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China’s wine sales in restaurants and bars (the on-trade) were released in Wine Business Solutions latest report.
France has a 36.7% market share, while Italy has 17.9% and Australia 10.8%. Italy’s overall share of sales to China are lower at 6.3% so selling via restaurants and bars appear to be Italy's strength. While Australia exports 27.1% of wine to China so most of its wines are sold for home drinking via retail outlets (the off-trade).
Phil Ryan is Chief Winemaker at Mount Pleasant in Hunter Valley and has been with parent company McWilliams for 41 years. Phil takes us through a vertical tasting of Semillons and explains how the wine's character changes as it ages.
The Granite Belt in Queensland, Australia is at 28 degrees latitude - outside the normal range for growing grapes. Chris met up with Leanne Gangemi of Ballandean winery to find out how they are able to successfully make good wine.
Hugo Sharp set up the first Australian wine podcast, The OZ Wine Show, in 2005. We caught up with him in Sydney to find out about the podcast and chat about Australian wine.
Philip Shaw has been making wine in Australia for more than 4 decades and has his own vineyard in Orange, just west of Sydney. Philip tells us about the region and the wines he is producing.
David Paxton is one of Australia's best known viticulturists and consultants. He founded Paxton Vineyards in McLaren Vale, South Australia in 1979. We ask him about the Australian drought and how water is being managed in McLaren Vale.
Lisa McGovern is regional director of Wine Australia for the UK, Europe and Ireland. We find out about the strategy and plans for the promotion of Australian wine.
We interview Tim Smith and Matthew McCulloch of Chateau Tanunda, Barossa Valley to bring us up to speed with what's happening in the Barossa and Australia.
Riverina, the largest wine-producing region in New South Wales, has harvested a record-breaking crop of grapes
France has come top of the medal table at this year’s International Wine Challenge
Recent research by Australian brand Hardys has shown that consumers are still confused about wine.
More wineries are setting their sights on becoming carbon neutral in order to avoid contributing to climate change.
UK drinkers are predicted to become the biggest European spenders on wine within the next three years.
Australia’s 2008 grape harvest has come in above expectations in both size and quality, according to the WFA.
A carbon calculator has been developed for the wine industry to help producers assess the environmental impact of their activities.
New Zealand’s grape harvest has come in 39% bigger than last year.
UK tasting company ThirtyFifty is launching down under.
Constellation Brands is looking to sell three of its ten wineries in Australia
American wine sales have overtaken French wine sales in the UK for the first time ever.
Above average rainfall across Australian vineyards will help rebuild water levels during a long period of drought.
The Australian wine industry will soon phase out the last of the traditional European names that are still in use for its wines.
Following a review of its wine assets which started in June 2008, Foster's is to retain its wine business but run it as a separate entity to its beer business.
Penfolds has released the 2004 vintage of the legendary Grange at £170 a bottle.
Wine company Australian Vintage whose brands include McGuigan and Tempus Two is pulling its funding for this year’s UK generic marketing campaign by Wine Australia.
Australia's biggest buyer of wine grapes, Constellation Wines, has advised 300 growers in the Murray Valley that their contracts will be terminated after the 2012 vintage.
A French Sauvignon Blanc, called Kiwi Cuvee, has been prevented from being sold in Australia because of its name.
A new initiative has been launched in Australia to help producers evaluate the viability of their vineyards and encourage some of them to grub up vines.
Australia's grape crush was down 5.4% in 2008-09 weighing in at 1.7 million tonnes while exports were up 5.2%.
A former boss of Rivers Wines in Adelaide has been found guilty of selling Chardonnay adulterated with Sultana grape juice.
A report by food and agribusiness bank Rabobank says the process of removing vineyards to reduce Australia's over-supply of grapes is too slow.
Treasury Wine Estates withdraw support from Wine Australia UK campaign.
Rock band AC/DC has teamed up with Australian winery Warburn Estate to launch a range of wines.
The high Australian dollar is causing Jacob's Creek to bottle wine offshore rather than locally in Australia to offset the cost of the rising dollar.
Motorhead joins a long list of celebrities who are dabbling in the wine trade.
Australian winemakers to reset the biological clock of vines to improve grape quality.
Australia has dropped the requirement that all wines to be exported must pass a tasting panel so that faulty natural wines stand a chance.
Australian winery Taylors is first to seal its sparkling wine with a unique screw cap that can withstand the pressure of the bubbles.
Australia is set to benefit from the best growing conditions in the past twenty years but Champagne has seen the worst growing season in decades.
Greek grape Assyrtiko planted for the first time on Australian Soil
Vineyards on red alert across Australia as wildfires threaten to wipe out crops
Over ambitious forecasting contributes to excess stock destined for US market.
Australia triumphed at the Decanter Awards this week, winning six of the coveted international trophies.
Will cheaper Australian wines mean exports will increase this year?
Australian research team test yeast strains to reduce alcohol levels.
Wine Australia has issued a message to producers clarifying the use of the word 'orange' for wines not produced in the region of Orange in New South Wales.
Short supply of Pinot Grigio forces price increases for this popular white wine
Accolade Wines buys Australian Grant Burge winemakers
Asian investment in Australian vineyards continues.
The Victorian Government in Australia said it will move to ban 'Palcohol' after the manufacturer has reportedly shown interest in bringing the product to the Australian market.
Hardys has re-launched its premium quality William Hardy range with a much tighter regional focus.
Report on UK online wine sales shows top 5 country sources
Australia, New Zealand and Prosecco grow at the cost of traditional rivals
FTA agreement reduces tariffs on imported Australian wines
Australia export growth soars with exports to China up by 44%
For years the French have dominated China, but in 2017 Australia has now become Chins, main wine supplier.
China now accounts for 33% of all of Australia's exported wine, rising by a whopping 68% in 2017.
Australian wine sales, particularly to China, have been booming in the 1st Quarter of 2018. The boom has seen Australia’s average export bottle price rise to £3.70 ahead of France at £3.03.
Australia’s Northern Territory has instigated a minimum pricing on alcohol, with Naked Wines claiming it is too difficult to calculate the new minimum prices and says it will pull out of the region.
China’s wine sales in restaurants and bars were released in Wine Business Solutions latest report.
The bushfires that ravaged Australia over the Christmas period are expected to cause a 4% drop in production in 2020, according to Wine Australia.
Australia’s exports to the UK were 7% down by $356m Aus (£194m) for the year ending in April, but for January to April the imports were up 3%.
Free trade agreement negotiations have started with Australia and separately with New Zealand. Both are very important non-EU wine suppliers to the UK.
Importers of Australian wine are cancelling orders over confusion on whether Australian wine is banned in the country.
China has effectively banned Australian wine, coal and beef after relations between the two countries soured due to Australian calls for a full investigations into the cause of Covid-19.
China adds another 6.3-6.4% duty to Australian wine as it continues to complain about the dumping of Australian wine. The small increase in duty is not thought to be material considering the 107.1-212.1% duty already levied on Australian wines.
South Africa’s wine industry has had a bad Covid-19 pandemic, temporary export bans and on again, off again prohibition has resulted in a 300m litre wine lake, but who is going to drink it up?
China’s crackdown on Australian wine exports has been heavy handed and dramatic with sales falling of a cliff edge. Down 98% from US$158 million in October 2020 to just US$4 million in December.
Treasury Wine Estates (TWE), one of Australia's leading wine companies with wineries in Australia and the US, announced its new company structure, while claiming that it hopes to keep a “meaningful presence” in China.
2020 was a year of bush fires, drought, COVID and then the Chinese slapped a horrendous duty on Australian wine.
With many of the grapes harvested before the floods came, only a few regions had grapes to be picked, but Hunter Valley in NSW still at risk.
Smoke tainted wines have become the curse of Australia and California, and the resulting wines have a loss of fruit, unattractive smoke flavours and a harsh mouthfeel.
China’s import tariff on Australian wines has led to a collapse in sales from AU$325m to AU$12m in the four months of December 2020 to March 2021.
UK trade deal will save up to 9p for a bottle of Aussie wine
This week Australia formally complained to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) about China's punitive tariffs on Australian wines.
Penfolds Grange, the iconic Australian wine, has broken all records for any Australian wine sold at auction. A bottle of the 1951 vintage sold at A$142,131 (£76,750) and was the first Penfolds wine ever to sport the Grange label.
Australia has seen a surge in UK wine sales over the Covid lockdown, with wine exports to the UK leaping by 16% by volume in the 2020-21 financial year.
Profits at Treasury Wine Estates, owners of Penfolds, Wolf Blass, 19-Crimes and Lindemans, held up in the face up Covid-19 and punitive tariffs by the Chinese government to record only a small drop in profits of 0.4%
A year after China implemented swinging tariffs on Australian wine the effect resulted in 93% decline in sales to AUS$29 million, a drop amounting to almost AUS$1 billion.
Some of the worst flooding has hit Australia’s New South Wales region in 60 years, just as harvest gets underway.
Wine brand Banrock Station launches low waste reusable EcoSpirit format for restaurants and bars in Sydney, Australia
Australian wine exports fall on the back of China tariffs, reduced vintages and international freight problems.
Australian producer and the world's most recognisable wine brand is planning on selling their 7258ha of vineyards in Australia.
Penfolds is to launch a wine made in China to get around China's punitive taxes on Australia
Australian Vintage launches award winning alcohol-free wine brand Not Guilty into the UK
Australia has had a huge change in where it sells its wines over the last few years and demand has also changed from big reds to whites.
EU Australia trade deal falters leaving Australia free to produce Prosecco and name it Prosecco.
Dr Richard Smart is a famous viticulturist who has been consulting on the Chinese wine industry. We find out more about China and its future as a wine-producing nation.
Brendan OToole of Summergate Fine Wines talks to us about the expanding wine market in mainland and greater China.
Claudio Salgado is responsible for the food and beverages at the Hyatt in Hong Kong and China. We find out about the part he plays in selecting wines for the hotel chain.
Simon Tam is a Hong Kong based wine educator. We talk to Simon about the Chinese wine industry and Chinese wines.
China's largest wine merchant Jointek Fine Wines is planning to relocate its headquarters to Hong Kong.
A Spanish cooper in Rioja is making barrels out of Chinese oak and supplying winemakers in the region for trials.
Savvy Chinese wine buyers diversifying beyond Bordeaux and buying from Burgundy and the New World.
Chateau Lafite Rothschild is to seal all its bottles with the Prooftag bubble seal as an anti-fraud measure.
Chinese wine fraudsters still gung ho but now using cheaper wines avoid severe penalties
Napa Valley is first wine region to get GI status recognised in China
Number of WSET students from China overtakes UK enrolment
China to fulfill its' growing wine consumption with wine produced in China
Berry & Rudd and London International Wine Fair show chinese wines for the first time
China has agreed to protect the name Champagne so that only wines produced in the French region can bear the name.
EU trade row with China provokes them to ask for anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into EU wine.
Chinese selling at French wine expo not learning and tasting this time
Bordeaux prices slide and 2013 not looking hopeful either
Worlds biggest producer and consumer of wine within 5 years but how does that affect those outside China?
Asian investment in Australian vineyards continues.
Cofco chairman admits China's wines aren't great.
China strive to become self sufficient in wine and become 2nd largest grower of grapes
Chateau Lafitte wins right to sell under its own name in China.
Chinese authorities agree to give legal cover to Bordeaux appellations.
FTA agreement reduces tariffs on imported Australian wines
We take a look at the sales from Bordeaux exports in 2016. To work out where the 2016 vintage Bordeaux wines are likely to go.
China has now the 2nd largest area under vine, one place behind Spain. France is now relegated to 3rd place.
China has created a new 'Estate Wine' status and granted it to sixteen wineries.
Lafite releases first Chinese wine, as the local producers struggle.
For years the French have dominated China, but in 2017 Australia has now become Chins, main wine supplier.
China now accounts for 33% of all of Australia's exported wine, rising by a whopping 68% in 2017.
98.6% of Urban Chinese prefer wines with corks over screw caps.
London held its first Chinese focused wine tasting on Wednesday, with the IWSC showing of the medal winners from its Asian competition.
Australian wine sales, particularly to China, have been booming in the 1st Quarter of 2018. The boom has seen Australia’s average export bottle price rise to £3.70 ahead of France at £3.03.
US wine exports to China grew by 14% from January to June despite a trade war, this gives us an insight into what might happen with Brexit.
In 2019, New Zealand one of the darlings of the New World, will celebrate 200 years of making wine. Is 200 still New?
China has raised tariffs on £60bn worth of US goods including a 15% increase in the tariff on wine.
China’s wine sales in restaurants and bars were released in Wine Business Solutions latest report.
Treasury Wine Estates and Diageo have both warned that profits will be below target from a drop off in sales in China.
Penfolds has finally registered its Penfolds brand name in China. The Ben Fu trade mark has taken Penfolds 25 years to be registered.
Importers of Australian wine are cancelling orders over confusion on whether Australian wine is banned in the country.
China has effectively banned Australian wine, coal and beef after relations between the two countries soured due to Australian calls for a full investigations into the cause of Covid-19.
China adds another 6.3-6.4% duty to Australian wine as it continues to complain about the dumping of Australian wine. The small increase in duty is not thought to be material considering the 107.1-212.1% duty already levied on Australian wines.
South Africa’s wine industry has had a bad Covid-19 pandemic, temporary export bans and on again, off again prohibition has resulted in a 300m litre wine lake, but who is going to drink it up?
The WSET has had to shut down all courses in China with immediate effect. Students who were about to take exams have been stopped mid-course.
China’s crackdown on Australian wine exports has been heavy handed and dramatic with sales falling of a cliff edge. Down 98% from US$158 million in October 2020 to just US$4 million in December.
KVK Supermarket in Sutton Coldfield lost its licence to sell alcohol after trading standards were called in when shoppers complained of strange tasting wines from Casella Brands, the people behind Yellow tail.
Treasury Wine Estates (TWE), one of Australia's leading wine companies with wineries in Australia and the US, announced its new company structure, while claiming that it hopes to keep a “meaningful presence” in China.
China’s import tariff on Australian wines has led to a collapse in sales from AU$325m to AU$12m in the four months of December 2020 to March 2021.
This week Australia formally complained to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) about China's punitive tariffs on Australian wines.
Profits at Treasury Wine Estates, owners of Penfolds, Wolf Blass, 19-Crimes and Lindemans, held up in the face up Covid-19 and punitive tariffs by the Chinese government to record only a small drop in profits of 0.4%
The latest WSET academic year for 2020/21 has seen 108,584 students undertake WSET courses, a new record despite Covid 19 and the Chinese government's blanket ban on all courses run in their country.
WSET starts trading again in China, just in time for new CEO Michelle Brampton. In January 2021 WSET had to suspend all courses and exams in mainland China after falling foul of Chinese laws.
A year after China implemented swinging tariffs on Australian wine the effect resulted in 93% decline in sales to AUS$29 million, a drop amounting to almost AUS$1 billion.
Australian wine exports fall on the back of China tariffs, reduced vintages and international freight problems.
Penfolds is to launch a wine made in China to get around China's punitive taxes on Australia
The WSET is to resume courses in China after being suspended in January 2021. China had been one of WSET largest markets with 90 course providers.
China has historically been one of the largest producers of wine in the world, ranked 5th in 2015 when production stood at 1.7 billion bottles of wine. Production has dropped every year since 2015 and had halved by 2021.
Maison Louis Latour is one of the most highly-respected negociants in Burgundy. We speak to Louis Latour about the activities of a negociant and their role in producing and selling Burgundy's wine.
This week we preview The Wine Show with wine expert Isabelle Legeron and head of PR for the French Wines Experience, Chris Skyrme. The Wine Show is on from 26-29 October 2006 at the Islington Business Design Centre in London.
Sopexa work with the French generic bodies to promote French wines as a whole. Chris Skyrme brings us up to speed with how they are promoting their wines to the UK consumer.
Tim Atkin MW is wine critic and writer for The Observer. A passionate Francophile, Tim shares his views on the French wine industry and presents the highlights and opportunities.
Matthew Dickinson is commercial director at Thierrys Wine Services. Thierrys is the biggest UK importer of wine from France so we get a feel for their business and the French wine trade.
Berry Bros & Rudd is finding cases of Bordeaux 2005 that it sold ‘en primeur’ have increased in value more than any other vintage between harvest and being shipped to the UK
France has come top of the medal table at this year’s International Wine Challenge
An amazing 96% of English wines were awarded medals in this year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition
UK drinkers are predicted to become the biggest European spenders on wine within the next three years.
St-Emilion classification St-Emilion’s chateaux have been left in labelling disarray
French wine is back in fashion with consumers at Asda
A week after the St-Emilion classification was declared invalid, it’s back!
The 2008 French wine harvest is 5% less than 2007 due to poor weather
Confusion over the legality of wine advertising in France
The Japanese are the first in the world to uncork Beaujolais Nouveau each year but this year sales are under pressure.
American wine sales have overtaken French wine sales in the UK for the first time ever.
The French Court of Appeal has ruled that the 2006 Saint Emilion classification will be scrapped.
Wine producers who were on trial for illegally adding sugar to their wines have been found guilty.
British consumers will soon be able to purchase a low alcohol wine 2 years after it was banned by the French government.
France has overtaken Italy as the world's biggest producer but in Champagne yields are to be cut to stabilise prices.
It's the bubbles that give Champagne its flavour confirming the long-held view that Champagnes with a fine and persistent mousse, or stream of bubbles, are of a higher quality.
A French Sauvignon Blanc, called Kiwi Cuvee, has been prevented from being sold in Australia because of its name.
Producers in Burgundy are under attack from critics who claim that many wines are undrinkable when they should be at their peak due to premature oxidation.
St Emilion finally decides on a process to end the on-going controversy over the 2006 reclassification.
Overall Italian wine production exceeds France including Prosecco production which out produced Champagne.
The permitted yield of grapes for the upcoming harvest in Champagne is to be increased to 12,500 kilogrammes per hectare (kg/ha) to cope with growing demand for Champagne.
The 2011 harvest has started early in Bordeaux and Champagne.
A new term 'Claret de Bordeaux' is to be used for wines under AOC Bordeaux, AOC Bordeaux Superieur and AOC Cotes de Bordeaux appellations.
Exchange rates have fallen but duty will save you some money so is it still worth stocking up from over the channel?
Chateau Lafite Rothschild is to seal all its bottles with the Prooftag bubble seal as an anti-fraud measure.
Cows in the southern Herault region of France are fed red wine to produce VinBovin a new delicacy in Paris restaurants.
Smaller harvests in Northern Hemisphere could put pressure on prices
New proposal by EU to allow use of symbolic chateau label on bottles exported to Europe.
Independent wineries feeling pinch from bad harvests and economic climate look for more government protection.
With tax on French wine where will we go for cheap plonk ?
China has agreed to protect the name Champagne so that only wines produced in the French region can bear the name.
Evidence shows winemaking in South of France as early as 5th Century BC
EU trade row with China provokes them to ask for anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into EU wine.
French seek to forbid alchohol promotion on internet and social media
At Vicard Tonnelleries, a leading barrel maker based in Cognac, sales have fallen from 50,000 barrels in 2008 to 40,000 in 2012 due to trend for unoaked wine.
Bordeaux faces its smallest harvest in over 20 years, according to the Bordeaux Wine Bureau.
2013 harvesting begins across the globe what effect on pricing ?
The world’s largest and most important living grapevine collection at the Domaine de Vassal vineyard, in the South of France, is to be relocated.
Global sales of Prosecco have overtaken Champagne.
America overtakes France in the purchase of wine.
France opposing the creation of new web domains.
France is world's biggest producer but there's still too much wine to go around.
Champagne volume and value sales are up driven by exports.
Italy becomes Europe's largest producer while England grows at 4.4%
Languedoc winemakers were going to disrupt the tour but have reached an agreement to showcase French wine.
French winegrowers furious at quantity of Spanish wine being imported.
Bordeaux prices rise by around 20% as the Antique Wine Company go bust claiming little interest in previous vintages.
French reported weakest harvest in 30 years
FTA agreement reduces tariffs on imported Australian wines
2017 wine production is down overall by 8% around the world. France, Italy and Spain, which produce half the world's wine, have been hit by severe frosts and fires.
For years the French have dominated China, but in 2017 Australia has now become Chins, main wine supplier.
Around 5 million of bottles of Spanish rosé wine imported into France, have been sold as French wine.
Hail netting ban has been lifted to the relief of many growers after it was found not to influence the climate below the netting.
China’s wine sales in restaurants and bars were released in Wine Business Solutions latest report.
The French government has released rules for the new designation for natural or low interventionist wines.
French wine sales to the US fell by 14% in 2020, due to import tariffs placed on them by the Trump presidency over US claims of subsidies to EU plane maker Airbus.
Brexit Britain has been under new duty-free rules since January, but with lockdowns and bans on travel, many Brits don’t know what the new allowances mean and how to benefit the most.
Wide spread frost has hit many vineyards over several nights, devastating many of France's top wine regions and parts of Europe.
This week a new 1,000 square meter duty free shop was announced for Calais, while work on the Dunkirk shop is due to be completed ready for opening in July.
The coldest night in April since 1947 years has caused wide spread frost throughout France
French wine terrorist group CRAV continue assault on free trade this time blowing up a government building in Carcassonne.
French wine & spirit exports drop, driven by the US which saw 22% volume decline according a new report by FEVS (French Association of Wine and Spirits Exporters).
Ian D'Agata is an expert on regional Italian food and wine and managing director of the International Wine Academy of Rome. Ian gives an overview of the regions and key grape varieties to help get our heads around Italian wine.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has become the second Tuscan wine to come under investigation
UK drinkers are predicted to become the biggest European spenders on wine within the next three years.
San Gimignano has become the latest Tuscan appellation to hit the headlines
The Italian government is to guarantee that all exported Brunello is 100% Sangiovese.
American wine sales have overtaken French wine sales in the UK for the first time ever.
The Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadine DOC zone will become a DOCG from the 2009 vintage.
Italian police close investigation into the alleged adulteration of Brunello di Montalcino by declassifying 1.3 million litres of Brunello to the IGT category.
A new low alcohol wine called Vetro will be one of the first to clearly display the units of alcohol on its front label in response to the government's Know Your Limits campaign.
A new EU law that came into force in August last year has caught out Marks and Spencer with their Rosecco brand.
Giacomo Tachis named Man Of The Year 2011
Overall Italian wine production exceeds France including Prosecco production which out produced Champagne.
Producers in Montalcino, Italy have overwhelmingly rejected proposals to use grapes other than Sangiovese in Rosso di Montalcino.
Smaller harvests in Northern Hemisphere could put pressure on prices
Italian's approve use of synthetic corks and screwcaps for first time.
2013 harvesting begins across the globe what effect on pricing ?
Global sales of Prosecco have overtaken Champagne.
Short supply of Pinot Grigio forces price increases for this popular white wine
France is world's biggest producer but there's still too much wine to go around.
After a lengthy investigation police seize drugs and arrest winery workers in Montalcino, southern Tuscany.
Report on UK online wine sales shows top 5 country sources
The wine trade are downplaying speculation that there may be a shortage of Prosecco due to a difficult 2014 vintage.
After Prosecco shortages last year Italians predict a promising harvest this year.
Italy becomes Europe's largest producer while England grows at 4.4%
Italy's Prosecco applys for UNESCO world heritage status
2017 wine production is down overall by 8% around the world. France, Italy and Spain, which produce half the world's wine, have been hit by severe frosts and fires.
The Italian government is targeting 50 organisations for diluting top wines from around Italy.
China’s wine sales in restaurants and bars were released in Wine Business Solutions latest report.
World wine production has bounced back after a frost hit 2017 vintage with Italy the world's largest producer.
As the 2017 Bordeaux En Primeur campaign is about to be delivered it appears that most investors appear to have lost money. But Italy appears to be a country that is becoming more popular with LIV-ex investors.
Fraudsters in Milan have been arrested after an investigation showing that cheap Sicilian wine was being bottled as the famous Super Tuscan Sassicaia.
Each year France and Italy vie to be the world's largest wine producing country, with this year Italy coming in at top place with 19% of the world's wine production vs France at 18%.
Franciacorta, the premium traditional method Italian sparkling wine from Lombardy, has seen sales soar in Italy, the US, Switzerland and Germany.
Singapore’s Court of Appeals ruled in favour of the Italian Prosecco Consortium effectively banning Australian Prosecco.