The Comité Champagne has announced that the region’s harvest began on August 20, with the yield set at “the highest level in 15 years”.  The harvest start dates across each village and grape varietal will vary between August 20 and September 6, with all grapes being picked by hand. Continuing from previous years, the region’s Réseau Matu organisation recommended the optimal dates for the…

As anyone who deals with the familiar names in fine wine can attest, there has been a trend for some time now for producers in premium fine wine regions — Bordeaux, Champagne and so on — to redesign or refresh their labelling to appear more contemporary. This bothers me, because it is almost always the case that I prefer the old design. For a while…

The Ribera del Duero wine DO is running the first Reach for Ribera promotion in 25 independent wine merchants in February. For a minimum of two weeks, participating retailers will highlight the region’s through on-site merchandise displays, promotional actions, social media activity and newsletters. The best all-round promotion will be rewarded with a trip to the region. Pablo Baquera Peironcely, marketing director of the region’s…

Rioja Wine UK has launched its new marketing campaign for 2021, with a clear focus on the “exceptional quality” of the top end wines of the region. With the value of Rioja in the UK up 17.9% in 2020, according to latest Nielsen statistics (MAT 26.12.20), the new campaign will bolster the region’s fine wine credentials and consolidate its position as Spain’s premier wine producing…

The map for cool climate wines is expanding, with more countries and regions gaining recognition as producers of quality wines. Alongside this, a growing number of consumers are discovering the styles produced from grapes grown in countries that have a longer growing season, often with warm summer days followed by drops in temperature at night. Laura Jewell MW, Wine Australia’s regional general manager EMEA, says…

New Zealand producer te Pā Family Vineyards has secured its first major UK listing with the launch of two of its wines into Tesco stores. The te Pā Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc (rsp: £10) and Pinot Noir (rsp: £18) will be in stores by the end of this month. Both wines are sustainably grown and vegan-friendly. The company is based in the Marlborough region and…

Majestic Wines sells one bottle of wine from New Zealand for every bottle sold from America, Australia and South America put together. New Zealand wines have been a top seller in Majestic for many years but the retailer says its customers have historically been reluctant to move away from the country’s Sauvignon Blancs, particularly ones from the Marlborough region. In the second of this five-part…