Are classic Italian wines making a comeback?

Many believe that classic Italian styles are poised for a major comeback, but could they be obscuring the depth and breadth of Italian wine?

Laroche winemaker Grégory Viennois on a new dawn for Chablis, the difficult 2013 vintage and price changes

Grégory Viennois, the outspoken winemaker and technical director at Domaine Laroche (owned by the Advini group), was in London to present the 2012 vintage of his Chablis premiers and grands crus and hold a master class on the different crus on the right and left bank of the Serein river. Anne Krebiehl caught up with him afterwards: he sees the dawn of a new era for Chablis, reflects on the difficult 2013 vintage and price developments.

Sam Neill and Nigel Greening on what makes a great Pinot Noir producer

Two of New Zealand's leading Pinot Noir producers, Sam Neill of Two Paddocks and film star fame, and Nigel Greening of Felton Road, set out at a special tasting last week in London what it is that has drawn them in to trying to create award Pinot Noir from the Central Otago.

Jon Bonné of San Francisco Chronicle on how American wine is changing

Jon Bonné, wine editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, tells Anne Krebiehl at last week's New California tasting how what constitutes a good American wine is changing radically as new consumers start experimenting more.  

Grower champagnes are riding a wave, says Anne Krebiehl

Growers' Champagnes are riding a wave: while Bordelais tasting rooms remained sluggish and empty during this year's en primeur campaign, Champagne had no trouble attracting visitors, says Anne Krebiehl.

Riesling helps reinvent German wines in key export markets

Riesling is helping a new generation of winemakers to reinvent Germany in its key export markets. But, as Anne Krebiehl discovers, they have many more surprises up their sleeve.

'Sinful' wine and beer RTD launches

Mosel-based German wine producer ZGM has come up with the unthinkable: an RTD mixing beer and wine, being sold as an 'aromatised wine-cocktail' in a small, crown-capped beer bottle.

Beltrán Domecq, president of the Consejo Regulador, on sherry's changing image in the UK

Chile's De Martino winery has a 'Damascene conversion', says Anne Krebiehl

Chilean wine has had a Damascene conversion at De Martino, says Anne Krebiehl.

Q&A with Rupert Berkmann of Berkmann Wine Cellars

Rupert Berkmann, managing director of Berkmann Wine Cellars, joined the family company 10 years ago. At the company's 50th anniversary tasting he talks to Anne Krebiehl about the firm and his vision.

Anne Krebiehl compares German Pinot Noir to its Burgundy counterparts

Q&A with Nomacorc's François-Xavier Denis as he makes the case for synthetic closures

?New Zealand: it's not all about Sauvignon Blanc

The UK remains central to New Zealand's wine-export strategy as it looks to widen its appeal across all channels of the market. Ahead of this month's generic UK tasting, Anne Krebiehl looks at its opportunities in 2014

Great Western Wine proves the pick of the south west

Meet the team behind bath-based Great Western Wine and hear how it's tailoring its offer for an ever-evolving market

Anne Krebiehl on showcasing Languedoc wines with St Chinian

The dichotomy, so commentators would have it, is between those who make their wines as they like them, think that the "market" has to "understand" their wines and are then disgruntled if sales do not materialise. The other camp - always implied to be less scrupulous somehow about nebulous concepts like "typicity" and "terroir" - look what the "market" might want, at a certain price point, proceed to provide it and sell it.

Q&A: Marie-Annick Consola, sales director, Vignobles Foncalieu

Anne Krebiehl talks to Marie-Annick Consola of Vignobles Foncalieu a collective co-operative that covers numerous appellations across the south of France and the Rhône Valley. It's 1,200 members work 5,100 hectares of vineyards and sales exceed 21 million bottles. Foncalieu's progressive management embarked on the path of premium production roughly a decade ago. Consola wasin London to introduce the 'Iconic' range, a collection of stand-out wines from distinct appellations like Saint-Chinian, Corbières, Minervois and Côteaux d'Esérune as well as the wines of Château Haut Gléon in Corbières. While Foncalieu still provides some own-label wines for Asda, it has largely moved away from the high-volume off-trade.

Burgundy 2012 en primeur kicks off with some allocations already "exhausted"

The severly reduced Burgundy harvest for 2012 is resulting in producers holding en primeur tastings this month with "Allocation Exhausted" labels over some bottles.

Anne Krebiehl: How Doña Paula is making white wine in Argentina's Andean desert

The location is Doña Paula's Alluvia vineyard in Gualtallary, Tunpungato, Argentina. The altitude is 1350m (4429ft) above sea level. Annual rainfall is just 280mm which, technically, makes it a desert.

Q&A: Nicolas Audebert, winemaker at Cheval Des Andes

Nicolas Audebert, Montpellier graduate and winemaker at Cheval des Andes, Cheval Blanc's Argentinian winery in Mendoza, spent the initial two years of the project working with Pierre Lurton in 1999 and has held his current position for seven years, after an interval as winemaker for Krug Champagne.

Anne Krebiehl: Pumanque breaks new ground in Chile

Sebastian Warnier, head of viticulture in Chile for Santa Rita Estates, stands atop a hill that overlooks a fair part of the almost 600ha of vines planted by the group in Pumanque, a valley about 50km from Apalta, in Colchagua, just behind the coastal range, a mere 23km from the Pacific, whose cooling fogs and winds can enter through the wind-gap created by the mouth of the Nilahue River.