Category: News

BKWine Blog

One bottle of Grange sold for $51,000

At a recent auction in Australia a single bottle of Grange 1951 (previously called “Grange hermitage”) sold for the record price $51,000. It was two Grange collections that were up for sale at the same

New French Vin de Pays rejected by the EU

France recently created three new Vins de Pays: “de l’Atlantique”, “de Gaule” and “de France”. These have now been rejected by the agricultural commission at the EU. The reason is that, according to European rules,

The genome of the vine mapped

French and Italian researchers have mapped the full genome of the vine. It is the fourth plant after Arabidopsis, rice and poplar that has had its genetic fingerprint identified. The results were recently published in

New DOCG in Italy: Oltrepò Pavese

Oltrepò Pavese have been given DOCG-status (the highest rank for Italian wines) for its sparkling wines made from Pinot Noir grapes. wine-business-international.com

Provence snapshot

Provence in a few lines: – Provence is the biggest producer of rosé wine. 42% of all French AOC rosé wine come from Provence – Annual production is 140 million bottles: 84% rosé, 13% red,

Crozes-Hermitage snapshot

With its 1430 ha it is the biggest appellation in the northern Rhône valley – Annual production is 60,000 hl, 93% of which is red – The appellation accounts for 50% of all wines from

Early harvest

Many wine regions will start the harvest exceptionally early this year, due to the warm weather early in spring. Champagne started harvesting on August 20. In Italy many regions are three weeks ahead of schedule

Record harvest in Argentina

The 2007 grape harvest reached record levels – up 6.5% compared to last year. A substantial part of the grape production is used for grape juice rather than wine though. wine-business-international.com

Giant winemaker Gallo changes importer in Sweden

One of the world’s largest wine producers, Gallo in California, has changed importer for the Swedish market. The will now be represented by Spendrups Vin instead of their previous importer, the government owned (but up

Wine sells – even sex?

But it is not only in South Africa where you sell wine with sex. In New York they try it too. Or perhaps it is the other way around: selling sex with wine? At Babeland,

Sex sells – even wine?

Perhaps not something that would catch on with most marketeers (and certainly not the advertising regulators) in Europe. But a South African wine producer has launched a campaign featuring lightly clad (actually, not at all)

German consumers buy wines according to taste

A survey of German consumer behaviour has shown that German consumers primarily buy wines according to taste and character (51.3%). Geographic origin was most important for 12% of the consumers, price for 9% and grape

Saint Emilion and satellites joins forces

The producer organisations (who represent the interests of the wine makers) for Saint Emilion, Saint Emilion Grand Cru and the two “satellites” Lussac St Emilion and Puisseguin St Emilion have merged the organisations, presumably in

The world’s best Pinot Noir

The tenth vintage of the world championship of Pinot Noir saw 1050 contestants – wines from many countries: France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Argentina, Chile, the United States, New Zealand,… Four wines were awarded Great Gold

Moth new threat to Napa vineyards

A small moth called Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer is the latest threat to Napa vineyards. One such moth was recently found in a trap in Napa Valley. The evil beast eats the leaves and the grapes

Torres establishes foothold in Rioja

Torres is almost synonymous with Catalonia. But now they have bought a small property in Rioja, not big, just some 5 hectares. Torres has since several years expanded to other countries: California and Chile. And

Wanted: Stolen wines

– We’ve had a report of stolen wines that the owner would very much like to get back: “”2 Double Magnums Latour 1982, 9 Magnums Latour 1982, 12 bottles 1982 Latour, 12 bottles Margaux 1986,

The World’s best Tempranillo

More and more grape varieties get their own competition. This year is the third for Tempranillo. The judgment took place in Shanghai (!) at the end of June. Two Great Gold Medals were Awarded: Carmelo

But ”Cru Bourgeois” will perhaps rise again

So it is forbidden to use the classification Cru Bourgeois. What to do? Why not create a “label” that could be called “Label Cru Bourgeois”? Then it wont be a classification but simply a label.

”Cru Bourgeois” banned

– The latest chapter in the classification carrousel in Bordeaux: DGCCRF (“La Fraude”), the French administration responsible for counteracting fraud (and other things), has issued a decreed to the effect that it is no longer

Wine making as in roman times

An American wine producer has started making wine in huge terracotta amphorae – the way wine was made in roman times it is said. It is Del Dotto Winery in St Helena that has invested

Bordeaux named World Heritage Site by Unesco

Large parts of the city of Bordeaux has been given World Heritage status by Unesco. It is primarily the old city centre and its river-facing facades that have been honoured. The city has for several

Dutch wine threaten by EU reform?

Dutch wine growers are worried that the proposed ban on adding sugar to the must will make it impossible to make wine in Holland. Virtually all wine made in Holland is chaptalised, since the vines

Record early harvest in Italy too

The very warm weather, already early in the year, has led to that an exceptionally early harvest is expected – the earliest harvest for 30 years. Early ripening grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio) will be harvested

The EU wine reform

In early July the EU launched its proposal for reform of the wine sector. Today large amounts of money are spent on various measures, that may not always improve the competitiveness of the wine industry,

The main themes in the EU reform

Until then, here are the main themes of the reform: – abolition of market management measures (e.g. “crisis” distillation) – ban on sugar for enrichment (chaptalisation) – grub up 200,000 hectares – end planting restriction

Bag-without-box

Otherwise, the latest packaging innovation is wine in plastic bags. Not the ones you carry home the bottles in of course. Many people are familiar with wine packaged in plastic bags: all bag-in-box wines are

Machine identifies corked wines

The restaurant Latour in new Jersey, has developed a machine (in collaboration with UC Davis) that can identify if a wine is corked or not – without opening the bottle! The machine takes a sample

One bottle of Grange sold for $51,000

At a recent auction in Australia a single bottle of Grange 1951 (previously called “Grange hermitage”) sold for the record price $51,000. It was two

New French Vin de Pays rejected by the EU

France recently created three new Vins de Pays: “de l’Atlantique”, “de Gaule” and “de France”. These have now been rejected by the agricultural commission at

The genome of the vine mapped

French and Italian researchers have mapped the full genome of the vine. It is the fourth plant after Arabidopsis, rice and poplar that has had

New DOCG in Italy: Oltrepò Pavese

Oltrepò Pavese have been given DOCG-status (the highest rank for Italian wines) for its sparkling wines made from Pinot Noir grapes. wine-business-international.com

Provence snapshot

Provence in a few lines: – Provence is the biggest producer of rosé wine. 42% of all French AOC rosé wine come from Provence –

Crozes-Hermitage snapshot

With its 1430 ha it is the biggest appellation in the northern Rhône valley – Annual production is 60,000 hl, 93% of which is red

Early harvest

Many wine regions will start the harvest exceptionally early this year, due to the warm weather early in spring. Champagne started harvesting on August 20.

Record harvest in Argentina

The 2007 grape harvest reached record levels – up 6.5% compared to last year. A substantial part of the grape production is used for grape

Wine sells – even sex?

But it is not only in South Africa where you sell wine with sex. In New York they try it too. Or perhaps it is

Sex sells – even wine?

Perhaps not something that would catch on with most marketeers (and certainly not the advertising regulators) in Europe. But a South African wine producer has

Saint Emilion and satellites joins forces

The producer organisations (who represent the interests of the wine makers) for Saint Emilion, Saint Emilion Grand Cru and the two “satellites” Lussac St Emilion

The world’s best Pinot Noir

The tenth vintage of the world championship of Pinot Noir saw 1050 contestants – wines from many countries: France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Argentina, Chile, the

Moth new threat to Napa vineyards

A small moth called Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer is the latest threat to Napa vineyards. One such moth was recently found in a trap in Napa

Torres establishes foothold in Rioja

Torres is almost synonymous with Catalonia. But now they have bought a small property in Rioja, not big, just some 5 hectares. Torres has since

Wanted: Stolen wines

– We’ve had a report of stolen wines that the owner would very much like to get back: “”2 Double Magnums Latour 1982, 9 Magnums

The World’s best Tempranillo

More and more grape varieties get their own competition. This year is the third for Tempranillo. The judgment took place in Shanghai (!) at the

”Cru Bourgeois” banned

– The latest chapter in the classification carrousel in Bordeaux: DGCCRF (“La Fraude”), the French administration responsible for counteracting fraud (and other things), has issued

Wine making as in roman times

An American wine producer has started making wine in huge terracotta amphorae – the way wine was made in roman times it is said. It

Dutch wine threaten by EU reform?

Dutch wine growers are worried that the proposed ban on adding sugar to the must will make it impossible to make wine in Holland. Virtually

Record early harvest in Italy too

The very warm weather, already early in the year, has led to that an exceptionally early harvest is expected – the earliest harvest for 30

The EU wine reform

In early July the EU launched its proposal for reform of the wine sector. Today large amounts of money are spent on various measures, that

The main themes in the EU reform

Until then, here are the main themes of the reform: – abolition of market management measures (e.g. “crisis” distillation) – ban on sugar for enrichment

Bag-without-box

Otherwise, the latest packaging innovation is wine in plastic bags. Not the ones you carry home the bottles in of course. Many people are familiar

Machine identifies corked wines

The restaurant Latour in new Jersey, has developed a machine (in collaboration with UC Davis) that can identify if a wine is corked or not

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