies and Gusbourne are investing in expanding their business in the vineyard and also in the winery.
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Judgement on 2018 Bordeaux vintage arrives at a mixed time for wine
Bordeaux En Primeur tastings are underway but the market has some very mixed messages.
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Alcohol may increase the risk of strokes
A new study looking at Chinese drinkers claims that consuming alcohol does not increase your risk of heart attacks but does not protect people from strokes as previously thought.
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Gallo buys 30 wine & spirit brands from Constellation
E&J Gallo has purchased 30 wine brands and 3 winemaking facilities from Constellation brands, including Clos du Bois, Black Box and Ravenswood.
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Majestic Wine plans store closures
Majestic Wines, the high street darling of the UK wine drinker, has announced this week that it plans on shutting stores and selling its wine retail business.
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Aperol Spritz the drink of the moment
Campari Goup's Aperol is meeting increased competition as Aperol Spritz becomes the latest wine-based drinks craze.
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St Emilion plans on going Organic or Sustainable
St Emilion plans on making Organic or making Sustainable Viticulture compulsory by early 2020s.
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Shipments of wine paused in the run up to Brexit
JF Hillebrand, the drinks logistics company, has stopped taking collections of wine, spirits and beer for delivery from the EU to the UK.
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Clamp down on Duty Free alcohol
Duty free is becoming more important with Brexit nearing. The current Brexit deal will see limits placed on wine being imported duty free into the UK from Europe.
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Marc Almert announced world’s Best Sommelier
German Marc Almert was announced the winner of the World’s Best Sommelier Competition.
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Wine a big tariff winner under Brexit
The UK government announces WTO tariffs and wine tariffs are set to be dropped when we leave the EU.
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Vivino wine app predicts future wine trends
Beaujolais and Toro are the top up and coming regions while Napa replaces Chateau d’Yquem as top-rated wine.
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Wine brands are becoming less important
Instead of having to remember details of brands our smart phones are being used to store important information about wines, causing brand awareness to drop.
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GB wine export markets are slowly rising but which markets are top?
Of the 2.6 million bottles of GB wine sold in 2018 8% were exported. but the main export countries might surprise you.
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The booze cruise is back
The booze cruise is back again, but this time round, are we stocking up for Brexit?
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Raw Wine Week in London and Edinburgh
Its time for Raw Wines this week as organic, biodynamic and natural wines get their time in the sun.
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Roundup herbicides found in organic wines are considered unavoidable
Glyphosate, the chemical poison in Roundup has been detected in organic wines, in a new study of wines and beers from the US.
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A no deal Brexit will cost the UK industry £70m in form filling according to WSTA
The Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) claims 600,000 forms will need to be filled in so that European wines imported into Britain can continue to flow.
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The Institute of Masters of Wine has 6 new members
The IMW has announced 6 new members from 6 different countries.
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UK wine scene continues to evolve with Brits drinking more South American and Portuguese wines.
Portugal and South American countries Chile and Argentina saw big gains in the UK in 2018.
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Tim Hanni MW claims food and wine matching is all bullsh*t
Tim Hanni MW and sensory wine expert claimed last week that food and wine matching is bullsh*t.
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Can you believe it, the sale of canned wine is set to increase in the UK
Sainsbury has added two new canned wines to its range.
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Italian government investigates inspectors who they claim are complicit in diluting top wines
The Italian government is targeting 50 organisations for diluting top wines from around Italy.
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The New Zealand second international Sauvignon Conference delivers mixed messages
Sauvignon Blanc leaders converged on New Zealand last week to discuss everything Sauvignon Blanc. With many speakers giving different visions of the future.
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Oddbins slips back into administration claiming Brexit is the problem
The once darling of the wine industry Oddbins has been put into administration as new buyers are sought.
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New Zealand’s Yealands Winery fined $400,000 NZD for adding sugar to wine
Yealands, the winery that was started by Peter Yealands, has admitted to adulterating wine by adding sugar to the completed wine before exporting.
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Wine is the most popular alcoholic beverage to take to a Christmas party, but most re-gift it
59% of people said wine was their first choice to take to a Christmas party, yet 31% of people claim that they re-gift wine they receive.
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Restaurants are closing at a rate of 2% annually
Big store closures of chains may be getting the media excited, but small family restaurants appear to be hardest hit in the latest rounds of closure.
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Spanish company Winabis has launched Europe's first cannabis infused wine
Winabis is the first cannabis or CBD infused wine that the company claims is legal in Europe.
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New Zealand continues to lead the way in UK wine merchants and supermarkets
New Zealand saw sales volume and value grow in the UK to stretch its lead as a premium country in the UK.
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The new world is getting old, while the old world is new
In 2019, New Zealand one of the darlings of the New World, will celebrate 200 years of making wine. Is 200 still New?
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UK wine retailers plan to stock up for Brexit
With the UK Government preparing to pass the Brexit legislation, many in the drinks trade are concerned about supply disruption.
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