WILKIN NAMED TOP SOMMELIER

Matthew Wilkin of The Capital Hotel Group has won the 14th Champagne Ruinart UK Sommelier of the Year competition, organised by the Academy of Food & Wine Service.

NZ WINERY DEFENDS ITSELF AGAINST SLUR

Vavasour, the New Zealand winery in Marlborough's Awatere Valley, has denied giving the next New Zealand high commissioner to London a barrel of wine in return for promoting the company in the UK.

DECLARATIONS AND A NEW STRATEGY FROM OPORTO

The Symington Family Port Company has become the first producer to reveal officially one of the wine world's worst-kept secrets, by declaring the 2003 Port vintage for every house in its portfolio.

VIRGIN WINES AND SAINSBURY'S IN SPAT OVER 'WINE' BUYERS

Sainsbury's has hit back at claims made in an email sent by Virgin Wines to its customers that to work as a supermarket wine buyer you don't need to know anything about wine'.

WADSACK IS TOP COMMUNICATOR

Broadcaster, writer and consultant Joe Wadsack, is the International Wine & Spirit Competition's (IWSC) 2005 Communicator of the Year'.

WINE IS TOO INTERESTING, SAYS CHOCOLATE MARKETER

Not enough cues, almost too much choice and a complete risk in trying to make an appropriate choice. These are the impressions of the wine fixture of Mark Palmer, marketing director of Green & Black's, the leading premium organic chocolate brand.

BLOSSOM'S ITALIAN HILL

Blossom Hill, the Californian brand that sells more than three million cases a year in the UK off-trade, is treated as an Italian wine, according to Her Majesty's Customs & Excise (HMCE). The same rule applies to all wines that are shipped to another country for bottling, and then imported to the UK.

DIRECT WINES BUYS INTO VIRGIN

Direct Wines has expanded its direct sales empire by buying a significant stake, understood to be more than 50%, in the web-based Virgin Wines business.

BIODYNAMICS UNDER QUESTION

Biodynamic viticulture is more than just a marketing tool, but more hard scientific evidence is required to prove some of its adherents' claims.

HARPERS DEBATES THE VALUE OF YOUR MARKETING SPEND

This year's Harpers LIWSF debate will look at the issue of
marketing, and how to get the most out of it. The debate is
entitled: Spending Power: Are you getting value from marketing?

GRAHAM HINES LEAVES WINES FROM SPAIN

Graham Hines is leaving Wines from Spain after 21 years of pushing the Spanish generic message.

FOSTER'S TO RAISE SOUTHCORP BID?

Reports in Australia are claiming that Foster's is preparing to extend the bid period for rival Australian wine company Southcorp for a fourth time next week, and will also increase its bid for the producer.

CIVB FINALISES VINE-PULL DETAILS

The CIVB is preparing the final details for its proposed vine-pull programme and has also announced that it will allow producers to release more of the 2004 vintage - which is currently capped at a limit of 50hl/ha for most of Bordeaux - if they can prove they have market for it'.

TWO-THIRDS' OF RED WINE CONTAMINATED BY BRETT

Renowned wine scientist Pascal Chatonnet has claimed that incidences of Brettanomyces in red wines are much higher than previously thought.

'PRIMEUR' RIOJA LAUNCHED

The Codornu-owned Rioja producer Bodegas Bilbainas (BB) is launching the first primeur' Rioja, available for shipping straight after bottling, despite it spending 15 months in oak.

THE INTERVIEW - LUDOVIC PECH

Ludovic Pech - Assistant manager, Chapter One, Farnborough Common, Locksbottom, Kent Interview: Christian Davis

ITALIAN FISCAL POLICE INVESTIGATE FRESCOBALDI

The Guardia di Finanza, Italy's fiscal police, on the order of the Florence district attorney, have launched an investigation into the affairs of world-famous wine producers Marchesi Frescobaldi.

HARPERS DEBATES THE VALUE OF YOUR MARKETING SPEND

This year's Harpers LIWSF debate will look at the issue of marketing, and how to get the most out of it. The debate is entitled: Spending Power: Are you getting value from marketing?

THE INTERVIEW - GORDON MINNIS

THE INTERVIEW - DANNY CAMERON

38-year-old former sommelier Danny Cameron describes himself as the junior partner' at Raymond Reynolds' eponymous Portuguese specialist, a position he has held for more than six years. He is also the chairman of the Association of Portuguese Wine Importers (APWI), formed last year, and the founder of the Specialist Importers Trade Tasting (SITT), to be held in London and Manchester this month.