producers have in common: Domaine Antoine Arena, Azienda Galardi, Finca Sandoval, Wein-gut Emrich-Schönleber, Domaine Aly Durh, Gaia and Poesia? Unless you’re closely familiar with the Loire Valley, Campania, La Mancha, Nahe, Luxembourg, Greece or Argentina, there’s a good possibility that you won’t have heard of any of them, let alone sold a bottle of their wines. But open a copy of Michel Bettane and Thierry…

Jan 16 New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting, Lord’s Cricket Ground. Contact alison@winzuk.com Jan 22 Oregon & Washington Trade Tasting, The Royal Society of the Arts. Contact kate@hilltopwines.co.uk Jan 23 Drinks International Vodka Summit, Chinawhite, London. Contact vodkasummit@william-reed.co.uk Jan 24 Australia Day Tastings, Edinburgh; Jan 31-Feb 1 London. Contact uk@wineaustralia.com…

Before Christmas a Camra survey found that Sainsbury’s was selling Carling for 54p a pint (£9.99 for 24x44cl cans), while bottled water cost 49p a pint. Without tax, the beer cost just 16p. Camra also found that Morrisons sold Grolsch for 76p a pint (£16 for 40x30cl) and Tesco sold Budweiser at 95p a pint (£9.98 for 20x30cl). The group has tabled an early day…

AThe Challenge 21 scheme is voluntary and has played a major role in reducing sales to under-18s as it increases the margin of error. There are no plans to make it a legal requirement as far as we know. But should you fall foul of the local licensing authority you could find that certain conditions are suddenly attached to your licence that weren’t there before.

Problem areas, including applications, fees and licence variations, will be tackled under the Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s simplification plan. Small businesses selling “very small quantities of alcohol” could be exempted from licensing requirements altogether, while the role of designated premises supervisors in authorising sales will be clarified. The proposals will be implemented over the next three years after consultations between ministers and industry…

The Scottish & Newcastle UK brand is running a competition to train as an amateur rider before saddling up for a six-furlong flat race at Aintree on April 14. A panel of experts will select 10 apprentice riders who will compete for a share of a £100,000 charity fund. The competition will run in the Daily Mirror, Daily Record, Ladbrokes betting shops and…

Wine is not flavour of the month in the stock market. City traders may have consumed vast quantities celebrating record Christmas bonuses, but investors tempted into two overseas wine companies have had a sobering experience. Cosentino Signature Wines, of California, and Palandri, from Western Australia, are the culprits in what has been a costly disaster. Just over a year ago Cosentino’s shares were sold to…