This year’s London Wine Fair (LWF) Icon Tasting shone a spotlight on just how global and fiercely competitive Chardonnay has become as a category, with entries stretching from Tasmania and Essex to Burgundy and Central Otago. As the results come in however, the question on everyone’s lips remains: who took home the top accolade? The results of LWF’s third annual Icon…

Following a year of staff expansion and a slew of new wine estates, Hallgarten & Novum Wines is at a point where it can be selective in its producer choices, said Will Oatley, commercial director, at the wholesaler and importer’s annual tasting this week.  Just off from the main tasting, where over 900 wines are being tried by the trade, Oatley…

The Bourgogne Wine Board has elected a new permanent committee, including co-presidents Laurent Delaunay and Michel Barraud.  The duo has been elected for a four-year term, during which time they will jointly lead the development of the sector’s 2035 strategic plan.  Barraud takes over from François Labet, who had been serving as co-president since 2022. Meanwhile, Delaunay, who was already a…

North South Wines has expanded into Burgundy for the first time with Jean Bouchard, part of the Albert Bichot family of estates.  The partnership will begin with the launch of 13 wines that showcase diversity in the region, released in the UK across on-trade and off-trade channels.  The wine house, which is based in Beaune, has existed for nearly two centuries and was acquired by the Bichot family…

The Wine Society has released four of its most popular wines in recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) bottles. The latest trial, which includes The Society’s White Burgundy, follows the publication of its Alternative Packaging for Wine report in May. The retailer said plastic bottles are considerably lighter than glass bottles, weighing 63g compared to an average of 460g for glass, “resulting in a lower-carbon footprint,…

The Bollinger Group, which owns Champagnes Bollinger and Ayala as well as several wineries, has purchased Château d’Etroyes – a 50-hectare estate in the Mercurey and Rully terroirs in Burgundy. The company said the acquisition will expand its footprint in Burgundy and complement the wine offering of Domaine Chanson, which it acquired in 1999. Vincent Avenel, managing director of Chanson, said: “Acquiring Château d’Etroyes represents…

Burgundy wine producer Maison Louis Jadot has partnered with industry charity The Drinks Trust to support a training package exclusively for those working in independent wine merchants with a focus on Burgundy. As part of The Drinks Trust’s Develop programme, Louis Jadot is sponsoring 20 places on WSET Level 1 in wine. The initiative includes an online Burgundy masterclass with a selection of Louis Jadot wines,…