February, 07, 2014 Fewer French winemakers switching to organic

(Decanter) - There has been a sharp drop in the number of French winemakers converting their vines to organic, but supporters believe consumer demand will spark a fresh growth phase. France's organic wine sector appears to be nearing a plateau. There were just under 5,000 hectares (ha) of vines in...

February, 06, 2014 Who Are the Customers For Wines Over $20?

(Wine-Searcher) - Want to identify a high-end wine drinker in the United States? Look for the guy drinking the bottle of assyrtiko. While wines from most countries are purchased both by high-end and value-conscious Americans alike, Greek wines are the preserve of the first group – which is m...

February, 06, 2014 Mendocino County winemaking giant John Parducci dies

(PD) - Winemaking legend John Parducci, a champion of Mendocino County viticulture for the better part of eight decades, died Tuesday at his home east of Ukiah. He was 96. Parducci, who traveled alone cross-country at the age of 14 to sell his family's grapes during Prohibition, was the first to p...

February, 06, 2014 Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie plan 'Super Provence' red wine with Perrin family

(Decanter) - Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and their winemaking partner, the Perrin family, are considering making a red Provence wine in the style of Italy's Super Tuscans, decanter.com has learned as the new 'Jolie-Pitt & Perrin' rosé vintage is released. The Perrins, of Chateau Beaucaste...

February, 06, 2014 Kukeri Cabernet blends the heritage of Bulgaria with the grapes of Napa

(Examiner) - Petar Kirlov, a native of Bulgaria, honors his heritage with the newly launched Kukeri Wines Cabernet, named after a traditional Bulgarian ritual to scare away evil spirits. What better way to get in better spirits than with a glass of fine wine? Kirlov, who is based out of Sebastopol...

February, 06, 2014 To Discover The Magic Of Good Zinfandel, Ask This Winemaker

(Forbes) - Ravenswood winemaker Joel Peterson is the only vintner I know with a tombstone proudly displayed by the door of his tasting room. It’s a simple affair with the epitaph: To Err is Human, But to Zin is Divine, Here Lies The Last Wimpy Wine. I used to labor under the false impression ...

February, 06, 2014 NZ: Villa Maria expands in sought-after Gimblett Gravels

(Decanter) - New Zealand wine group Villa Maria has acquired a further 41-hectare vineyard estate in the country's sought-after Gimblett Gravels area. Villa Maria has acquired 25ha of Pask Winery's Gimblett Road vineyard and 16 ha of Pask's leased vineyard for an undisclosed fee, the companies ann...

February, 05, 2014 Vines flooded after heavy rain hits Bordeaux

(Decanter) - Heavy rain in the Bordeaux region has led to flooding in some low-lying vineyards. Some of the worst affected vines were those in and around Langoiran, close to the banks of La Garonne river south of Bordeaux centre. 'All the properties next to the river and some slightly beyond have...