Insight: Is Ribera Del Duero in Rioja's shadow?

James Lawrence asks if there is any room for Ribera Del Duero in London's crowded on-trade?

Insight: Call for multi-national campaign to help boost awareness around Monastrell

Concerns in Spain over the decline in planting of Monastrell there have led one of their leading winemakers to advocate the launch of a joint marketing campaign with the other main growers of the grape - France, Australia and California.

Insights: Turkish wine producers look to the UK as a key export market

Justin Keay, discovers some exceptional wines at last month's Wines of Turkey tasting and explores why more Turkish producers are looking at the UK as critical export market.

Analysis: Can Cava strike gold on its quest for premiumisation?

James Lawrence takes a look at Cava producers who are bucking the trend, even leaving the regional Cava designation, in an effort to produce a more premium product. But how much traction are these Cava producers getting?

Analysis: Is Burgundy is set for one of its greatest vintages?

Perhaps keen not to be outdone by Bordeaux, where hopes for 2015 are already very high, Burgundy is set for one of its greatest vintages. That, at least, is the view of Thierry Budin, president of Chateau de Santenay, which owns 98 hectares of vines across fourteen appellations of Burgundy.

Q&A: Graham Gayler appointed as new non-executive director

Ridgeview, one of the largest English sparkling wine producers in Sussex, has appointed its former bank manager, Graham Gayler as a non-executive director. Gayler, a former director at NatWest bank, was one of the few lenders to show faith in Ridgeview and the future of English wine, when he agreed to fund the fizz producer during its first years of production in the 1990s.

Q&A: Merchant Vintners' chairman James Tanner

James Tanner is the third chairman of the buying group which is celebrating 50 years of business and looking for new recruits.

Insights: Autumn tastings reveal long-term strategies for multiple retailers

Angela Mount hit many of the autumn multiple retailer tastings ahead of the Christmas trading period to get in-depth insight into each retailers different long-term strategies.

Q&A: Andrés Lavados, Chile's Santa Rita Estates

Andrés Lavados has been heading up Chile's Santa Rita Estates for more than a year. He talks about his vision for the company and how he plans to crack the UK market.

Analysis: Is the flavoured whisky and Bourbon drinks boom offensive to purists?

As flavoured whisky and Bourbon drinks sales boom, Dominic Roskrow looks at their impact on the category and how purists are coping with their popularity.

Insights: The 12 must have drams of Christmas

It's been another huge year for whisky, but how do you go about offering a comprehensive and exciting choice for your customers? Dominic Roskrow offers some advice.

Interview: Barbara Banke takes family-owned Jackson Family Wines global

Barbara Banke, the driving force behind Jackson Family Wines, on the challenges involved in guiding a family-owned business to global success.

Insights: What wine trends will be driving this year's festive period

et the planning, stock, marketing and sales mix right and Christmas should deliver a bumper season, with a sales uplift over the extended period that, for many, can come close to matching the take for the rest of the year. Conversely, though, at its most extreme, depressed or underperforming, Christmas trading can seriously impact on the ongoing health of a business. Which is why it is so important to make the most of this seasonal drinkfest.

Mark Harvey, new MD of wine at Chapel Down, wants to shake up the wine trade

Mark Harvey was recently appointed managing director of wine at Chapel Down. He talks to Erin Smith about his new role and what he sees for the future of the English sparkling wine brand.

Openings: Sexy Fish

Douglas Blyde weighs in Sexy Fish. The ambitious, 190-cover late October opening from Caprice Holdings (owners of The Ivy) which is inherently design-led.

Insights: Retailers' Christmas strategies revealed

Analysis: Spirits brands set to make the most of Christmas trading period

With the 12 weeks leading up to Christmas the most crucial for all in the drinks trade, Erin Smith looks at how the spirits sector fares at this time of year.

On-trade: The rising popularity of pop-ups

From wine car boot sales to pop-up shops and mobile wine vans, Jo Bruce looks at how operators' fresh formats are uncorking wine sales

The Smith Report: A consumer-centric Christmas

As we head into November and the throes of the busiest trading period of the year, many retailers are changing strategies in an effort to pull in more consumers during the final weeks of 2015.

Analysis: Greatest Champagne vintage for 70 years?

Geoffery Dean gets the inside scoop on this year's harvest from some of the iconic Champagne houses