September, 13, 2011 French vintners divided over 2011 harvest risks

(Reuters) - Unpredictable 2011 weather has divided French vintners into cautious early harvesters keen to avoid early autumn storms and nail-biting gamblers willing to risk catastrophe for more mature grapes in a year that has been flagged as exceptional for wine. A dry spring, a wet start to sum...

September, 13, 2011 Economic gloom weighs on fine wine auctions

(Reuters Life!) - Global economic woes dented sales of fine wines at auctions in Hong Kong, New York and London, but some lots fetched record prices or exceeded presale estimates. Fears of a Greek default roiling the world's markets and stubbornly high U.S. unemployment rates impacted the auction...

September, 13, 2011 US: Hedgerows Protect California Vineyards

(Wines & Vines)- California farms and vineyards have been planting and maintaining more hedgerows in recent years as a result of increased interest in sustainable farming operations; available expertise and financial assistance from conservation agencies, and better knowledge about hedgerow uses and...

September, 12, 2011 NZ: Wine industry hopes to cash in on Rugby World Cup

(Radio NZ)- Thousands of fans with a thirst for rugby will flood into New Zealand in the next six weeks and the wine industry's hoping to broaden their tastes beyond just ball sports. The $1.1 billion export industry is one of 18 sectors being promoted to Rugby World Cup visitors as part of the R...

September, 12, 2011 Go for cheaper wine

Wine snobbery no longer palatable says study.For decades, cheap wine paired best with trouser cleavage and brown paper bags. Since the recession, however, it's more likely to be served with a side of prestige, as consumers flaunt bargain bottles that taste like a million bucks — or at least $30...

September, 12, 2011 New Zealand Wine Company 'significant loss'

The New Zealand Wine Company has multimillion dollar losses for 2011 - a sign of the wider financial malaise facing the country’s wine industry. NZWC, which produces the Marlborough eco-brand Grove Mill, reported a loss of NZ$3.18m (£1.63m) in the year to June 2011 in addition to a shortfall of N...

September, 12, 2011 Weekly wine definied: Barrel fermentation

This is the process of fermenting grape juice in a large oak barrel instead of a stainless steel tank. Barrel fermentation is especially utilized with white wines. And as is often the case with Chardonnays, a winemaker may choose to ferment half of its pressed juice in an oak barrel and half in a...

September, 12, 2011 US: A divorcee’s default and a bank’s demise

Bankrupt socialite Patricia Kluge’s financial collapse has spread to Richmond. An $8.2 million loan made to Kluge’s ill-fated real estate development Vineyard Estates went up in smoke, and now two Virginia banks and the FDIC are sorting through the ashes in federal court. (To get caught up on t...