April, 26, 2013 China, mass retail and Web to drive global wine sales

(Reuters) - Mass retailers and the Internet will increasingly dominate the $164 billion (106 billion pounds) global wine market at the expense of bars and restaurants, industry experts said on Thursday.A report commissioned by VINEXPO, an international wine and spirits trade fair, also highlighted ...

April, 26, 2013 France: Chateau Loudenne to be sold to Chinese Baijiu group

(Decanter) - Chinese Baijiu group Moutai will purchase cru bourgeois property Chateau Loudenne, according to reports. The previous owners of Loudenne – the site of one of the oldest cru bourgeois wines, which was originally built in the 17th century – reportedly entered into sal...

April, 26, 2013 Wine Snob or Wine Geek? Take The Test

(Forbes) - Fact: there are significant differences between the Wine Snob and the Wine Geek. Geeks are passionate about everything from soil composition to fermentation techniques; they care about wild yeast and canopy management and are able to wax poetic about the pros and cons of micro-oxygenatio...

April, 26, 2013 US: Idaho Wine Grapes Get Early Start

(Wines&Vines) - With bud break in full swing three weeks earlier than usual, Idaho growers are optimistic that chilly weather in January and February won’t dampen prospects for the 2013 crop.  “All of our established stuff is fine,” said Ron Bitner of Bitner Vineyards, a ...

April, 25, 2013 PARKER APPOINTS THREE NEW CRITICS

(TheDrinksBusiness) - A trio of new wine critics have joined Robert Parker’s ever-expanding team at The Wine Advocate. Indiana-born Jeb Dunnock, founder of The Rhône Report website, has taken over from Parker as the bi-monthly publication’s Rhône critic. Meanwhile...

April, 25, 2013 Bordeaux 2012: Margaux releases one third down, Pavie and Angelus major increase

(Decanter) - Chateau Margaux has matched fellow First Growth Chateau Mouton Rothschild by releasing its 2012 wine at €240 ex-Bordeaux.  This represents a drop of 33% on 2011 (although up 85% from 2008). Margaux’s second wine, Pavillon Rouge, is down 12% to €75 per bottl...

April, 25, 2013 UK: RECORD DEMAND FOR IRON MAIDEN BEER

(TheDrinksBusiness) - Family brewery Robinsons in Cheshire is brewing three batches a day for the first time in 175 years in order to keep up with demand for Iron Maiden’s new beer.  The Sun newspaper reports that over 100 countries have signed up to stock the cask ale, created i...

April, 25, 2013 Global: Online wine sales spark industry revolution

(Just-Drinks) - Technology is driving "unprecedented" change in the way in the way retailers sell wine all over the world, according to the co-founder of market research group Wine Intelligence. Retailers in developed markets are looking at how digital technology can engage more consumers, amid ...