by our authors

Most sparkling wine was originally produced to slake only local thirst. In two enormous markets, Germany and Russia, it still is, but in the wake of Champagne’s global success, producers the world over now eye exports as a way to improve their bottom lines. We look at what’s happening in Germany, France, Spain and Italy.

by Michèle Shah

Tuscany exploded on the world stage when the Super Tuscans appeared in the late 1980s. Wine lovers couldn’t get enough of them and the style’s future seemed secure. Yet now, writes Michèle Shah, there is a swing back to traditional winemaking.

by Eduardo Brethauer and Jürgen Mathäß

Slowdowns in exports and rising costs have forced the Chilean industry to decide whether to stay struggling at the entry level or raise the average price of its product mix and go head-to-head with more prestigious wines.

by James Lawther MW

While there is dynamism in certain sectors and a steady supply of new investors, the Languedoc and Roussillon are in a state of mutation. Varietal wines continue to gain market share, but the appellations are losing lustre.

by Jane Anson

Although the noble estates in Bordeaux are awash in success, their fortune has done little to relieve the misery of their neighbours. Jane Anson asks if it would be possible to turn things around with a mass market Bordeaux brand.

by Caroline Gilby MW

Romania has come a long way since the fall of communism, culminating with EU membership in January 2007. It is now one of the most buoyant economies in Europe – and is one of the world’s largest wine markets. Caroline Gilby MW looks at how these changes have affected the country’s wine industry.

by Zoltán Farkas

The Hungarian wine industry, once a supplier to European nobles, has been through several turbulent decades. But Zoltán Farkas discovers that, despite the obstacles posed by EU membership, the industry looks promising once again.