France’s wine sector is once again battling alcohol reduction suggestions from the country’s health ministry. This time, eight French wine bodies have aligned to protest against the idea of a nationally backed ‘dry January’. 
 

The Perrodo family, owners of London-based oil and gas company Perenco, have paid an estimated €60m ($67m) for their third Bordeaux châteaux, local paper

Australian exports are on the up, according to the latest figures from Wine Australia, with value continuing to grow.

The harvest in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore has just come to an end, with yields down between 3% to 5% on last year. Wines from this vintage will be the first to be made in line with new production regulations that allow for a drier style of wine.

The Jurade of Saint-Émilion, a seven decades old wine fraternity, now has a new member: Swedish tennis legend Björn Borg. He was inducted into the Jurade on Tuesday, 22 October, during a surprise ceremony.

Two cooperatives in Puglia have been the targets of sabotage.

Weingut Egon Müller’s owner and winemaker was more concerned about the harvest that was underway than he was about the 25% tariffs that the US imposed on the vast majority of wines from Germany, France, and Spain earlier this month.
 

Yields were down in Rioja in 2019 because of less vigour in the vineyard, which the Consejo Regulador de Rioja DOCa says “guarantee maximum quality”.

Chile’s tourism authorities have issued an advisory saying that most of the country’s tourism facilities are unaffected by the civil unrest gripping parts of the country, but to be prepared for transport delays.

Appellation Marlborough Wine, established in 2018, has recently been trademarked in key global wine markets.

US wholesale alcohol inventories are at an all-time high, according to figures from the US Census Bureau.

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French powerhouse Les Grands Chais de France (GCDF) has purchased Maison Desvignes Ainé et Fils near Chablis. According to the company, the September acquisition “will increase the Group’s scale and capacity in the appellation, as well as help to stabilise supply in challenging vintages”.

The market for organic wine is booming. But while demand keeps rising, the supply side seems to be lagging. France is still going strong: 12% of its vineyards are now farmed organically, an increase of one-fifth in 2018, according to the French Agence Bio.

Spanish businessman Pancho Campo was kidnapped and robbed at gunpoint outside Cape Town on Saturday, October 12th.